Actors of Laurence Olivier and Marlon Brando’s caliber are always considered classic; they were theatrically-trained professionals who took everything seriously, and produced some of the best performances that we can think of. But there can be a double-edged sword to this kind of performer — Brando was such an industry professional that he took himself over-seriously in his later years, and created a lot of behind-the-scenes drama. He may have crafted some of cinema’s ultimate roles as Stanley Kowalski and Don Corleone, but his ego seemed to overshadow his work.
Modern actors, as a whole, appear to be less neurotic and have more of a sense of humor. Or, at the very least, they seem to think that being a Hollywood actor isn’t a reason to think too highly of themselves. Contemporary thespians aspire to rack up a wide variety of credits, and have chosen the career for the joy of it. Of course, not all celebrities are created equal, but the famous actors who’ve truly earned a place in fans’ hearts tend to be the most relatable. Some fans on Reddit found that whether they are in big blockbusters or not, some actors are just a delight in interviews because of how down-to-earth they are.
Hannibal’s own Mads Mikkelsen has starred in some truly exemplary movies and TV shows, and was at the top of the list. But in addition to the iconic villains he’s portrayed in franchise films, Mikkelsen has also given some iconic interviews.
After doing an interview with GQ about his iconic roles, the actor showed his playful side, sharing anecdotes from the set of Casino Royale. And the one actor that was (ironically) terrible at poker?
“Daniel [Craig],” Mikkelsen shared. “He had no clue. He sucked.”
And after appearing as the titular character in Rihanna’s music video “B**** Better Have My Money,” the actor humbly acknowledged in a Vulture interview that he was just happy to be part of the production.
And then, of course, there is the image of him during press for Rogue One that tells 1,000 words.
Redditors were also quick to name another unpretentious star with a wide range of roles — one Cillian Murphy. The Irish actor’s first big role was as a survivor of a zombie apocalypse in a cult favorite flick that hit the nail on the head of zombie films before they became all the rage: Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later.
The film was small, but paved the way for his relationship with Christopher Nolan. The director cast Murphy as Dr. Crane in his Batman franchise, and continued to work with him for the next two decades until he finally landed a leading role for the director in Oppenheimer. But even more impressive than Murphy’s body of work is how much he leans away from the limelight. Murphy has all the worth ethic of a classic Hollywood actor, but apparently none of the ego.
Even when a part of big productions, Murphy shies away from questions about himself, and is dismissive of much of the celebrity culture of being an actor. In an exclusive interview with People, Emily Blunt revealed she teased Murphy about his trademark eyes.
“It’s like that ‘Ocean Eyes’ song by Billie Eilish. We just hum it all day,” she said. However, Murphy was quick to disagree.
“They’re not even that blue!” Murphy responded. As a truly unpretentious actor, he doesn’t put down other people’s works, and was even an advocate for the Barbenheimer trend catching the internet like wildfire. When Variety asked if he would consider playing a Ken if a sequel came about, his answer was simple.
“Sure, yeah. Let’s read the script, let’s have a conversation,” Murphy responded about playing Ken. “I can’t wait to see [Barbie]. I can’t wait to see the movie. I think it’s great for cinema to get all these great movies happening this summer.”
Some franchise actors are a little more eccentric
Mikkelsen and Murphy have been in the industry for a long time, and know how to play the press game. But some of their younger cohorts have a different method of addressing celebrity culture. Robert Pattinson was a familiar face in the indie scene before he landed Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter. And the rest, as they say, is history. When the actor landed the role of an intense vampire, Edward Cullen, he could not be bothered with acting how the production may have wanted him to. By his admission, Pattinson can’t help himself going off the book when the center of attention, as he told Willem Dafoe in a conversation for Interview.
“I definitely do get a certain high from it. There’s a little gremlin inside of me that thinks, ‘Just say something shocking. You’re only here for a few minutes, say something terrible.’ There’s a kind of perverse glee I get from that. But I’ve given my publicist a number of heart attacks.”
Because of that, Pattinson is the gift that keeps on giving as he gives some interview moments beyond reproach. Even when promoting Twilight, he couldn’t help but give his honest opinion.
“I was convinced that Stephenie [Meyer] was convinced she was Bella and it was like a book that wasn’t supposed to be published, and you’re like reading her sort of sexual fantasy. And especially when she said it was based on a dream and it’s like ‘I had this dream about this sexy guy,’ and she goes and just writes this book about it,” Pattinson told E!, going on to conclude: “This woman is mad.”
