The 2017 role Sam Elliott called the greatest he’ll ever play: “I don’t think it’ll ever get any better”
With a hall of fame-worthy moustache and voice as smooth as silk, Sam Elliott is one of the most unique and recognisable film stars to ever grace the big screen, who, across six decades in the acting game, has been recognised by almost every major awards body in the world.
His films have grossed over a billion dollars worldwide, and even though he is in his early 80s, he is tough enough to get mauled by a bear and still show up for work, so don’t expect him to wind down any time soon.
Drawing on his own experiences of being an older actor still functioning in the industry, he starred in 2017’s The Hero, playing Lee Hayden, an old western star who is a shell of his former self, and after years of coasting on easy advertising work, when an unexpected opportunity comes his way, he has to balance this news with a recent terminal diagnosis, which throws his newfound future into doubt.
Speaking to BUILD Series on YouTube, Elliott spoke incredibly fondly about his time on this film, and while most actors would praise the script or their character when promoting a film, he was most impressed with the atmosphere on set.
“What I remember most about films is the people that I’ve worked with rather than the film itself,” he explained, “I don’t think it’ll ever get any better than it was on this film. It just was on all sides of the camera…it was a labour of love for a lot of people, and I think in the end that we pulled it off with a piece of really good entertainment.”
Despite a modest budget of $1.2million, the film attracted some high-profile talent alongside Elliott, also including Krysten Ritter as Lee’s daughter, Nick Offerman (who is a big Elliott fan) as his weed dealer and former co-star, and Ali Wong and Cameron Esposito as versions of themselves. The film followed a similar pattern to director Brett Haley’s previous film, I’ll See You in My Dreams, which starred Blythe Danner as a retired singer.
While The Hero wasn’t a runaway hit, it did receive great feedback from the critics, with Elliott’s performance particularly exalted and many reviewers noting that it elevated an otherwise standard story to the next level.
He played Lee with a quiet dignity befitting of an ageing icon facing the autumn of their years, and this performance easily ranks among the best showings Elliott has given in his entire career. If you haven’t seen The Hero and are a fan of Elliott’s work, then you owe it to yourself to check it out, mostly because he’s onscreen for pretty much the entire runtime.
Some actors fade away over time, while others seem to get better with age, and Elliott is one of those performers who has grown into himself over time. He seems to be much more comfortable playing older, damaged characters, which is exactly what he does in The Hero, and thus excels in it.
