7 Comments
Dec 7, 2021Liked by Ty Burr

I saw two future stars, both great actors, onstage first, not in a movie, but knew I was seeing greatness: Alan Rickman in Liaisons Dangereuses in London in the late ‘80s, and Morgan Freeman as the preacher in Gospel at Colonnus (sp) on Broadway. My seats weren’t great, I couldn’t read their facial expressions from that distance, but the presence...and both had incredible voices that held the audience like some tractor beam. It was a real jolt, so exciting. Oh, I also saw Glenn Close in a one-woman show off-Broadway, The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs, just before she got into movies.

Expand full comment

Wow, where was I in 2002? That’s quite the cast! And you nailed Roman, “ so delightfully agile in his portrayals of smart, decadent twerps. He’s like Robert Downey Jr.’s neurasthenic little brother, or George Sanders as a trust-fund brat, and he makes Roman’s scenes with J. Smith Cameron as Waystar general counsel/interim CEO Gerri Kellman delightfully squirmy.”

Expand full comment

Carrie Mulligan in An Education. Her acting was terrific, her character so fully realized.

Expand full comment
Dec 9, 2021Liked by Ty Burr

I guess whenever Debra Granik (who really should be making a lot more movies) puts a teenaged girl in a lead role, we can count on the actor becoming a massive star. I remember watching Winter’s Bone when it came out and thinking Jennifer Lawrence was amazing. But Thomasin McKenzie was just as stunning in Leave No Trace—and even more of a newcomer I believe.

Expand full comment
Dec 9, 2021Liked by Ty Burr

The actor that literally waltzed (ok, not literally) in and commandeered a movie that had been streaming along for an hour just fine without him: Ray Liotta in “Wild Thing”. But watching him now, I feel like he’s just trying to reprise that power.

Expand full comment

I was blown away by 30 year old Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List, an actor that I hadn't seen before and knew I would again. The same for 13 year old Jodi Foster's performance in Taxi Driver. Both were riveting.

Expand full comment