And then there is the notorious GQ interview where the actor blew up his microwave. There is no predicting what Pattinson will say next, making him one of the most unique household names. The last person to consider himself a heartthrob, the actor seems to have the most fun.
Though not quite in the same league of having no filter, Pattinson’s Harry Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe deserves to be in the same category. The child actor who played the titular character of J.K. Rowling’s children’s series took the opportunity to move on from the franchise. Radcliffe would go on to serious fare like the neo-Nazi film Imperium, but also plays Weird Al Yankovic in the fictionalized biopic. Throw in his characters from Guns Akimbo and The Lost City, and you have an actor who does not care what people think. Branching out appealed to Radcliffe, who had interests outside of playing The Boy Who Lived.
“I had this awareness that people expected we would do nothing after Potter — that we would fade away,” Radcliffe told GQ. “I really wanted that not to be the case, because I knew that I loved it, and I wanted to do whatever I have to do to have a career with longevity.”
Experienced actors stopped caring what people think
There are those actors who have been around the block so many times that doing press and acting is just another day at the office. As opposed to self-serious performers who only ever want to be in Oscar-nominated films, other industry professionals work for the love of acting. Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most beloved actors who is also exceptionally straightforward. He knows his worth, but he also just enjoys what he does. Jackson recalled in an interview with Vulture that he jumped at the chance to be in Snakes on a Plane because he knew what a good time it would be.
“When I got there, they were trying to change the name of it to something like Pacific Flight 121, ‘Cause we don’t want to give it away.’ I was like, ‘That’s exactly what you want to do! Hell is wrong with you? I signed up for Snakes on a Plane and I guarantee you that audiences will be way more excited about Snakes on a Plane than Pacific Flight 121.”
As per usual, he was right, and the film contains one of his most quotable lines of all time. And in the same vein, Jackson also knows what a talented actor he is. After getting his honorary Oscar after being snubbed so many times in the past for the award, Jackson had no problems with acknowledging that he deserved it.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan falls into the category of rejecting Hollywood ideals as well. He and his wife, Hilarie Burton Morgan, live on a farm in upstate New York with their children, even as the actor jokingly tells one of them: “Go away son, I hate you,” in his remote Hot Ones interview. Morgan has come a long way since bursting onto the scene. An actor who had died in roles just as much as Sean Bean, he was a name to look out for after appearing as Izzie’s dead fiance in Grey’s Anatomy. His role gained him the part of The Comedian in Zack Snyder’s The Watchmen, and his career took off from there. Morgan is never one to mince words, and makes no apologies for who he is.
And then there is one of the most kindest actors on the scene, Keanu Reeves. Starting in action picture megabits such as Speed and The Matrix, Reeves soon got a reputation for his friendly demeanor. The Independent reported all of his touching interactions with fans over the years, as well as his tireless advocacy for cancer research. Reeves is one of those actors who means what he says, and is an example of leading a selfless life.
Other actors are down to earth in a different way
In the 2010s, there had been no one bigger than Jennifer Lawrence. The youngest Oscar winner at the time, she reached heights of fame after leading The Hunger Games as unlikely rebel Katniss Everdeen. But Lawrence was also never one to bask in the limelight. Though she continues to make films, she took a decided break after concerns about overexposure. Her self-awareness is uncommon in the entertainment industry, and is even more impressive when factoring in how young she was when starting her career. Recent credits included the rated R comedy, No Hard Feelings, and the interview show, Hot Ones, where she shared her feelings on Method acting.
“I would be nervous to work with somebody who is Method,” Lawrence said. “I would have no idea how to talk to them. Do I have to be in character? That would make me nervous.” Lawrence took a page from Christian Bale’s playbook, taking only 10 seconds to get into character. The Hunger Games actor has very little concern for fame or censoring herself, like contemporary Anna Kendrick.
Like Lawrence, Kendrick wound up in the middle of a hot franchise at the start of her career. She didn’t play the lead, but is one of the shining lights of Twilight who is legitimately funny. When speaking to Vanity Fair, the actor confessed that the set wasn’t quite as magical.
“I just remember my Converse being completely soaked through and feeling like, you know, this is a really great group of people, and I’m sure that we would be friends in a different time, but I want to murder everyone,” Kendrick said candidly about the experience, adding as a caveat: “There was like something about it that was like, you know, like you go through like some trauma event, like people who survive like a hostage situation. You’re kind of bonded for life.” Fans respond to people they identify with, and the more outspoken actors are, the more they become embraced.