Perhaps I was wrong, however. Perhaps expanding my curiosity and responsibilities would have benefited me. Every take in front of the camera is an opportunity. But if acting is the only card you have to play, that can be a lot of pressure. I tried to get to a place where the work was its own reward. I wanted the results to become secondary. Free of the phone calls on Saturday mornings, when agents reported the disappointing news about a particular film, I could enjoy acting more. By the late ’90s, I embarked on a string of leading and supporting roles that gained little attention, though each offered its own charms and gratifications. I want to mention a few of those and why I think they were ultimately worthwhile.
Thick as Thieves (1999): In which the wonderful gentleman Scott Sanders directed his own screenplay. I had a ball shooting with Andre Braugher (if talent were the only requirement, he’d be the biggest star in the world), Bruce Greenwood, Michael Jai White, and the nonpareil of independent cinema, Richard Edson.
Notting Hill (1999): Where, for just one day, on a set in London, I got to breathe the same air as the remarkable Julia Roberts.
Outside Providence (1999): A funny script from the Farrelly brothers directed by the very talented Michael Corrente. Jon Abrahams as “Drugs” Delaney steals the movie with the dramatization of his letter to his friend Dunph at boarding school.
Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000): Britt Allcroft (who adapted the Thomas video series and the film from the post–World War II books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry) was one of the kindest and loveliest people I’ve ever worked with. I’ve often had my eye out for children’s programming because of my own kids. Working with Britt was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as Britt coaxes the child out of each cast member, which I found sweet and fun. Plus, I got to shoot a movie with Peter Fonda!
Nuremberg (2000): Canadian production rules demanded we use a French-speaking Quebecois crew and director (Yves Simoneau), which added a layer of difficulty to shooting this miniseries for TNT. But the opportunity to be on camera with Chris Plummer and Max von Sydow was enough to make it all worthwhile.
State and Main (2000): Putting together a great ensemble cast is difficult, and on this film, we were very lucky. To get to work every day with the likes of David Paymer, Bill Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Sarah Jessica Parker was a rare experience for me. Mamet writes great comedy, and this is one of the few of my own movies that I can stand watching.
Pearl Harbor (2001): At three hours, the movie was severely bloated, in my opinion, and Michael Bay reminded me of the G. D. Spradlin character from the movie North Dallas Forty to Jerry Bruckheimer’s Steve Forrest: two demanding men who expected their stars to leave it all on the field. But Ben Affleck is a prince. And the chance to research my character, Major Jimmy Doolittle, and his career in aviation was a wonderful bonus.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001): I’m not in this movie; I just provide incidental narration. But it’s so damn good that I like listing it among my credits. Wes Anderson pulled off something amazing here. After Hackman spent the ’90s smirking through most of his roles, Anderson somehow got Hackman to stifle that impulse, and the result was one of Hackman’s best performances ever. Which is saying a lot.
Path to War (2002): I got a call from my dear friend John Frankenheimer—he of The Manchurian Candidate, Birdman of Alcatraz, Seven Days in May, and Seconds, to name a few—for an HBO film about Lyndon Johnson and the escalation of Vietnam. This would be John’s last film. What an honor. He was a great director as well as urbane and funny. Again, the research for this film was fascinating, and I owe the late Richard Holbrooke a note of thanks for his insights into my character, Robert McNamara, and his career.
The Cooler (2003): When I read the script and got to the page where my character kicks a pregnant woman in the stomach, I asked my agent, “Don’t I have enough troubles?” He told me to keep reading. Eventually, I found that writers Frank Hannah and Wayne Kramer had a great movie. Kramer, who directed, was prepared, insightful, and fantastic to shoot with. His cinematographer, James Whitaker, shot efficiently and everything looked great. Again, working with Bill Macy, a great actor who keeps you on your toes, is always fun. I was nominated for an Oscar for the role and lost to that fucking Tim Robbins for that fucking Mystic River directed by that fucking Clint Eastwood. Just kidding.
Second Nature (2003): My divorce custody case exploded as I boarded the plane for London to shoot this film. A great script by the talented E. Max Frye (who wrote Something Wild and, later, Foxcatcher) gave us a real opportunity. But the combination of all-day shoots and painful nightly conference calls with my divorce lawyer took its toll on me. My company produced the film, but I couldn’t shake the distractions I carried to work. One great memory, however, was meeting Sir John Mills while we filmed in Denham.
The Cat in the Hat (2003): Bo Welch, one of Hollywood’s most prolific and admired set designers, made his directorial debut here. I had worked with Bo on Beetlejuice and seen why everyone loves him. The film was a disappointment in several ways, but it was nice to shoot on a lot (for a change) and watch them spend a gagillion dollars on costumes, sets, and all things Seussian.
Along Came Polly (2004): The draw here was the writing of John Hamburg, who also directed. This is another of those films in which I played a supporting role to a big-ticket comedy star (Myers or Carrey or, in this case, Stiller), which is never easy, because you’re not there to make people laugh—they are. So your scenes are cut. But at least the pressure’s not on you.
The Last Shot (2004): Jeff Nathanson, a great writer (Catch Me If You Can), made his directing debut on this film. I had always wanted to work with Matthew Broderick, and a bonus was working with Tony Shalhoub, surely one of the most talented men I’ve worked with. If you want a sample, check out the scene in Tommy Sanz’s living room while he watches rugby. Shalhoub’s performance as a benched mobster is as dry as sheetrock and incredibly funny.
The Aviator (2004): I couldn’t miss the opportunity to work with Scorsese, and to watch Leo at work, however briefly, was just as important. In his film roles, DiCaprio takes full advantage of the opportunities showered on him. He is a great film actor. And although the movie was a tad voluptuous, the fact that Marty lost best picture and best director to Million Dollar Baby is another example of Oscar weirdness.
Elizabethtown (2005): Filming this movie was a bit of a blur, as my personal life was beginning to suck the oxygen out of everything else. But Cameron Crowe’s writing is so fresh and weird, while he is perhaps the greatest gentleman in the directing business. I’d go anywhere to work with him again.