A video essay examining the subtleties of actors playing actors. This was partially inspired by Nick James' editorial in the January ’15 edition of Sight and Sound. James writes that ‘no film could be more focused on the intimacy of acting than Iñárritu’s riveting Birdman (…) you’ve got an actor (briefly) playing bad acting, a superhero movie star reaching towards a high-tone stage performance, and a Method actor who’s brilliant and an asshole; they’re all switching between playing themselves and playing their stage roles. When you think of how complicated the registers at play here are, it’s astonishing anyone tried to pull it off.' This got me thinking about all the times that actors change roles on screen, whether to deliver good or bad acting. While making this video, I noticed the intricacies of how actors can try, in this situation, to create the sense of spontaneity and therefore reminding us, as viewers, that the film we are watching is also rehearsed and scripted in the same way. This is particularly interesting in Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. We have Jerry Seinfeld playing Jerry Seinfeld playing Jerry Seinfeld in the Seinfeld clip and then during the CYE clip, Jerry Seinfeld playing a different Jerry Seinfeld playing the Jerry Seinfeld from…. Seinfeld (if that makes sense). Thanks for watching List of Actors in order: Sienna Miller and Toby Jones (playing Hitchcock): The Girl Julia Roberts: Notting Hill Matt LeBlanc: Friends (The Pilot) Richard E Grant: Withnail and I Kenneth Connor and Hugh Paddick: Blackadder III (Sense and Senility) Michael Keaton: Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Robin Williams: Mrs Doubtfire Dustin Hoffman: Tootsie Dick Shawn: The Producers Jim Carrey: Man on the Moon Eddie Murphy: Bowfinger Chris Lilley: Summer Heights High: Episode 1 Larry Hankin: Seinfeld (The Pilot) Laura Linney: The Truman Show Gene Kelley and Donald O Connor: Singin’ in the Rain Philip Seymour Hoffman (playing a director): Synecdoche, New York Paul McGann: Withnail and I Catherine Zeta Jones and John Cusack: America’s Sweethearts Julianne Moore and Mark Wahlberg: Boogie Nights Steve Martin (playing a director): Bowfinger Martin Landau: Ed Wood Ricky Gervais: Extras (Sir Ian Mckellan) Dustin Hoffman: Tootsie Christine Baranski and Eddie Murphy (technically not ‘acting’): Bowfinger Michael Shannon: My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? Kate Winslet: Extras (Kate Winslet) Hugh Paddick: Blackadder III (Sense and Senility) Jeremy Irons (playing a director): Inland Empire Edward Norton: Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Richard Griffiths: About Time Rowan Atkinson (in here for fun): Blackadder III (Sense and Senility) Heather Graham (auditioning not rehearsing, I know): Bowfinger John Cassavetes: Rosemary’s Baby Miguel Ángel Silvestre: Sense* (Limbic Resonance) Dustin Hoffman: Tootsie Jeremy Piven, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry Hankin: Seinfeld (The Pilot) Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander: Curb Your Enthusiasm (Seinfeld) Keith Chegwin: Extras (Orlando Bloom) Gary Oldman and Matt Le Blanc: Friends (The One with Monica and Chandler’s Wedding) Naomi Watts and Laura Harring: Mulholland Drive Michael Keaton and Edward Norton: Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche: Clouds of Sils Maria Sir Ian McKellan: Extras (Sir Ian McKellan) Matt LeBlanc: Friends (The One with the Butt) Richard Dreyfuss: The Goodbye Girl Mark Whalberg, John C. Reilly and Luis Guzmán: Boogie Nights Adrian Grenier: Entourage (Aquamom) Gloria Swanson: Sunset Boulevard Gene Kelly and Jean Hagen: Singin’ in the Rain Willem Dafoe: Shadow of the Vampire Jean Dujardin: The Artist Beryl Reid and Susannah York: The Killing of Sister George Robert Downey Jr.: Chaplin Gene Kelly and Jean Hagen: Singin’ in the Rain Johnny Depp (playing Ed Wood): Ed Wood Vincent Price: Theatre of Blood Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow: Shakespeare in Love Brian Cox: Deadwood (Amateur Night) Mark Williams: Shakespeare in Love Alan Mowbray: My Darling Clementine Vincent Price: Theatre of Blood Richard Dreyfuss: The Goodbye Girl Victor Mature (not playing an actor but still performing): My Darling Clementine Charlton Heston: Hamlet Gwyneth Paltrow: Shakespeare in Love Robert De Niro: Hi Mom Dominic West and Helena Bonham-Carter: Burton and Taylor Orlando Bloom: Extras (Orlando Bloom) Ellen Burstyn: The Exorcist Chloë Grace Mortez: Clouds of Sils Maria Heath Ledger: I’m Not There Barbra Streisand: Funny Girl Laura Dern: Inland Empire Noah Emmerich: The Truman Show Adrian Grenier: Entourage (Neighbors) Bill Murray: Lost in Translation Bette Davis: All About Eve Clapping and ‘cut’ shots from: For Your Consideration I’m Not There Ed Wood Mulholland Drive Blackadder III (Sense and Senility) w/ Hugh Laurie Burton and Taylor Chaplin Shakespeare in Love
