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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 14:20:07 GMT
One of the Mount Rushmore of Shakespeare roles (probably alongside Hamlet, Macbeth and Richard III) it's generally played by actors of the older vintage. So, which actors over the age of 60 , who have not already played Lear do you think likely to play the role. whether on stage or film. They obviously need to have Shakepearian chops/pedigree
Among British Actors, I'd say the most likely to take on the role are:
Patrick Stewart Kenneth Branagh Mark Rylance Ralph Fiennes (turns 60 this year, so I'll allow him to count) Jeremy Irons Timothy Dalton
Wildcard: Tilda Swinton
Among American actors over 60 likely to do it:
Al Pacino Dustin Hoffman Denzel Washington
Among Australian actors:
Hugo Weaving
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 14:27:20 GMT
I could maybe see Gary Oldman giving it a go, but only in a movie. I don't think he'd go back on stage to climb that mountain.
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sirchuck23
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Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 21, 2022 14:52:30 GMT
Looks like you got everyone. I’d probably add Kevin Kline to the list for American actors. I was also going to add Brian Cox for British actors but he already played King Lear, so he doesn’t qualify.
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 14:56:57 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2022 15:22:50 GMT
For the Americans... John Malkovich, maybe?
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 15:31:42 GMT
For the Americans... John Malkovich, maybe? In theory, Malkovich has got the personal characteristics to make a good Lear, but he hasn't got much of a Shakespearan pedigree, despite having a strong stage background. He's mostly avoided Shakespeare over his career, so maybe he finds it tough or just doesn’t enjoy it. So I don't think he's particularly likely to do it, particularly on stage. Though he is probably capable of giving it a go.
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sirchuck23
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Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 21, 2022 15:33:13 GMT
Oh ok. I can’t think of anyone else then. Laurence Fishburne perhaps?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2022 15:35:48 GMT
For the Americans... John Malkovich, maybe? In theory, Malkovich has got the personal characteristics to make a good Lear, but he hasn't got much of a Shakespearan pedigree, despite having a strong stage background. He's mostly avoided Shakespeare over his career, so maybe he finds it tough or just doesn’t enjoy it. So I don't think he's particularly likely to do it, particularly on stage. Though he is probably capable of giving it a go. Oh, I was speaking purely on his theatre background. I don't think he was particularly good in Dangerous Liaisons, so I think he should avoid classic roles moving forward.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2022 15:36:26 GMT
Oh! How about Kiwi Sam Neill? (He totally should have taken Malkovich's place as Valmont, right?)
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 15:46:03 GMT
Oh ok. I can’t think of anyone else then. Laurence Fishburne perhaps? I actually was thinking of putting Fish down in my first post. I think he could do it. He's played Othello on film and he's a real deal stage actor. He's got the chops. But the Othello movie is the only Shakespeare in his background, and he's done a lot of film and stage work. I'm not sure if he would see doing Lear as a priority. So is he likely to do it? I personally don't think so. I get the feeling that he's satisfied having done the Othello film that he's crossed Shakespeare off his list of things to do. Maybe if he's offered it on film/TV, but I don't think he'll chase playing the role like some actors. Maybe Morgan Freeman? He isn't exactly jumping at challenging roles, and he'd never go back on stage to do it, but he's got a real Shakespeare stage pedigree and is at the age where if a film or TV/streaming version of the play came his way, he might well do it.
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Post by quetee on Jan 21, 2022 15:47:50 GMT
What about Brenden Gleeson? I liked him as Duncan.
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Post by ibbi on Jan 21, 2022 15:48:57 GMT
Pacino has been talking about it for at least 15 years if not more. If he hasn't done it yet I doubt it's happening. I know a few years ago a Michael Radford version for him got announced, but... Wha' happened? I think Tilda Swinton is a great idea She'd be perfect for Lear and the Fool. Should do a production where she plays both.
