“Nuclear apocalypse — who do you need?” he asked, launching into a half-joking rant. “Actors are probably not top of the list. What can I do for you? I can pretend to be somebody who can grow you some nice crops.” — Christian Bale, The New York Times
I would have thought that in the event of nuclear apocalypse, entertainers would be in even greater demand. You think we'd want to sit around the campfire dwelling on nuclear winter talking about how much we'd kill for a can of split-pea soup? I tell you who wouldn't be much in demand: screamers.
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This is going to be a fun week. I sense a theme. In addition to your Lord Voldemort musing below, spent the morning on and off Twitter with the #filmcritictricks hashtag. Join the conga line!
ReplyDeleteNobody bashes actors or acting like another actor, which distresses me, because one of my #filmcritictricks is that I like and respect actors. However, in truth I don't want Mr. Bale as depicted in that photo near my campfire or indeed anywhere else. He looks like one of the Redlegs from The Outlaw Josey Wales.
I loved his performance in The Fighter and think he should be given awards for it but I think his dismissal of actors and acting is so much macho attitudinising, just as it was with Brando — ambition disguising itself with the rags of self-hatred.
ReplyDeleteHmm, really? I always think actors mean it when they put down acting--that on some level they find it an occupation unworthy of an intelligent adult, or at a minimum that they've internalized the barbs of other people who do. Otherwise it wouldn't distress me.
ReplyDeleteBy "disguise" I don't mean that the self-depracation is false, just that it is false-bottomed. Beneath the blase dismissal lurks someone who cares about acting more than they'd care to say. I don't think we're in disagreement.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, they definitely care. Even the less talented ones care.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are noticing the bit where it says 'half joking', right? He says in the same interview that he loves acting, enjoys the way it's built on empathy, and doesn't mean to knock on it.
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