In Character: Shea Whigham

With his bug eyes, short stature, and uniquely raspy, southern drawl, Shea Whigham has asserted himself as one of the best, most revered character actors in contemporary film (in my world, at least).

Whigham has made a career playing hilarious and terrifying supporting characters (or, in some cases, both). Whether he’s starring in one of television’s most popular dramas, or appearing for roughly 20 seconds mumbling different variations for the word “whoa,” Whigham always stays imprinted in the viewers' mind.

Because of his appearance, Whigham typically manages to get a laugh from the audience, no matter what he’s doing. Fair enough, but for me, he’s gone from being “that guy” that’s popped up in various flicks, to an actor that will singlehandedly propel me to see a film. I love Shea Whigham, and here’s why you should too.

Five Essential Roles

All the Real Girls (2003)

Tip

In David Gordon Green’s All the Real Girls, Paul (Paul Schneider), a self-described womanizer, falls for Noel (Zooey Deschanel), which his best friend (also Noel’s brother), Tip, doesn’t appreciate all too much.

As Tip, Whigham embodies all of the characteristics he’s come to be best known for. Initially, Tip is a kind, small-town bumpkin. He wears his jean jacket tight and his long hair high. But after Paul and Noel start dating, he goes from the envious buddy (envious of how often his friend gets laid), to the protective older brother. This lends itself to several tumultuous scenes, which ultimately helps the movie end how it must end.

The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans (2009)

Justin

Whigham is in two very brief scenes of Werner Herzog’s mad-ass-crazy corrupt cop flick, the first of which steals the entire picture.  After slapping Eva Mendes around (off screen), Whigham is bum-rushed by Mendes’ cop boyfriend (played with miraculous mania by Nicolas Cage), who insults Whigham’s heritage. What follows is one of the most hilariously executed “monologues” of contemporary cinema. 

Whigham steps away from Cage and very calmly says: “Whoooa, whooa, whoa whoa whoa whoa, Terry. Whoa. Big mistake. Aw yeah. Whoa whoa whoa whoa. Big. Mistake. Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa…whoa. OH YEAH.”

I’m often criticized by my friends for not having an open enough sense of humor in regards to film. I don’t find funny movies funny, I’m often told. This is because most comedies (and virtually all sitcoms) try too hard for the joke, which, to me, detracts from the proposed humor. Whigham isn’t going for the joke here; he’s just a puny, whacked-out thug, talking in grunts. That, my friends, is comedy.

Boardwalk Empire (2010-present)

Sherriff Eli Thompson

Whigham has hit moderate acclaim as Steve Buscemi's ignorant, diminutive brother, Eli, in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. In season one, after Eli was shot while collecting money, his character took on a new emotional depth, far beyond the wimpy sidekick routine that the material had previously allowed.

But it was in season two that Eli was given his moment to shine. Plotting ruthlessly (and rather uselessly) against his brother, proved to be some of the most exciting moments in the series. What makes this work is that Eli is simply too dumb to know he’s being played. Played by his brother, by the guys looking to push his brother out – everyone.

Whigham is known for playing seemingly aloof characters, which is all well and good, considering how skillfully he plays them. But none are more effective than his Eli. “Ignorance is bliss,” certainly does not ring true here.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

Dwayne “DJ” Corliss

Appearing for a handful of scenes as a jailhouse snitch willing to lie on the stand for a modest payout, Whigham’s DJ is by far the best part of the completely decent Lincoln Lawyer. In fact, watching a relaxed, deadpan Whigman on the stand as he rats out Ryan Phillippe’s character, marks one of the best scenes of Whigman’s career.

“Are you incarcerated at this time?” Josh Lucas’ prosecuting attorney asks DJ. “Um… no, now I’m just in a courtroom.”

Later, when Matthew McConaughey accuses him of being a snitch, Whigham, with his insanely long sideburns and perfectly slicked-back hair, holds up his hands and replies, “People talk to me, I’m a friendly guy.”

DJ’s antics manage to get a few chuckles from the people in the courtroom, and they got even more from the people in the movie theater. I’d like to think his dialogue was improvised (“Uhhh 1989... I was high a lot, I can’t – I can’t recall much.”) but that could just be wishful thinking on my part.

Take Shelter (2011)

Dewart

Whigham isn’t in Jeff Nichols’ terrific thriller that much, but he’s an ever-effective voice of reason in the brief time he is on screen. As Dewart’s best friend, Curtis, slowly begins to lose his sanity, Dewart initially instills a sense of calm admiration, drunkenly complimenting Curtis on how “good” his life is.  Later, as Curtis begins to go off the rails at various construction sites the two work on, Dewart urges his friend (with genuinely pitiful concern) to seek help.

But perhaps it’s Dewart’s final scene, in which he publically accosts and physically attacks Curtis, that is his best. In his brief time in the film, Whigham goes from being a comforting presence, to a concerned friend, to a feared enemy.

Take Shelter contains many unsettling moments, mostly in the mind of Curtis’ subconscious. But in the film’s reality, I was never more afraid then during Dewart's attack on his friend. I had no idea what he was going to do next. It’s that kind of suspense that an actor, role permitting, should try to keep the audience locked into.

The Best of the Best

Tigerland (2000)

Private Wilson

From the onset of Joel Schumacher’s incredibly small, but no less brilliant, boot camp film, Pvt. Wilson has it out for Pvt. Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell). Wilson doesn’t like Bozz’s insubordination, his smooth charm, his intimidating intelligence, and so on. So, in his not-so-typical psychopathic repression, Wilson elects to do something about it.

In one scene, Wilson frantically attacks Bozz, then, after getting his ass kicked, calmly demands an apology. He’s the kind of PTSD-ridden soldier who identifies war as a drug. Problem is, he has yet to fight in any war. His war is in his head. We never find out why he is the way he is, but we fear Wilson every single moment he’s onscreen.

Late in the film, Wilson, during a training exercise, attempts to shoot Bozz at point blank range. The gun misfires. Wilson is sent home, everyone else is sent to Tigerland, an incredibly rigorous training facility. I won’t say how or under what circumstances, but know that Wilson does indeed show up again, the result of which is one of the most horrifying encapsulations of internal hell that I’ve ever seen.

Because Tigerland was such a low budget film, and because newcomer Farrell (justly) took most of its hype, I didn’t really take notice of Whigham until a few years ago. When I realized he was Pvt. Wilson, my respect for him as an actor increased tenfold. A great performance by one of the most versatile character actors in the game.

Other Notable Roles

In Wriscutters

Lords of Dogtown (2005)

First Snow (2006)

Wriscutters: A Love Story (2006)

Pride and Glory (2008)

Fast & Furious (2009)

Machete (2010)

The Conspirator (2011)

Previous installments of In Character include:
Viola Davis
Gary Oldman
David Morse
Michael Shannon
Emily Mortimer
John Hawkes
Jeffrey Wright
Elias Koteas
David Strathairn