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 15:51:53 GMT
Oh! How about Kiwi Sam Neill? (He totally should have taken Malkovich's place as Valmont, right?) Neil....probably not. He hasn't taken on any major Shakespeare roles to my knowledge and probably wouldn't start with Lear.Also this is a quote from him about Shakespeare. Sounds like he thinks he can do it, but wouldn't be great at it. www.brainyquote.com/quotes/sam_neill_502202
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 15:58:42 GMT
What about Brenden Gleeson? I liked him as Duncan. Gleeson is a good shout. He's been in a Royal Shakespeare Production of King Lear, but not as Lear himself. He still seems to be on his Shakespeare grind with The Tragedy Of Macbeth, so I imagine if Lear gets offered to him on stage/film/TV or any point, he'd do it in a flash.
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 16:09:48 GMT
Pacino has been talking about it for at least 15 years if not more. If he hasn't done it yet I doubt it's happening. I know a few years ago a Michael Radford version for him got announced, but... Wha' happened? I think Tilda Swinton is a great idea She'd be perfect for Lear and the Fool. Should do a production where she plays both. Well I had Pacino on there as he's actively been trying to make it happen for years as you pointed out. I think his window to do it on stage has probably gone, as judging by his last Broadway appearance, where he needed an earpiece to remember his lines, he likely just can't handle all that text for a stage production any longer. Which is a shame, as I think if he was still able to do it on stage to the best of his ability, most theatre producers would mount the production straight away. It's just a lot harder to get film finance off the ground. Much more money requires than a stage production. Shakespeare isn't exactly known for blowing up the box office and people like Hopkins have already recently done filmed versions of Lear, so the demand probably isn't super high with film financiers to make it, unless you are a big star in your prime, which Pacino isn't. But if Pacino is still hustling to get it made, I think with the right people on board, they will get the money and it can happen. Seems like it's his big ambition to do the role at the tail end of his career. Maybe he should get Lady Gaga to play Cordelia or something . That might get the money people on board! I guess another issue with getting Pacino's Lear film off the ground was his version of The Merchant Of Venice losing money in theatrical release. Not exactly encouraging for money people, and he was a bigger star/draw when that filmm came out than he is today. I can definitely see Swinton wanting to do Lear. She's that kind of actress.
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Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 21, 2022 16:55:47 GMT
Oh ok. I can’t think of anyone else then. Laurence Fishburne perhaps? I actually was thinking of putting Fish down in my first post. I think he could do it. He's played Othello on film and he's a real deal stage actor. He's got the chops. But the Othello movie is the only Shakespeare in his background, and he's done a lot of film and stage work. I'm not sure if he would see doing Lear as a priority. So is he likely to do it. I get the feeling that he's satisfied having done the Othello film that he's crossed Shakespeare off his list of things to do. Maybe if he's offered it on film/TV, but I don't think he'll chase playing the role like some actors. Maybe Morgan Freeman? He isn't exactly jumping at challenging roles, and he'd never go back on stage to do it, but he's got a real Shakespeare stage pedigree and is at the age where if a film or TV/streaming version of the play came his way, he might well do it. Nah..I think Freeman is done with stage. I remember him saying something like he'll never do theater again after he got negative reviews for The Country Girl which he starred with Lady Macbeth herself..Frances McDormand. I don't see Red doing King Lear or any other stage production for that matter..Shakespeare or not. I think of the American actors, Washington is the most likely to play King Lear soon. He's on a Shakespeare high right now, he's talking about doing Othello and King Lear. In press junket interviews he's been saying he's been reading Othello lately.
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Post by stephen on Jan 21, 2022 16:56:56 GMT
An actor I would absolutely love to see play Lear who I think could absolutely crush it is John Goodman. He's done Shakespeare before, and he is one of the most commanding presences we have working today.
