The two “remarkable” actors Joseph Quinn called his “chief creative influences”
Things have really taken off for Joseph Quinn. Ever since he burst onto the scene as Eddie Munson in the fourth season of Stranger Things, the British star has picked up more and more high-profile roles as his presence grows across the globe.
He played one of the twin Emperors in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, took on the part of Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in the rebooted version of the ‘Fantastic Four’, and, if all that weren’t enough, he’s set to play George Harrison in Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles biopics.
Even before his guitar duel with Vecna, Quinn had been in some pretty big stuff. You can spot him in episode four of Game of Thrones’ second season, playing a character called Koner, and as doom emperor Paul I in the Sky series Catherine the Great. He worked with countless incredible actors before making it big, but there are two names that inspired him the most.
Back in 2019, long before he reached the astounding heights he currently experiences, Quinn sat down with Flickering Myth to talk about some of his “chief creative influences”. He mentioned one actor that he had worked with in the past, but his first choice was a star who had, sadly, passed away before they got the chance to work together.
“Philip Seymour Hoffman is, in my opinion, one of the greatest actors of all time,” he announced. “His ability to act the human condition is quite remarkable and, I think, possesses this rare quality – which other actors like Olivia Colman also have – where there’s a familiarity when you’re watching them. You feel like you know them, you feel like you’ve met them, because they show an aspect of yourself… You’re watching yourself, you see moments that you’ve experienced on screen. You remember when you felt like that, and that can be quite powerful.”
The great Philip Seymour Hoffman died in 2014, exactly one week after Quinn’s 20th birthday. This must have been devastating, but it doesn’t mean the fallen star hasn’t been a big part of his admirer’s life. While preparing for his role as Geta in Gladiator II, Quinn studied a number of different actors and performances to nail the role of a psychotic, power-mad despot. One of them was Hoffman’s turn as Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III, easily the best villain the franchise ever produced.
As for Olivia Colman, it was always going to be a lot easier for Quinn to work with her. They’re both British for a start and, as every American knows, all British people know each other. The pair found themselves on the same call sheet for Les Misérables, a BBC miniseries based on the legendary Victor Hugo novel. Quinn plays Enjolras, a friend of Marius and leader of revolutionary group ‘Les Amis de l’ABC’. As for Colman, she plays Madame Thénardier, one half of the bawdy husband and wife duo who serves as minor antagonists throughout the plot. It was the role she was born to play.
He may not have gotten a chance to work with both of his idols, but both Hoffman and Colman’s impact on Quinn can be keenly felt as he rises up the Hollywood ranks. Plus, with AI, anything is possible! Although that’s probably not what Quinn wants.
