The Most Unpredictable Actors in the Game
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY Peter Hapak They steal scenes from stars. They’re dangerous even when they don’t play bad guys. And they definitely aren’t doing this for an invite to the Oscars. (Although you’ll probably see some of them there.) These charismatic Hollywood misfits are the most unpredictable actors in the game 76 01. 2017 Gentlemen’s Quarterly CRISPIN GLOVER Crispin Glover B Wong THE ESSENTIAL Crispin Glover question: Where exactly does the character he’s playing end WHITEROSE, the most and the human being begin? Like, that monomaniacal guy with the piercing stare (see: Charlie’s villainous villain on Angels, the upcoming Starz series American Gods)—how much overlap is there between that Mr. Robot, is a hacker who guy and the actor who showed up on Letterman in the ’80s and almost kicked Dave in the head? seals business deals in It’s the question we hope he’ll never really answer. (We asked anyway.)—DEVIN FRIEDMAN English wearing a suit and tie but is more at home What about you appeals to Like buying a castle in the There are certain things speaking Mandarin in a casting directors? Czech Republic? which, if not discussed fetching skirt set. She is not There is a persona that It’s an old château that in the proper fashion, a character whose quietly was etched out pretty firmly was built in the 1600s. would be maligned. People terrifying heels just any in the ’80s. An unusual don’t know the actuality actor could fill. So the show’s quality. But I actually have I hear that you have of many things about me. creators enlisted BD Wong, to be pretty businesslike in peacocks there. who’s made a career out of the things that I do. They are loud animals. Tell me one actuality. popping up in unexpected Particularly in the People think I’m psychotic. places (from Broadway to mating season. Disney movies to those Does that bother you? weekend-long Law & Order: About that eccentricity: I know that’s what I’m going SVU marathons), to embody PREVIOUS PAGE How much of the to have written about me, the woman, the myth, suit, shirt, and tie public perception of most likely. But as you can the legend.—CAITY WEAVER Dolce & Gabbana you is true? see, sitting here: I’m not. How do you perform a scene in Mandarin if you don’t speak Mandarin? You painstakingly learn the lines phonetically, then learn what each word means, then understand how the word order is all di≠erent. At the end of the season, I said to [Mr. Robot creator Sam Mahershala Ali Esmail], “I’m very close to taking a Chinese class.” He said, “That would be a really good idea.” But my MAHERSHALA ALI KNEW he was a leading man before anyone else did. He’s portrayed a performance in Mandarin nursing-home employee (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), a lobbyist turned chief of sta≠ is going to be most (House of Cards), and Jennifer Lawrence’s bodyguard (The Hunger Games)—every fourth lead enjoyable to people who you can play, and always with the power of a man at the top of the call sheet. Now, with the don’t speak Mandarin. Netflix series Luke Cage and the transcendent Moonlight, he’s finally getting a chance to show what he can do with the camera on him for more than five minutes at a time.—ZACH BARON Besides basic Mandarin, what skills have you honed You’ve been acting for The A-Team, it was me, started getting cast in as a perennial guest star? nearly two decades—it’s 50 Cent, and Quinton things like Moonlight? You have less opportunity been such a slow burn. “Rampage” Jackson. Fear. to mess up. If there is a It’s like holding in a sneeze I felt like I had a great problem on set, let it be the for 16 years. audition. They went Fear of what? weather or the lead actor with the wrestler dude. Mediocrity. I was poor, being temperamental. What took so long? and you just get so many African-Americans have What kept you from being messages that encourage You want to be asked back. to bring something to discouraged during the you to accept that your And four episodes into your the table, like already being many years before you destiny is mediocrity. I never eight-episode arc, they famous in some other wanted to. I’m a stubborn can go, “Let’s just kill this arena. Kid you not, for person—but I’m patient, too. person right now.” MURPHY. KEVIN FOR COX DAVID GROOMING: PLEMONS, AND ALI HAIRCARE. R+CO FOR PRIANO THOM HAIR: OTHERS, HAIRCARE. R+CO FOR CATANESE FRANCIS HAIR: WONG, DEPARTMENT. ART AT CIOFFOLETTI MICHAEL STYLIST: PLEMONS, AND ALI MER. LA USING CRAIG KUMI GROOMING: OTHERS, 78 01. 