Timothy Olyphant names the best actor he ever worked with: “What a force”
The list of ‘dark horse’ actors is long, and growing longer by the second. One name on that list that always stands out, however, is Timothy Olyphant.
If you know who he is, the chances are high that he’s one of your favourite actors. There will be a large portion of people who have no idea who he is, though. He is not what you might call a big name, but in terms of pure talent, he’s up there with the best of them.
Olyphant’s oft-overlooked career has brought him into contact with some of the finest actors to ever grace the screen. One of his earliest screen successes, Scream 2, put him on the same call sheet as Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Liev Schreiber, and Sarah Michelle Gellar, and he’s worked with great directors like Quentin Tarantino and David O Russell. He missed a real chance by turning down a role in the Fast and Furious franchise, though. He could have worked with the great Vin Diesel; not an opportunity that comes around every day.
When it comes to the very best of the best, however, there’s one name that he respects above everyone else. In an interview given to NPR, Olyphant spoke about his time on the TV show Deadwood, and its 2019 spin-off movie, and delivered high praise for his main co-star.
“Ian McShane, what a force,” he said, “I mean, just, you know, it’s the best thing that happened to my career, was, you know, being in a position to watch him work up close, something special. And, you know, I miss him.” Just to clarify, Olyphant “misses” McShane because they don’t work together anymore. At the time of writing, he is very much alive.
Deadwood was one of HOB’s golden age shows over its three-season run between 2004 and 2006, and is often named in the same breath as The Sopranos and The Wire. Set in the real-world settlement of Deadwood, South Dakota, during the late 19th century, the story follows the town’s growth and eventual annexation by the Dakota Territory. Olyphant and McShane head a large ensemble cast: the British star plays Al Swearengen, the owner of the local saloon and a big figure in the town, and his American counterpart plays the local sheriff, Seth Bullock, who often comes into conflict with Swearengen’s plans.
McShane is absolutely fantastic in Deadwood, as he is in everything else he’s ever done. From his subtly scary turn in Sexy Beast to his extravagant performance as Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides to his role as Winston Scott, the slick anchor figure of the John Wick series, he nails it every single time. Incredibly, he’s never won a major award, although he was nominated for an Emmy for his role in Deadwood.
A thoroughly underrated performer who deserves way more praise than he gets, Ian McShane is a real actor’s actor. You don’t need to have been up close and personal with him to appreciate his brilliance, but, according to Olyphant, it certainly helps.
