The actor Brad Pitt called “pretty much the greatest of my generation”
Every few years, a new male actor will emerge and be crowned one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stars. Usually, these actors have to have both incredible talent and heartthrob looks to achieve such a high level of stardom, as seen in the popularity of actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet. With Brad Pitt, this came almost instantaneously.
Once the actor began landing proper roles beyond uncredited extra parts, he found himself starring alongside Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis in Thelma and Louise. Audiences, including critics, were immediately hypnotised by his performance, which saw him appear shirtless. He was labelled a sex symbol, a label he maintained despite proving his acting chops in subsequent decades.
Pitt has been labelled as one of the finest actors in Hollywood, but he has his own opinion on who he believes is “pretty much the greatest of my generation” – David Thewlis. The actor has never reached the same levels of celebrity status as figures like Pitt and DiCaprio, but he is easily on par, if not more talented, than most of his acclaimed contemporaries.
Thewlis is best known to the general public for playing Professor Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter franchise, but to disregard everything else he’s done is a great disservice. He began his career in the ‘80s, starring in a few small British productions. He collaborated with Mike Leigh in 1987 for the short film The Short and Curlies, which led him to reunite with the social realist director for Life Is Sweet three years later.
His role was fairly small, but he made an impression. Thus, in 1993, Leigh cast him in the leading role of his dark comedy-drama Naked, playing a troubled man named Johnny with a cold and unnerving temperament who drifts his way into his old girlfriend’s house. He never hesitates to tell people his unconventional view on life, often getting himself into violent situations. The role was his breakthrough, proving Thewlis to be an astounding actor. Tasked with leading a film despite being instantly despicable, Thewlis manages to balance his character’s horrible actions with twisted charm.
Pitt was impressed by his performance in Leigh’s heavy film, and in an old interview, the actor said, “I think what he did in Naked is as good as anything Brando, Nicholson, Pacino, any of our greats. I think he’s right in line.”
The pair ended up working together on Seven Years in Tibet in 1997, with both playing the main roles. Thewlis has had an impressive career since his breakout in Naked, starring in a wide variety of titles. He teamed up with the Coen brothers for The Big Lebowski in 1998 and Terence Malik in 2005 for The New World.
Of course, the early 2000s saw him play Remus Lupin, first appearing in the third movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. In the 2010s, he appeared in many popular films like The Theory of Everything, Anomalisa, Legend, Wonder Woman, Justice League, and on the small screen, Fargo and The Sandman. So, while Thewlis has never reached the levels of attention that Pitt has achieved, he’s clearly carved out a very successful career for himself, receiving plenty of critical praise in the process.
