The movie that made Miles Teller feel “dead inside”
Miles Teller, a name that has become synonymous with a kind of raw intensity on screen, has been winning hearts since he first graced the world of cinema. Whether you remember him from his vulnerable debut in Rabbit Hole or his dramatic turn in the boxing biopic Bleed for This, there’s no denying the man’s versatile talent. Amid all his critically acclaimed roles, it might come as a surprise that there’s one film that didn’t sit right with this acclaimed actor.
It’s generally accepted that actors, especially up-and-comers, may have to put in the groundwork with some bankable franchises. Robert Pattison probably stands as the biggest testament to this: a brief appearance in Harry Potter followed by the pop-culture phenomenon of the Twilight saga eventually meant that he could have the lay of the land regarding interesting, compelling and artistic choices.
They might not be the most creatively engaging cinematic enterprises, but they expose your name and face as an actor to bigger, more mainstream audiences, put money in the bank and assure studio execs and agents that you’re a reliable team player in the broader infrastructure of moviemaking. Besides, a turn in some schlocky fantasy series or science fiction franchise can’t be that bad, can it? According to Teller, his stint in a certain YA adaptation left him “dead inside”.
Divergent, the dystopian Young Adult science fiction directed by Neil Burger, was supposed to be a ticket to international fame and an ever-expanding fan base. Instead, it became Teller’s internal tug-of-war between artistic integrity and commercial success. While it was meant to be a project that broadened his horizons, it ended up leaving a void, a kind of emptiness that’s hard to fathom for someone whose very job is to emote.
It wasn’t until he chatted with W magazine that the veil was lifted. “When I first read Whiplash, I was feeling dead inside,” Miles admitted. This wasn’t a reflection of Whiplash but rather a stark juxtaposition against his experience on the set of Divergent, about which he said: “I didn’t have an interesting part, and I’d taken the film for business reasons.”
Teller continued: “It was the first movie I’d done that was going to have an international audience.” Feeling trapped in the cinematic doldrums, he called his agent, candidly expressing, “This sucks”. That’s when Whiplash was thrown into the mix.
Whiplash, a narrative far removed from the YA world of Divergent, took Teller into the high-stakes world of a young jazz drummer battling to earn his stripes in an esteemed conservatory. Under the stern watch of JK Simmons’ formidable instructor, Teller’s character is pushed to a breaking point and beyond, all in the name of pursuing pure musical excellence.
This wasn’t just a project; for Teller, Whiplash became a rebirth. And its impact was felt beyond just its star. Damien Chazelle’s masterpiece took the 2014 Sundance Film Festival by storm, bagging both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize in the US dramatic category. Since then, Teller has gone from strength to strength, and audiences most recently caught him in the insanely popular (and slightly dangerous) aviation sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.
