Words: Alex Woodhall
For many actors, the immersion into a role precludes the ability to care about anything else. For others, the money seems to be the most important factor. In the first of a series on gentleman actors, we pick 5 gentlemen who have played the Hollywood game for decades, and have only become more charming.
AL PACINO
Francis Ford Coppola turned down every big-name actor for the part of Michael Corleone, insisting upon a little-known stage actor. Forty-three years and 8 Oscar nominations later the gamble has paid off for Pacino, whose magnetic screen presence has raised countless films from great to classic. His frequent Q&As and one-man-shows invariably sell out, and any gentlemen should be lucky enough to tell an anecdote with the same abundance of wit and charm.
Three of his best: The Godfather Trilogy, Scarface, Any Given Sunday
Out now: Danny Collins
SIR IAN MCKELLEN
A master of his craft, McKellen’s 50 years of stage experience have also honed him as a subtly powerful screen presence, and often the best-dressed man in frame to boot. His ability to maintain poise and eloquence as the rather scruffy Gandalf the Grey shows that being a gentleman comes from within. Every gentleman should be able to stand up for the ideals in which he strongly believes, and Sir Ian is a fine example. He is a patron of many LGBT rights campaigns, and publicly came out in 1988 in an attempt to prevent the “anti-gay propaganda” section 28 from being passed.
Three of his best: The X-Men films, The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, Richard III (1995)
Out now: Mr. Holmes
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN
A true eccentric with a much-envied voice and a very rare ability to look great in a double-breasted suit, Christopher Walken is a true all-round gentleman. Very few Academy Award-winners have the dancing feet to appear in a Fatboy Slim Video, or the humility to spoof themselves, as Walken has repeatedly done on Saturday Night Live. This multitude of talents does not detract, however, from his ability to make an audience understand a character’s quirks without descending to caricature. To find a blueprint for Javier Bardem’s Skyfall villain, look no further than Walken’s Max Zorin in A View to a Kill.
Three of his best: Catch Me If You Can, The Deer Hunter, A View to a Kill
Out soon: The Jungle Book, as the voice of King Louie (April 2016)
BILL NIGHY
Nighy blasted his way into the public consciousness within 30 seconds of screen time in Love Actually, pouring forth a stream of invective to rival Malcolm Tucker’s fruitier moments. He has garnered fame as British cinema’s cool Grandad and may have been typecast as such, were it not for his immense range, as shown off by our pick of his films. No two characters could be more different than squid-faced pirate captain Davey Jones in Pirates of the Carribean and shy, bookish mining union rep Cliff. We’re also fans of his bespoke navy suits – as he says, “there’s only one colour, and that colour is navy blue”.
Three of his best: Pride, Love Actually, The Boat That Rocked
Out soon: Dad’s Army
MICHAEL CAINE
Sir Michael’s body of work over 60 years definitely varies in quality, from The Italian Job and Get Carter to Jaws 4 – about the latter of which he famously said “I’ve never seen it, but I saw the house it bought”. However, with Christopher Nolan’s help Caine has become the definition of venerable and avuncular, and is often the real heart of the Dark Knight Trilogy. Never one to mince his words (see above quote), Caine is nonetheless a perfect gent, famously always on-hand to lighten the mood with an enlightening fact.
Three of his best: Hannah and Her Sisters, Little Voice, The Italian Job
Out now: Interstellar (BluRay)
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