The only six people John Goodman would drop everything to work with
No matter what they say, every actor has their list of people that they’d love to work with, including John Goodman.
As one of the most prolific actors in Hollywood, Goodman has rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in the business. However, Goodman also understands how goddamn isolating the field can be, especially for industry veterans who have worked with so many different teams that it’s often hard to make lifelong friends.
He once explained to The Guardian, “The thing about this business is it’s transitory. You work with people who grow very dear to you, and then you never see them. Most of my friends are from my childhood. I just drove back to New Orleans with an old childhood friend to see the guys. They know what’s fabricated and what isn’t.”
That said, Goodman still became one of the most well-respected and reliable actors in history, putting his all into every performance he sticks his mind to despite his broader perceptions about the fickleness of industry relationships. Whether on the big or small screen, Goodman is one of the most trusted names out there, able to deliver the full bag every time.
One of the reasons why he developed such a solid work ethic was those he looked up to, with names like Marlon Brando and Al Pacino showing him the way when it came to pushing yourself in any sort of role. He also became completely endeared to many of the heroes of the silent era, including Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, whom he appreciated for the “incredible skills” that went into it, from subtle physical movements to emotional expression.
Much of this appreciation was enhanced when Goodman was preparing for his role in The Artist, but he’s always enjoyed those who can achieve the seemingly impossible in ways that people hadn’t considered before, which are also features he looks for in prospective colleagues and collaborators. In fact, Goodman once revealed a list of those he’d work with in a heartbeat, including actors and directors that he wouldn’t even need to read the entire script for – he’d just know.
One was someone he’s been friends with for decades, but only got the chance to work with in 2017 on Once Upon a Time in Venice – Bruce Willis. “They said it was a Bruce Willis movie, so I was prone to say yes before I even read the script,” Goodman said, per IndieWire. He then listed those who would be a no-brainer, saying, “There are so many people I admire as a film fan: Billy Murray, Joel and Ethan Coen, Steven Spielberg and Marty Scorsese.”
Besides Willis, the only others that Goodman has worked on his list with are Spielberg, Scorsese, and the Coen brothers. Which, if for nothing else, just goes to show that, while those names are ones on a lot of actors’ minds when it comes to giving an immediate yes, working with them is once is clearly never enough.
What’s more, the business might be built for lasting friendships in most spaces, but there’s a lot of respect to be given to those who have been around for as long as they have, and still come up in conversations with people like Goodman when discussing world-class talent. Some things do last forever, and in the world of film, it’s the people whose legacies are defined by their own talents, time and time again.
