Ever go through an actor’s filmography and lowkey prefer when they play certified freak-a-leeks, even if you may first have been attracted to them via a more traditional protagonist role? Type casting be damned! Here are some male actors we think are better off weird, or could be if we let them!
Before we start, let me make one thing abundantly clear. This is not to say that I don’t think these men should or can’t be leading men. “Weird character” does not mean villain, or supporting role. I’m not trying to deny anyone a pay check. Quite simply, I would never!
The list of actors who I think should be leading films is considerably longer and more diverse. That’s not what we’re talking about today. Take Nicholas Hoult, for example. We’re all in agreement that he should only play weird little guys–whether those freaks are at the top of the call sheet or not… right? He was living his best life in Superman, Mad Max: Fury Road, and on The Great. He seems to have it figured out. These are some more actors who are either on their way to figuring that out or need some encouragement.
Dan Stevens
Let’s start with someone who, like Hoult, has been playing weirdos fairly consistently since leaving Downton Abbey in 2012. While he’ll still appear in major franchises, like the Godzilla monster-verse, his characters dress a little bit more colorfully or act a little quirkier than you may expect. He’s clearly not afraid to push against societal norms. One of my favorite Stevens roles, while understated compared to Legion or Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, is a stay-at-home dad named Colin who explores a nonbinary gender identity on the webseries/HBO comedy High Maintenance.
Jake Gyllenhaal
He’s had his time playing so-called normal characters. Let someone else have a turn, you know? Gyllenhaal let his freak flag fly to great effect in Okja, Velvet Buzzsaw, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Donnie Darko, Nightcrawler, and of course as Mr. Music in the Netflix comedy special John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch. Even his character Ambulance was way weirder than he needed to be, and thank goodness for that. Resist the call to be normal!
John Cho
This is tricky, because on one hand I was very supportive of the #StarringJohnCho campaign, almost a decade ago, and do want him to play all of the romantic leads and action star roles we can toss his way. Remember Selfie?! But actually, let’s talk about Selfie. His character on that canceled-too-soon ABC/Hulu comedy is a great example of a leading man role that is still a little fun and weird. Henry Higgs a modern take on Professor Higgins from Pygmalion, or My Fair Lady if you prefer, was sexy and stoic and also an awkward dork!
Robert Pattinson
Everything we learn about Robert Pattinson IRL is so, so weird. (Or just, a lie, which is it’s own kind of bizarro charm.) Edward Cullen might be a moody b*tch, but watch the Twilight movies with his audio commentary and you’ll see a whole new side to the former teen heartthrob. His foray into independent film was a great career decision. If you didn’t know just how willing he was to get his hands dirty before The Lighthouse, you learned quick with that one. Even his more recent blockbuster film roles, including Tenet, The Batman, and especially Mickey 17, have been delightfully weird and let his personality eke in.
Pedro Pascal
Free my guy from patriarchs who are stressed, depressed, and not at all blessed. Hollywood, I’m begging. Pedro Pascal has the capacity to be so whimsical, comical, and weird. He’s bursting with personality in every press tour and awards acceptance speech and Saturday Night Live hosting gigs. I want to see that energy on screen again! No more moping around science fiction/fantasy landscapes. He was so funny in Wonder Woman 1984 and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Bring it back.
Chris Pine
If his directorial debut Poolman is any indication, Chris Pine does not need our encouragement to keep it weird. Remember his silent role in Celeste and Jesse Forever. He’s been doing more “one for him” than “one for them” movies lately–which is great, because those are also for me. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was the perfect happy medium between blockbuster action hero and low status dork.
John Boyega
In no world should John Boyega not be a movie star, because that’s simply what he is. He is such a good action hero in Attack the Block and the Star Wars sequel trilogy. While Pacific Rim: Uprising did not 100 percent work for me, the fact that he produced it and was so passionate about making it proves that he has excellent taste. And his Golden Globe-winning performance in the “Red White, and Blue” segment of Steve McQueen’s anthology Small Axe is nothing short of incredible. But have you seen him in The Woman King? Kinda weird and super fun, right? More of that, please!
Keanu Reeves
Technically, Keanu Reeves has been playing weird characters for most of his career. The Matrix and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure are far from conventional films. But I don’t want anyone to stifle him. Don’t make him be normal. This past year, he played the voice of a building on Severance and a mediocre guardian angel in Good Fortune and made his Broadway debut in Waiting for Godot. I want to challenge him to go even weirder!
Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant has more or less figured out that his type these days is sinister weirdos. He has self-identified the last decade or so of his career his “freak-show era,” per The New York Times. It began, somewhat, with the infamous Cloud Atlas and has continued through Paddington 2, The Gentlemen, Dungeons & Dragons, Wonka, and Heretic. In these roles, Grant seems happier than ever! See what playing weird characters can do to a person?
Denzel Washington
Based on his unhinged performance in Gladiator II alone, Denzel Washington needs to enter a freak-show era (affectionate) of his own. His take on Macbeth in Joel Coen’s adaptation of The Scottish Play was delightfully weird too. Keep those hinges off! It’s not likely to happen. Washington is near retirement and has a pretty clear vision for how he wants to finish his career. As he should! His upcoming projects include a Steve McQueen movie and Ryan Coogler’s next Black Panther movie. Finger’s crossed that one of those roles, at least, have some fun and/or weirdness.
(featured image: Summit Entertainment)
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