I don’t mean to take away from the rightful praise being heaped on actors that undergo gruelling physical transformations, but I am more fascinated by transformative performances that don’t rely on that particular crutch.
I’m not trying to dismiss it as a gimmick. Actors work incredibly hard on such body fluctuation, and it’s a testament to the dedication they have for their craft.
That being said, I’m more fascinated with transformation of another kind. Look at what Heath Ledger did with some effective makeup, unbelievable commitment and sheer, raw talent.
He created an enigmatic character that will endure for generations to come.
Then there’s Daniel Day-Lewis, the master himself, and his transformation in There Will Be Blood.
Some of you might be wondering – What transformation? Well, Lewis didn’t need weight fluctuations, or even excessive makeup, he simply became Daniel Plainview.
I didn’t see Day-Lewis. After about 5 minutes into the movie, there was only Plainview.
Ledger has probably been mentioned umpteen times in response to this question, and Sir Day-Lewis doesn’t need me to bat for him.
So instead, I’d like to shed light on a slightly less heralded transformative performance.
Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder.
Here’s what he does - A white American actor, playing Kirk Lazarus, a white Australian actor, who in turn is playing Lincoln Osiris, an African American sergeant. To paraphrase Osiris, Downey is a dude, playing a dude, who is disguised as another dude.
It was a role fraught with risk, and it could so easily have gone horribly wrong. However, Downey’s genius turned what could have been an unmitigated disaster into an Academy Award-nominated performance.
He completely disappeared into the character; the body language, the small ticks, the manner of his speech, it’s all there. He completely transformed.
Moreover, that Oscar nomination is no joke. Getting nominated for a comedy is hard enough.
But getting an Oscar nomination while doing blackface? That too, after his character pokes fun at the Academy during the movie.
It speaks to his talent. He played it just right.
Downey was the first person this century to be nominated in an acting category for a straight comedy; Melissa McCarthy is the only other person to have matched the feat courtesy of Bridesmaids.
Perhaps because it was in a comedy, his performance isn’t regarded as highly as it should be. For me, it’s one of the performances of the century — a truly staggering achievement.
By the way, I think Richard Ian Tracy has already provided the definitive answer to this question. Tilda Swinton is the queen when it comes to transformations. Or King, you never know with Swinton.
Do you recognise the person on the right in the first photo, the one with Day-Lewis and Ledger? That’s Tilda Swinton in Suspiria.
But our boy Downey is no slouch either. How about this for transformation –
In Tropic Thunder when Robert Downey Jr. is impersonating a Chinese farmer, he is an American actor playing an Australian actor who is acting as an American black man impersonating a Chinese farmer.
When the likes of Christian Bale or Matthew McConaughey shed kilos for parts, it speaks to their dedication.
When the likes of Downey and Swinton transform, without any weight fluctuations, it speaks to their skill.
And while I respect dedication, I’m in awe of skill.
Picture Source Wikipedia
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