There’s a famous story about Alfred Hitchcock telling <b>François Truffaut</b> that “all actors are cattle.” When questioned about this at a later date, Hitch is rumored to have refuted that claim with, “I never said all actors are cattle. I said all actors should be treated like cattle.” Hitch’s dislike of talent isn’t unique. The <i>Southpark</i> team of <b>Matt Parker</b> and <b>Trey Stone</b> don’t bother to hide their loathing of actors. They admit they chose a movie cast entirely with puppets (<i>Team America</i>) rather than work with actors again.
I'm an indy filmmaker with several small films to my credit. I know the business and I certainly understand the sentiment. If you’ve ever been on a film set, the idea that “actors suck” probably doesn't prove as a revelation to you, either. Okay, that’s actually a bit harsh. All actors don’t suck. But every filmmaker I know has his own, unique set of horror stories about working with actors. I certainly have my share. Unfortunately, it’s kind of difficult to make movies without actors.
The thing that’s so tough to fathom about actors who are difficult to work with is – why?? Being difficult is just stupid. It’s ignorant and short-sighted. There is no upside to it aside from a momentarily self-serving reprieve from the thinly veiled insecurity that prompts it. There are countless stories (including mine that I've shared and will share here in the future) about actors who have cost themselves jobs and ruined entire careers just because they are assholes. I have a hard time getting my head around this.
Some of these actors we don’t miss as they were fortunate to have their brief moment in the sun to begin with. <b>Steven Seagal</b> had a good career for a while. One that likely could have had more staying power, except for the simple fact that – he’s a monumental asshole! A case like this doesn’t really break our hearts because his movies pretty much suck anyway. Not seeing Seagal in a movie ever again is not something you lament.
Now, someone like <b>Val Kilmer</b> being sidelined is a tragedy in that he is a tremendous actor. People often ask why Kilmer wasn’t nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his work as Doc Holliday in <i>Tombstone</i>. Pretty much everyone regards this as one of the best performances ever, even the people who don’t like him personally. It’s certainly one of my all time favorites roles. The reason he didn’t get a nod is simple – too many people in the industry don’t like him. It is a crime that an actor of his talent has be regulated to low budget fare for two decades, yet he is the sole perpetrator responsible for this reality. Personally, I believe he would have still been an A-list talent today if it hadn’t been for this self-destructive, assholish personality.
Katherine Heigl is another actress who has single-handedly managed to torpedo her own career. The stories about what a bitch she is are legendary. She'll probably linger around the rest of her life in various TV projects but her true shot at the big time vanished when her assholiness was finally ratcheted up to "10".
Now, some actors (and actresses) manage to muscle their way through bad reputations. Usually, it’s by sheer talent and strong box office performances that encourage filmmakers to grit their teeth and tough it out with these problem children. Most people will put up with a degree of bullshit commensurate to the rewards they expect to elicit from doing so. Sometimes, these people are even clever enough to only be problematic to people who can't retaliate, giving the producers and directors who hire them a false sense of decency while they shit on the lower-level masses around them. As I mentioned in an earlier article, <b>Michael Madsen</b> was a pain in the ass to work with. I’d rather not work with him again (and if he ever sees this, I’ve no doubt he’ll feel the same), but I’d be foolish to draw that line in the sand. Now, there is a very small group of people I would refuse work with, like the convicted child molester of the <i>Jeepers Creepers</i> series, Victor Salva, or O.J. Simpson, but I’m not expecting that to be a problem any time soon.
The point is that people know, or at least should know, the downside to being difficult. The costs can be huge. I won’t say being an actor isn’t difficult, but doing your job without making enemies certainly isn’t a big chore. Really, all you have to do is come to set on time, be prepared and perform your lines to the best of your ability…and don’t be an asshole. That’s it. Really. Yet, for personal reasons we’ll probably never get to the bottom of, there are many, many actors who will drive you fucking crazy as a producer or director and can’t manage these simple tasks.
Now, it is worth mentioning that there are some wonderful people out there who also happen to be actors. These people are a joy for a director or producer to have on the team - like any other competent professional on your set. I was going to say pleasant actors are as rare as unicorns, but that's probably being too harsh. I guess I'd say pleasant actors are only about as rare as unicorn poop...
EPILOGUE: I've just finished a book on independent filmmaking which includes a number of interesting vignettes like the one above. "Film Schooling" will be out later this year. Please follow my Steemit account for updates on the release date!!