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Post by pacinoyes on Jan 21, 2022 17:34:08 GMT
Well first of all this isn't really the right question - the "right" question is "What American especially could play Hamlet?" but.......some of these guys are not 60 yet .....but........ Basically if Pacino doesn't play it - it will be as disappointing as him not filming American Buffalo - it will be a strange omission and he has to do it on film not stage. * Kevin Kline will play Lear again and he's likely the next male Triple Crown winner beating Rylance (who also will do it) to the Emmy punch for his Blanchett TV role. I saw his Lear........it was fascinating but you could sense he'd like to come back to it. * Washington I think may not do it actually - his Macbeth is close to a Lear in his madness - but I take him at his word and he "said" he wants to do it ........and I see him doing it on stage but not film. Now of course Lear is different from Macbeth - and is a father for one thing - so we'll see. * Pacino -um............first: I don't think used the ear piece for lines in the way the gossip reported it - just that Mamet had re-written the whole first act A LOT (which basically consists of a lot of "yeah's and "uh-huh" dialog - where I think Pacino was getting cues when to improvise actually and on computer screens on-set). That story was wildly exaggerated - because he's Pacino, natch - and I saw the play twice - and he was entirely different the 2nd time and no microphones in act 2 at all. Anyhoo - his 2022 is very easy just Hunters and his the noir ensemble Sniff - I expect Lear to either be his next film.........or it doesn't happen. He isn't too old for Lear so that's good - and let's face it Pacino is the American mirror to Hopkins and Hopkins played Lear and gave the greatest performance over 80 in the last 5 years .........at a certain point Pacino is going to want something "like" that - he's been great - so much lately - but that's a different level of ambition and since he hasn't aged past the role yet it's still possible.........and Hopkins wasn't as good as McKellen's (definitive) Lear either.....if Pacino does it, I think Radford's script adaptation may stay ..........but with someone else directing. * Jeffrey Wright could do it and might.......... Fishburne as well.... Morgan Freeman wouldn't fucking dare nowadays, come on...... * Hoffman won't do Lear and he has no outlet to do it either. His attempt to win the Triple Crown rested on a production of Our Town which wouldn't have been allowed to happen by cancel culture. He is heartbreaking as a guy who seemed locked on the Triple Crown and fell off a cliff. Spacey is like that also ....... One of the most exciting ones is a Cuban actor who should have played Desi Arnaz in Being The Ricardos - he's only 51 atm but he will play and likely will be the definitive Lear (trust me) of any Hispanic unless Bardem wants to tackle it which I doubt -
the great ............... Raúl Esparza......remember that name.........
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Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 21, 2022 19:11:51 GMT
Has Ben Kingsley done Lear yet?
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 20:02:24 GMT
Has Ben Kingsley done Lear yet? Nope. Kingsley has been in a production of Lear playing Oswald, but has not yet played Lear himself. He's played Othello and Hamlet on stage though. But Kingsley himself has said he's basically retired from stage, so I don't neccesarily think he has the ambition to want to do Lear. All the Brits I mentioned are still active stage actors. www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/sir-ben-kingsley-im-bringing-down-final-curtain-my-stage-career-1854286He'd pretty much need to be offered a TV/Film version of the project like Anthony Hopkins to maybe do it , and those don't come around very often (ask Pacino). Not impossible , but I wouldn't bet my house on it. Also, Hopkins had already played Lear on stage in 1986, so that was a slightly different situation as well. I put Kingsley is in a similar bracket to Morgan Freeman in that regard. He's got the pedigree for it, but probably doesn't care and definitely won't do it on stage (unless he decides he wants to return to stage to remind people of his theatre chops, like Patrick Stewart did so successfully).
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Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 21, 2022 20:15:14 GMT
Has Ben Kingsley done Lear yet? Nope. Kingsley has been in a production of Lear playing Oswald, but has not yet played Lear himself. He's played Othello and Hamlet on stage though. But Kingsley himself has said he's basically retired from stage, so I don't neccesarily think he has the ambition to want to do Lear. All the Brits I mentioned are still active stage actors. www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/sir-ben-kingsley-im-bringing-down-final-curtain-my-stage-career-1854286He'd pretty much need to be offered a TV/Film version of the project like Anthony Hopkins to maybe do it , and those don't come around very often (ask Pacino). Not impossible , but I wouldn't bet my House on it. Also, Hopkins had already played Lear on stage in 1986, so that was a slightly different situation as well. I Kingsley is in a similar bracket to Morgan Freeman in that regard. He's got the pedigree for it, but probably doesn't care and definitely won't do it on stage (unless he decides he wants to return to stage to remind people of his theatre chops, like Patrick Stewart did so successfully). Gotchya, I can understand why. Kingsley has done alot of Shakespeare on stage and Freeman has done alot of stage and Shakesperian roles as well so they probably don't need the stress and pressure of performing live theater. Plus both are well off financially where they won't do it unless there is an ambition to returning to stage. Which it sounds like Kingsley doesn't have that anymore.
