Anghus Houvouras on Idris Elba’s recent comments about working on Thor: The Dark World…
Most real actors would rather do a West End play than appear in a major Hollywood blockbuster.
Does that surprise anyone? Is this a statement that would normally send cold shivers down the spine of those who read it? Idris Elba dropped a truth bomb this week, pointing out some of the ridiculousness of modern movie making. Strapped into a harness for hours, dangled back and forth against a green screen, being yelled direction through a bullhorn. I doubt this is what anyone attended the Royal Shakespeare Company for.
The very obvious truth is that actors do blockbuster movies for the career bump and sometimes the pay check. The popular quote for popular actors is “one for them, one for you”. You do the studio movie to get paid, which allows you to do the smaller movie that you actually find interesting. Elba didn’t say anything earth shattering, but he did bring forth a reality many film fans don’t like to acknowledge:
Movie making is a lot less fun than movie watching. Especially blockbusters that spend more time constructing action sequences than delving deep into character and story. Elba was merely saying what every legitimate actor already knows:
Blockbuster filmmaking is an endurance test.
Robert Downey Jr. sprains an ankle during Iron Man 3. Harrison Ford breaks bones shooting Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Charlize Theron lost an arm while filming Mad Max: Fury Road. This is not the high art they yearn to make. Unfortunately, this is the kind of movie people want to buy tickets for, so they
I’m sure some actors have fun making these garish spectacles. I’ll bet Andy Serkis and Doug Jones have a lot of fun in those motion capture suits. But your average movie star does them for the money or career building. As for Elba, he had a secondary role in the Thor movies. It’s not exactly like he’s making mad bank for playing the portal opening guy in Thor: The Dark World. So I totally get his perspective, as do most rational people.
But the idea of telling Idris Elba something akin to ‘just shut up and cash your checks’ is a boring counterpoint. I suppose there are some out there who enjoy believing that movie sets are like a four-month holiday where there is no friction and everyone joins hands singing ‘Kumbaya’. When they hear someone express displeasure, it pierces the veneer of perfection and detracts from the wish fulfillment that is Marvel movies and Blockbusters in general.
Personally, my reaction to the article was “Preach on, Brother Elba.” Because honesty and unpopular opinions are what makes the movie industry so interesting to write about. Besides, he’s right. And I’m guessing if you asked Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, or Robert Downey Jr. if they preferred big blockbusters or small personal films, they’d give you a safe answer like:
“It’s just different.”
But the truth is they like it a lot less than they let on, and the vast majority would prefer playing Mandela, teaming up with Fincher to star in Gone Girl, or producing The Judge than strapping on spandex for another Marvel movie. I would be willing to bet ant sum of money that Don Cheadle prefers making any underrated, under watched episodes of House of Lies than sitting on a sound stage with forty pounds of fake armor strapped on.
Actors want to create drama. Idris Elba’s comments created more drama with his comments than anything you’re going to find in either Thor film.
Now can we get a fourth season of Luther, or what?
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker. His latest work, the novel My Career Suicide Note, is available from Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.
Originally published November 17, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
