In Character Turns 50

Yesterday’s post on prolific character actor Dan Hedaya marked my 50^th In Character article on a specific actor. I’ve highlighted the casts of a few character actor-friendly films, and discussed which character actors in general deserve more work, but Hedaya makes the 50^th actual person. And damn if that doesn’t have me elated.

I started In Character for one reason: to bring attention to the actors whose faces many recognize, but names go unknown. And I can honestly say that this column has brought me more joy than I could’ve ever imagined. First, I cannot fully explain the sincere thrill I get from having people tell me how much they like an actor I highlight. That’s what this column is all about. Before In Character, I had no idea people dug William Fichtner’s work in the otherwise forgettable Armageddon; no idea Cliff Curtis was such a household name in his native New Zealand; no idea people were affected by Margo Martindale’s work in Paris je t’aime as much as me. It’s been a real joy to discover all of this admiration.

So, in celebrating 50 posts, here are a few fun facts and lists specifically regarding this column. Thanks again to everyone for reading, commenting, and offering recommendations!

Cool Shit that Has Happened Because of In Character

It certainly isn’t my intention to come off as boastful, but I thought I’d share some cool things that have happened as a result of this column.

Meeting David Strathairn

I had the idea for In Character for several years before actually starting it. The tipping point was meeting David Strathairn in a bar Richmond, Virginia. I approached him, told him I was fond of his work, he thanked me and told me about this Lincoln movie he was filming with Spielberg. We chatted for a few more minutes, and then both went on with our day. A damn nice guy, David Strathairn.

Elias Koteas’ Tweet

Shortly after publishing my second In Character post, I tweeted about the article and sang my praises for Elias Koteas’ flawless performance in The Thin Red Line. Moments later, I received this reply:

@shiftingpersona Thank you for your kind words.
— Elias Koteas (@EliasKoteas) October 27, 2011

I spent the next several minutes trying to determine if it was a legit account. It was, and my week was made.

Heath Ledger Family Comment

About a month after I published my special edition In Character post on Heath Ledger, I received an anonymous comment from someone claiming to be in Ledger’s family. Although their comment was very gracious, I wasn’t exactly buying it. The commenter must have picked up on my hesitant reply, because a few days later, I received an email from that person, in which they continued their support of my article and made it very clear that they were indeed closely related to the great Mr. Ledger.

Praise from a Hollywood Publicist

I recently received a very kind email from a Hollywood publicist, thanking me for my kind words in regards to a few of her clients. Apparently, I’ve covered four actors she currently represents. How cool is that? I asked her about the potential of some extended interviews with those actors, and she said to “get back to me after the Oscars.” That’s hot shit, man. Real hot shit. I’ll hopefully have the interviews posted soon!

The Following

And, of course, perhaps the coolest thing that has happened as a result of this column is the continued support I receive from my fellow bloggers. This support – in the comments for every post, on Twitter, in the emails encouraging future subjects – is something I never anticipated. So thank you. Thank you for taking part of your week to stop by and read what I have to say about these deserving thespians. (And this is with sincere respect to everyone who has lent their support to In Character, but I must offer specific thanks to Anna from Defiant Success, who has commented on nearly every one of my In Character posts, offered her respect for the actors, her praise to my writing, and plenty of great recommendations as well. It’s meant the world to me, Anna.)

Top 10 In Character Actors

I’m purposefully choosing more “obscure” actors here, but these are my favorite actors I have covered so far in this column.

Bruce Greenwood – Best Role: The Sweet Hereafter

Elias Koteas – Best Role: The Thin Red Line

Margo Martindale – Best Role: Paris je t’aime

David Morse – Best Role: Dancer in the Dark

Emily Mortimer – Best Role: Lovely and Amazing

Jason Patric – Best Role: Your Friends and Neighbors

Campbell Scott – Best Role: Roger Dodger

Shea Whigham – Best Role: Tigerland

Ray Winstone – Best Role: Sexy Beast

Jeffrey Wright – Best Role: Shaft

Top 10 In Character Performances

10. Don Cheadle – Manic

9. Laura Dern – Inland Empire

8. Gary Oldman – The Contender

7. Guy Pearce – Memento

6. Philip Seymour Hoffman – Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

5. Jason Patric – Your Friends and Neighbors

4. Campbell Scott – Roger Dodger

3. Margo Martindale – Paris je t’aime

2. Ralph Finnes – Schindler’s List

1. Elias Koteas – The Thin Red Line

The Best (of the Best) In Character Movie

Plenty of films have popped up twice in these posts, a handful have appeared three separate times, but Boogie Nights easily takes the cake here. Making no less than six distinct appearances in this column, Boogie Nights is the movie that has been featured the most on In Character. THAT’s how you cast a movie.

Thanks again everyone, I’m so glad you dig these posts, and, as always, I welcome your character actor recommendations!