“Kind of weird, kind of disturbing”: when Jeff Goldblum discovered he’d fallen off a cliff and died
Sometimes described as a “chaotician”, Jeff Goldblum is one of those actors that you can’t help but smile whenever you spot him in something. Whether a silent cameo as a biker in Robert Altman’s Nashville, a broke and schmoozy journalist in Joan Micklin-Silver’s Between the Lines or a broke and also schmoozy reporter in the 1980s classic The Big Chill, his presence is always a glorious gift.
But perhaps his most authentic performance is that of an alien in Wes Anderson’s recent Asteroid City, which is maybe a small nod to the mystical place that Goldblum occupies in Hollywood; a delightfully odd and contagiously enthusiastic performer that seems too cool for Hollywood, almost as if he came from another planet. And when Goldblum was subject to a rather strange and disturbing rumour in 2009, he reacted in accordance with this description.
Goldblum proved himself as a born performer from day one, later saying in an interview that he always knew he wanted to be an actor but that it was a “secret passion” and not something he dared admit out loud. However, he later went on to study with the legendary Sanford Meisner at the Neighbourhood Playhouse in New York, subsequently making his Broadway and film debut in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Death Wish. He became well-known for his enigmatic persona after his singularly puzzling appearance in Annie Hall, in which his character appears for only one line and says, “I forgot my mantra”.
However, during the filming of a project in New Zealand, a false rumour was spread on the internet that Goldblum had fallen to his death from a cliff. Goldblum is known for his babbling conversational style that feels more like a circular game of badminton than anything else, constantly flitting between new and surprising trains of thought that are so entertaining you almost think they’re scripted lines.
When asked about this rumour later on, he eventually said, “It was freaky, kind of weird, kind of disturbing”, and that his mother and a close friend had initially believed the rumour, leaving some rather distressed messages on his answering machine. Goldblum later delivered a posthumous tribute to himself, saying, “No one will miss Jeff Goldblum more than me. he was not only a friend and mentor, but he was also me”. The manner in which he dealt with this untimely “death” is very much reflective of the wit and humour that he brings to each of his characters – slightly weird and hugely entertaining.
In addition to acting, Goldblum has had an illustrious career as a jazz pianist. He regularly performs with his band, The Mildred Schnitzer Ensemble, a group that has played at Coachella and the infamous Ronnie Scott Jazz bar in London. He also founded his own theatre company in New York and had a temporary statue displayed of himself next to London Bridge in 2018 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Jurassic Park.
No matter the ridiculousness of the part or bit, Goldblum is always committed to bringing his full self to each role and elevating any scene he appears in. While Goldblum’s character had forgotten his mantra in Annie Hall, it has become clearer over time that being a human alien in Hollywood is perhaps the highest compliment and a sure-fire way to put a smile on everyone’s face.
