The actor Paul Thomas Anderson called his white whale: “That’s very exciting to think about”
Paul Thomas Anderson has worked with some of the greatest actors of our time, frequently collaborating with the likes of Joaquin Phoenix, Daniel Day-Lewis and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. And with the director approaching his tenth feature film after the release of Licorice Pizza in 2021, the director has revealed who he is most anxious to work with.
Known for his sweeping epics and layered character studies, the chance to work with Thomas Anderson is not something many would turn down, making stars out of unknown talent and elevating established actors to new heights. Mark Wahlberg famously made his name with the iconic role of Dirk Diggler, despite later expressing regret over this choice and the sexually explicit nature of the film.
Singer and actor Alana Haim made her debut film appearance in Licorice Pizza, playing a spirited and ferocious Valley Girl in ’70s San Fernando, a bold choice from Thomas Anderson, who has expressed a preference for working with people he’s collaborated with before, preferring to build on an existing connection and create something deeper rather than work with new talent.
However, this philosophy has been temporarily put on hold due to his dream of working with one actor in particular. When asked about who he would like most to collaborate with, Thomas Anderson replied, “Denzel. There’s a white whale right there. That power, the scale of his movie-star power and range, that’s very exciting to think about working with.”
Denzel Washington and Thomas Anderson have never had a cinematic crossover, but it is unsurprising that the director would like to work with him. The actor is known for his commanding screen presence and dramatic prowess, being nominated for an Academy Award-winning over nine times and winning twice for Glory and Training Day. The actor is next appearing in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel, which is due to be released on November 25th of this year.
The director also mentioned a couple of other names on his list, saying, “Olivia Colman, she’s an absolute powerhouse. Once I’ve worked with somebody, I really want to work with them again and again. I really want to work with every single person that’s in this film. I’m very anxious to work with Joaquin again. There’s a disproportionate amount of talent in the acting department and a lack of material that rises to their ability”.
The director is correct in his observation that there seem to be few rules that make the most out of talent, with many actors accepting mediocre roles that don’t showcase the full spectrum of their talent. However, we can be sure that whatever Thomas Anderson creates next will surely be a challenging role, known for encouraging actors to explore the very depths of each character, assembling a rich and authentic ensemble cast for each project.
It seems as though the director won’t have to wait for long before working with Washington, as the pair have been seen meeting, with hints towards them collaborating on an untitled project set in the 1940s jazz scene. The project has been discussed for a couple of years now, but hopefully, we see the fruits of their labour soon.
