How does one become a Lovable Character Actor?

 

How does one become a Lovable Character Actor?

After watching the bad ass Tony Goldwyn shine in the recent release of The Last House on the Left, I started to wonder as to why Mr. Goldwyn has earned this “bad ass” status that many movie fans have given him recently.  It’s not as if he’s in tons of movies and the parts he usually plays are intentionally unlikable, so why the love for this actor?  

I talked to my close group of movie fanatics and they too had put him in the “bad ass hall of fame” pedestal and talked about him as if he were already a household name.  I never questioned them about this since most of them are horror aficionados and they idolize anybody involved in the genre from Goldwyn to the horny male orderly that was getting it on with Pamela Susan Shoop in Halloween 2. (The one and only Leo Rossi by the way.) 

It then occurred to me that not only horror aficionados are capable of admiring little known actors, because mainstream filmgoers also put random character actors on pedestals. Sure, in reality they don’t want to admit that they only know their extensive filmography because of IMDB and they brag about the fact that they know their names like they’re “celebrity tryptophan,” but the inexplicable love the filmgoers have for the actors is genuine.  So how does one go from “the bad guy from Ghost” to “I love that guy” to finally a well known name in the industry? 

The Nostalgia Factor

In a lot of cases when we like a certain character actor, it’s because they have appeared in a film that we have treasured when we were children. Take Bruce Dern for example.  After watching and becoming infatuated with the eighties cult classic The Burbs, I have always associated that actor with that film. So, every time I see him in a film like The Glass House or Monster, I always point him out and the obligatory “I love that guy” phrase usually is regurgitated out of my mouth.  My theory is that certain actors we don’t see very often will remind us of memories from our childhoods…which is something you will only truly appreciate once you get older. 

Become a Director

Like Tony Goldwyn, some actors only truly shine in front of the camera once they’ve been behind it.  In fact in most case, it’s only when they direct a film when they really get recognized for their work.  Actor/director Peter Berg, who was most recognized for his roles in Wes Craven’s Shocker and The Great White Hype, is now world famous for directing films like Very Bad Things, Friday Night Lights, and last year’s blockbuster hit, Hancock. Other like actors like John Turturro and Jon Favreau (the comedian responsible for directing Iron Man) are also actors who have benefited from being in the director’s chair.

Be a Regular on a Hit TV Show

Once upon a time, movie actors that starred in television shows were once considered to be pathetic has beens that were usually regular guest stars on Hollywood Squares. Although once HBO proved to resurrect more acting careers than Quentin Tarantino, things changed. Nowadays, being on a popular TV show can get actors far more recognition than they ever could dream of.  There are many actors right now that owe a lot to their agents for being on TV. Jeff Fahey, Clancy Brown and William Mapother are all regular guest stars on the hit show Lost, and are locking more jobs because of it. (See Brown and Mapother in next month’s horror film, The Burrowers.) Eli Roth proved he secretly had a love for the show Desperate Housewives when he had cast DH regulars Roger Bart and Richard Burgi to play the villains in Hostel 2.  Somehow in the past couple of years, these actors have developed a ‘bad ass status’ that seemed to come out of nowhere.  

Although, the show that REALLY showcases character actors is Showtime’s Dexter. James Remar, Keith Carradine, Tony Goldwyn (who also DIRECTED an episode) and Jimmy Smits have all won audiences over with their winning performances on the popular serial killing show. 

Be Canadian

I know a lot of Americans are laughing uncontrollably after having read this header, but there is a HUGE advantage to being an actor from the Great White North. As you may or may not know, a good number of “Hollywood” films are filmed in Vancouver, Montreal and the city of Toronto. (the city I happen to reside in) When you shoot in Canada, the casting department has to cast a certain number of Canadians for the principal and supporting roles in a film.  (This could explain why Malin Akerman was wrongfully cast as Silk Spectre II in Watchmen. Sorry, but it’s a FACT.) This guarantees a certain number of Canadian character actors parts in big movies. Canadian actors like Stephen McHattie, Kim Coates, and Callum Keith Rennie (who also STARRED in the second season of Californication) are one of many working Canadian actors that benefit from this. See…being Canadian actually can have its perks. 

Become Better Looking

It generally doesn’t matter how good-looking someone is to make it as a recognizable character actor, however if they happen to grow into their looks late in the game, it’s always a bonus. Tony Goldwyn has transformed into his dashing looks and now has proved he can be a leading man in a film. Unfortunately if somebody is a known character actor who is primarily known for their looks like Scarface cutie Steven Bauer, the roles will co-relate to their appearance. The more wrinkles they get….the less notable work they will generally receive. (Unless you count JaRule music videos as being “notable.”)

Be Funny

If you have noticed I haven’t mentioned women in this article, it’s because the rules unfortunately are quite different for female character actors. Unless women have won prestigious awards, the public is not as kind to women as they are to men. Instead of being adored, they are usually slammed for how fat or old they have gotten when making guest appearances on Law & Order: SVU. (Sad but true) Although, if an actress is known for her comedic talents, the rule does not apply.  Women like Molly Shannon, Carol Kane, Jane Lynch and Glenne Headly have tickled our funnybones in the past and will probably continue to do so for years to come.

Play a Memorable Villain

 For an actor to develop a “bad ass” status amongst movie goers, it only makes sense that they have played a “bad ass” villain that has left a lasting impression…so lasting that the role has been the role they are “fondly” remembered for. Take Bruce Payne for example. Anytime I see this man in a direct to DVD horror film, I always have to comment on how awesome of an actor he is, even though my main frame of reference is that he played the hijacker in Passenger 57. Sometimes it’s good to be bad. 

Have a Small Role in a BIG Movie

In big and over-budgeted Hollywood blockbuster films, there always seems to be a small part in the movie that always wins audiences over usually for being funny. Glenn Plummer, (who is one of my favourite actors) is a very talented man (*See South Central) but, only truly became up and coming (at the time) for playing the loud and wise-cracking guy who got his car taken over by Keanu Reeves in Speed.  Unfortunately doing Showgirls stopped Plummer’s once budding acting career from truly taking off, however there are many actors like Jason Segal, Dave Chappelle, and David Paymer that have become far more popular after being cast as minor roles in Blockbusters.  *NOTE to HOLLYWOOD: Stop Casting Anthony Anderson in big movies! Nobody finds him FUNNY!

So, that’s a just a few of my theories for this unexplained “phenomenon.” Could you list any of your own?