2017 Gentlemen’s Quarterly suit Hugo shirt Burberry tie Paul Smith MAHERSHALA ALI suit Dior Homme turtleneck Club Monaco 80 01. 2017 Gentlemen’s Quarterly JESSE PLEMONS suit, shirt, and tie Louis Vuitton pocket square Paul Stuart suit Emporio Armani henley Armani Exchange necklaces, from top Miansai Pyrrha Jon Bernthal WHEN JON BERNTHAL walks into a café, heads turn. It’s that face: the bashed-in nose, the eyes full of pain. Before he orders his Americano, his bruised knuckles catch your eye. Makeup? Nope. (Although he does have a few made-for-TV scars—he’s filming the Netflix series The Punisher.) In every role—The Wolf of Wall Street, Sicario, The Accountant— Bernthal brings a sensitivity rarely seen in tough-guy characters.—AMY WALLACE Do you think you’re good-looking? I was born with these ginormous earlobes, and the doctor suggested to my parents that we JESSE PLEMONS looks Is it true that you Actors are usually a get plastic surgery. Obviously my so sweet, so amiable, that auditioned for a Star little more comfortable parents were like, “Fuck o≠.” But it’s surprising when one Wars movie? talking about themselves. they were definitely worried that of his characters kills My agent said, “You need Last year I finally I was going to be plagued. somebody. In Friday Night to meet J. J. Abrams,” watched The Sopranos Lights, when the beloved and I said, “I probably and became obsessed Were you? Landry committed murder, should meet J. J. Abrams.” with James Gandolfini. Yes, my looks have always you could pass it o≠ as Abrams was so nice, I felt like, okay, I’m been a source of real a joke, a glitch in the plan. and I was just bombing not the only one who’s embarrassment. Just feel my But by Breaking Bad and so, so terribly hard. unsettled by the attention. earlobe, if you don’t mind. Black Mass, it was clear that menace comes just as easily You were funny on Late Is there anything It’s not small. to Plemons as innocence. Night with Seth Meyers, you haven’t done yet Absurdly big. In India, I guess, Which is probably why but I could tell you were that you want to try? it’s a sign of wisdom—that’s what directors keep casting him, uncomfortable. I guess... [long, my mom used to tell me. But in roles that veer from He was so nice. I was so languidly anxious then I was getting shit grades and cult apostate (The Master) nervous, but once it was pause] I guess getting kicked out of every school to grieving comedy writer over, I was like, “What I would like to play I went to, so I was like, “Ma, I (Other People).—Z.B. was I so worried about?” some more extroverts. don’t think that’s what it means.” 01. 2017 83 Gentlemen’s Quarterly BILLY CRUDUP’S BREAKTHROUGH performance was in Almost Famous, playing the lead guitarist of Cameron Crowe’s fictional (but-so-perfectly-realized-you-maybe- Googled-it-to-make-sure-it-was-fictional) favorite band. In 20th Century Women, he dominates scenes as a go- with-the-flow handyman sucked into the riptides of Ben Foster Billy Crudup the women around him. In Jackie, he swaps loafing for provoking, as a journalist opposite another formidable woman: the president’s widow.—C.W. BEN FOSTER IS a Method What’s it like to go Who are we talking about? the brother of Jimmy Carter. actor. A very, very methodical through life as an adult I won’t name names. He was most renowned Method actor. His committed man named Billy? Ever during the Carter presidency preparation for certain roles— think about chopping Well…they’re all for coming up with his like taking performance off the “y”? named Billy. own beer, called Billy Beer. enhancers o≠screen to play I’m not much of a Bill. One of my agents, when I said, “I can understand Lance Armstrong in The I’ve considered William. I was 25 or 26, called your reservations.” Program—makes you wonder There’s recently been me into her o∞ce and if there’s a line between some Billys that have said, “I want to talk acting and genuinely losing painted unflattering to you about your name. it. But it works: The glee portraits of what grown I just can’t help but with which he watches men named Billy can do. think of Billy Carter,” someone burn alive in 3:10 to Yuma was haunting enough to earn his character a cult following, and when he starts murdering cops in Hell or High Water, you feel like you’re seeing someone snap.