The three favourite roles of Gary Oldman’s career: “An exceptional experience”
In the annals of cinematic history, there are some careers which shine brighter than others. That can be for many different reasons. Some performers are wondrous off-screen but deliver very little on-screen, while others provide the exact opposite. Across a truly remarkable career in the film industry, Gary Oldman has proven his talent and versatility as an actor in a wide range of roles, with each performance serving as a deep examination into the minds and hearts of his characters.
It’s a remarkable feat to not only be a part fo some of the most beloved arthouse movies but also some of the biggest commercial films ever made and still be loved by both factions of cinemagoers. Whether portraying Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour or Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight, Oldman has always made an effort to portray true nuance and dedication to his craft.
There’s a genuine physicality to each Oldman role, too, where he genuinely embodies his characters, regardless of whether they are fictional or otherwise. A sense of authenticity breathes throughout the English actor’s screen time, and it’s all too easy to see why he’s considered one of the greatest thespians of his generation.
But like any actor, Oldman has his favourite performances, and he once named his top roles from across his career, beginning with Oliver Stone’s 1991 political thriller epic JFK, detailing the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Oldman played the killer of Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, a role that he holds close to his heart for very specific reasons.
“I would have to say Oswald – he didn’t do it,” Oldman joked in conversation with AFI, adding, “That was an exceptional experience because there was very little of Oswald on the page, and I guess I was asked to become a detective. Oliver Stone gave me some money and some airline tickets and said just go off and find out who this guy was. So that’s a personal favourite.”
Of another role, Oldman noted, “I think probably True Romance”, to a rapturous applause. The Tony Scott movie, written by Quentin Tarantino, released in 1993 with Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Brad Pitt and Christopher Walker starring alongside Oldman, tells of a newlywed couple on the run from the mafia.
Oldman had been speaking at the premiere of Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy and admitted that the film also served as one of his favourite roles. “I think I’ve jokingly said that I’ve waited 30 years to play this part,” he said. “I’m often asked to portray characters who sort of physicalise their emotions, and they’re intense and kinetic, and so it was a real joy to be able to have an internal life and not have to express it in a physical way.”
The 2011 Cold War spy thriller was directed by Tomas Alfredson and was based on the John Le Carre novel of the same name, telling of the hunt for a Soviet double agent at the head of the British secret service. Oldman added, “The whole experience of this movie, this part, this director and this incredible cast of actors, it felt very rare and just harmonic, where something came together.”
There is very little to suggest that Gary Oldman will ever stop pursuing acting greatness, something he has now taken to the small screen with his impeccable portrayal of Jackson Lamb in the AppleTV series Slow Horses, which many would argue is his finest role yet. But one thing is for sure: whatever he puts his mind to, he will deliver.
