Some Real Characters, Fuckface
In which I gush about character actors
Hey Fuckface,
I’ve written many screeds against reality television and surgically augmented, identical faces. And I’m not sorry. Please, do with your body what you will, but I don’t feel like looking at “perfection” anymore. I’d rather take a nap, because those faces are a snooze, dude.
I’m so tired of performers looking so much alike I couldn’t even tell you their names because they blend into each other seamlessly. The homogenized version of what famous looks like is so boring. You’re all thin and your faces don’t move at all? Fascinating. Please, go find a physical space for your cult so the rest of us can live our lives away from whatever that is. This is really living up to the mean lady part of this newsletter.
Inspired by my many aforementioned screeds and my friend Sid of Sound the Bells writing about Widow’s Bay last week I felt I had to say something. I really, just had to. And that something is that I think we’re in a little bit of an era of seeing some regular folks on TV again. Remember Roseanne? The TV show, not the woman who sucks now. Those were the days.
While network television is still doing the same old thing with the same old formula (including physical appearance, of course) we are getting some nice non-traditional hotties and regular human looking actors on a variety of other shows. Am I saying these people aren’t attractive? Absolutely not! They are just not pretty, pretty ingenues or basic hunks. They’re actually interesting. They look like they might have cooked a meal or dusted or carried a trashcan to the curb or god forbid put together furniture from IKEA. These are people who are attractive but they’re not tweaked and twisted into the mold of the other famous people.
Widow’s Bay is such a great example. It has characters of all ages and they’re all compelling but what stands out is that they look, collectively, more like the people we see out in the world. This is an incredible show built pretty much entirely on character actors. Which is my dream cast for any kind of television show. Character actors are the most beautiful actors in the world to me. Stephen Root and Dale Dickey and Toby Huss and Jeff Hiller and Kate O’Flynn and 90 friggin’ year old K Callan. These are actors that have been in so many things over the years, shows I was obsessed with, movies that they make stand out. It does feel like a dream to see a cast like this all together being incredible. I relished in this cast getting to work with this incredible material while watching the first season.
These are actors you’ve seen in so many things and gone, “Oh yeah, that guy!” Which is how you know they’re the best guys. They stand out.
Even the lead, Matthew Rhys, a handsome man no doubt, isn’t sculpted into the perfect male form. That’s why he’s fucking hot and compelling! There is mystery to him, an edge, a je ne sais, etc.
And it’s so refreshing to watch actors who’ve worked for many years and are not spring chickens anymore getting really good roles. Again, a real delight.
Widow’s Bay joins other recent favourites of mine in the television trenches putting unconventionally attractive people on screen. Somebody Somewhere, The Chair Company (you know I gotta mention that!), Fallout, Severance, etc. Shows filled with character actors! I think the main point here is that maybe I’m obsessed with character actors. I don’t want to see a movie star. Blech! Gross! I want to see character actors getting meaty and juicy roles and being the fucking best they can be. And looking hot in their own incredible way while they do it.
The other thing all these shows have in common is a deep humanity for their characters and their stories, straight up excellent writing and a clever humour that is clearly written by people who have laughed many times in their lives. These are the writers who just get it. I love them too. These are good shows (the best, in my opinion) and most captivating because of the casting and how the writers write for these characters.
I find it deeply satisfying to watch people act with their whole selves, to transform into a character using their body, including a movable face. Sorry for all this movable face talk but unless a character is playing someone who clearly would have a lot of filler I just can’t buy them doing the shit they’re doing on screen, or that they have emotions at all.
That’s it for this week, Fuckface. I just wanted to praise my beautiful babies, the character actors I love so much. You know me, I love weird little guys, because I think they’re magical and breathtaking.
Also, people are allowed to be ugly. Whether they’ve had surgical work done or not. No one owes you an idealized version of hotness. Don’t be sick! And you’re allowed to like or not like it, but keep it to yourself. Don’t be rude. Like me.
xoxo
A Fuckface
P.S. The Chair Company was robbed of Emmy nominations. You knew I was gonna say that too! Dark Winds too! Zahn McClarnon forever and ever! And The Lowdown. Okay, I’m done. For now!
YESSSS! I love this
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