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Post by Mattsby on Jan 21, 2022 20:35:26 GMT
Can't say Pacino never played Lear on screen... But yeah, do the damn movie already! He's the big one bc he's oh so Lear-esque and there's this project continually in the works for over a decade, even to the point of crewing - cinematographer, casting director, etc. I think first what paused it was Pacino around 70y/o didn't wanna do it YET, and he's still young at heart btw but 80, Lear's age, is high time. And then the problem, this whole time they've been developing a full-length period correct adaptation - which is a budget and scheduling nightmare especially with covid and how they've been looking to do it overseas. That's why our last word a year ago was Pacino telling the producers and dp 'Let's just do it like Passion of Joan of Arc' - which I'd love. Speaking of B&W, let's hope the acclaim and awards of Coen's Macbeth helps get Pacino's going.
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Post by pacinoyes on Jan 21, 2022 20:59:29 GMT
Can't say Pacino never played Lear on screen... But yeah, do the damn movie already! He's the big one bc he's oh so Lear-esque and there's this project continually in the works for over a decade, even to the point of crewing - cinematographer, casting director, etc. I think first what paused it was Pacino around 70y/o didn't wanna do it YET, and he's still young at heart btw but 80, Lear's age, is high time. And then the problem, this whole time they've been developing a full-length period correct adaptation - which is a budget and scheduling nightmare especially with covid and how they've been looking to do it overseas. That's why our last word a year ago was Pacino telling the producers and dp 'Let's just do it like Passion of Joan of Arc' - which I'd love. Speaking of B&W, let's hope the acclaim and awards of Coen's Macbeth helps get Pacino's going. It is almost parody how close Pacino's flirted with Lear - not just for The Humbling character but also The Godfather Part III is obviously Lear-like (even more in the better Coda version imo) in a lot of ways - maybe the closest a major American film has been in drawing a parallel to its fictional lead character and Lear although it's not exact............ may of his actor friends have all played Lear especially Plummer (who also) played an old(ish) Macbeth.
Pacino has famously missed out on things by waiting - American Buffalo he let the project get away from him and then when they were ready to do it he didn't like the director - that was his Fences - he waited on Iceman Cometh until Spacey beat him to it........he passed on Orphans or wasn't ready for it when it came to Broadway and Alec Baldwin stepped in.....he's the most maddening actor to be a fan of......... Another good actor to take a crack at Lear would be Peter Mullan .......I am a big fan of his performance in The Fear - which has a lot of elements of Lear with male children and inheriting his wealth rather than daughters. Mullan is 62 now ........
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Post by pupdurcs on Jan 21, 2022 21:13:12 GMT
Like a lot of gifted American actors, Bryan Cranston really doesn't want to touch Shakespeare
Shame. Not really sold on his excuse, but it's marginally better than that hogwash Robert Duvall said about leaving Shakespeare to the British, while Americans should do Westerns instead. Oy!
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Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 21, 2022 21:29:26 GMT
Like a lot of gifted American actors, Bryan Cranston really doesn't want to touch Shakespeare
Shame. Not really sold on his excuse, but it's marginally better than that hogwash Robert Duvall said about leaving Shakespeare to the British, while Americans should do Westerns instead. Oy! I can kind of see where he's coming from where as an actor you want to put your stamp on a role/character as one of if not the "definitive" performance of a character, but at the end of the day its subjective. Which Hamlet is the "definitive" one? Olivier in 1948 film adaptation or Fiennes in 1995 on his Broadway production of Hamlet? Or someone else? Is Paul Scofield's Lear the "definitive" King Lear or perhaps Ian Holm? I think its more of a personal challenge for these actors who want to perform these classic Shakespeare roles on the biggest stages, then going to say I'm going to give the "definitive" end all be all performance of Lear or Hamlet or MacBeth, etc. Especially for very old characters/plays with ALOT of history like Shakespeare's works.
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