Eddie,

No, no, no... That was "Dunston Checks In."

Sean ;)

Sean,

I thought that "2001" was about apes learning to use weapons? :o

Eddie

Personally, having been an actor for many years and playing a variety of roles, I looked for a touchstone of myself in each role I played. Whether it be a noble gentlemen or a lecherous creep, I had to find something within the role I can relate to. Something that allowed me to justify the character's motivations and actions. Therefore, as an actor, I invest a great deal of myself into my characters.

But that's just me... And every other actor I've worked with.

Without a doubt, people came to see me in shows with a preconceived notion of what to expect. Now, I'm no Tom Cruise, but I do have friends and those others who simply know me by my work. I think most people would describe me as a jovial, easy-going, and friendly guy. So when I played a world-class creep, they each had a different take on how I could possibly pull that off. Even before setting foot into the theater, people had preconceived notions of the performance I would give.

And I haven't even been on Oprah! I have to agree with Eddie, here. Call it media proliferation or whatever, I went into MI 3 with an idea of the kind of performance Cruise would give. I was quite surprised at just how much he downplayed his own persona, but I still had a preconceived idea.

I don't see how anyone couldn't. This seems more like a lashing out because someone had a negative preconceived notion. Well, that his prerogative. He's a big boy and he can make his own choices.

As for the whole idea of escapism in film, while I do think you can check your brain at the door for a couple of hours and enjoy a film, every film and piece of art reflects the society and time in which it was created. Don't tell me that since 2001 is science fiction, it doesn't have a meaning deeper than 2 guys and a computer in space. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Action, Comedy, Drama: These are all outlets of expression for ideas that go beyond what is presented on the screen. Real ideas in a real world. To dismiss that is to miss a great deal of what makes art great.

Sean (...personally, i've never met art, but i hear he's a heckuva guy...) :D

TGP,

I, too, enjoyed MI3 and I even remembered to leave my *Cruise* bagage at the door. I find the best way to stay clear of the actors persona is to stop following the entertainment, media bandwagon. Like you, I feel there is no reason, nor does it do anything to improve my life, to follow an actors every move in their private life. If I was truly affected about an actor because of their own persona then there would certainly be a lot more films I would avoid.

Nevertheless, there are those small handfull of actors I can't stand, and not because of their social lives, but because they just get on my nerves. For me, Woody Allen is a prime example of an actor that is like nails on the chalkboard. Granted, Woody has his share of issues in the entertainment world but that is not the reason I would ever base on not seeing any of his films. I don't like his films because it's simply not my taste and I think the guy sucks at film making, plain and simple.

Anyway, I've said this before; the rich are weird because they can afford to be. I'm like you, I go to a movie to be entertained and expect the actors to do their job and nothing else. I could care less who is dating who or who got a DUI last weekend. And just because a certain actor might have social issues or jumps on Opra's couch is not going to change my point of view when seeing his/her efforts in a film.

So there! I've said my two-cents, now can't we all just get along?

Tim ;)

TGP,

Not sure if you're still out there, but wanted to answer your query:

"...would you or would you not agree that these preconceptions can hurt or at the very least alter the perception of your work?"

I completely concur that preconceptions affect the perception of my work, but I take that as an inevitability. It's part of the challenge of it all. As an actor, I have to make the audience believe my character, therefore it is up to me to be so aware of myself that I can go beyond me and into the character. Sounds totally metaphysical, but it's just what you kind of have to do.

Like John, I had difficulty getting past Cruise in "Samurai," but not so much in "MI 3." He seemed more in control of his performance, or at least his persona. This whole discussion brings me back to Paul Greengrass' rationale for casting relative unknowns in United 93. His whole reason was that he didn't want big name actors to get in the way of telling the story. It would have been easily distracting to see a Mel Gibson or Julia Roberts in the midst of the harrowing events that took place in United 93. Thankfully, Greengrass was able to make an immersive film experience with the accomplished lesser-knowns that he cast.

I think this debate comes down to being able to see past the actor to the character, and I think we all have different actors that affect us that way. I don't keep up with actors' personal lives, but for me the bigger names are still harder to get past just due to the media blitz they constantly have on their lives. I can't watch a Julia Roberts film and not see Julia Roberts up there. Accomplished actress though she may be, I can't leave her at the door and pick up with her character. Perhaps I'm one of a very few, but throwing Gibson, Roberts, Pitt, Cruise, Ford and the like on screen requires more effort on my part to see past the actor to the character.

This is likely just the bane of the actor's existence. You work so hard to be recognized, but that selfsame recognition is what makes it that much more difficult to completely melt into a character; bowing and preening to perception.

Likewise, I think this flows over into the realm of directing, writing, scoring, production designing, etc. Expectations regarding individuals in each of these fields determine perception when those who are familiar with their works are viewing their films. It may not be "fair," but it is an inevitability when you are making art to be judged by the public at large.

Thanks for the discussion!

Sean (...or as many would call my remarks: "disgust-tion...")

Buuuuurp! :o