Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 23 November 2017
As Churchill, Oldman performs

his greatest disappearing act

By JAKE COYLE like when he warned that got to surrender to it," Old-
AP Film Writer with inaction Britain would man says. "Maybe day 45
TORONTO (AP) — It's a long "sink into the abyss of a new you come in, you're sleep
distance from Sid Vicious Dark Age made more sinis- deprived and you're a bit
to Winston Churchill, and ter" grumpy. But the fruits of it
a greater leap, still, from "Our film is about oratory were such that I could put
Dracula to "Darkest Hour." and how words can galva- myself in a frame of mind.
Gary Oldman, character- nize the people and move Once it was all in, I was in
actor maverick, has taken them and rally them. Even it. I had a ball. My thinking
up perhaps his biggest — simple, direct Anglo-Saxon was that if at 65, Churchill
In this Sept. 12, 2017 photo, actor Gary Oldman, who plays and most buttoned-down words," says Oldman. "I felt could take on Hitler, then I
Winston Churchill in the film "Darkest Hour," poses for a portrait — challenge. For even a it was refreshing because could sit in a makeup chair
during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto. veteran chameleon like we've now got to a world for three hours."
Associated Press
Oldman who has a way of where we communicate "Darkest Hour" isn't par-
hiding in plain sight, the task with emojis. If Churchill saw ticularly imbued with po-
of tackling such a heroic ti- an emoji, I think he'd turn in litical relevance for today,
tan of 20th century history is his bloody grave." though some might watch
a leap. If he can disappear "Darkest Hour" spans just it pining for Churchill's lead-
behind just glasses (2011's 28 days, when Churchill is ership. It was purposefully
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy") or thrust into power and Ger- crafted, Oldman says, to
merely a mustache (1989's many is invading France. place Churchill in his time,
"The Firm"), what feats of That Churchill has been not ours. "What we do now,
transformation can he ac- so frequently played — too often, there's a lot revi-
complish with a pile of among them Richard Bur- sionist history," he says. "We
prosthetics and a heap of ton, Albert Finney, Brian tend to look at the past
makeup? Cox and John Lithgow — through the lens of the 21st
The answer is a swagger- gave Oldman pause, since century."
ing, full-throated meta- they had, he says, "con- Oldman, himself, is no fan
morphosis that has made taminated" his and our im- of political correctness. In a
Oldman the early favorite pression of the man. 2014 Playboy interview he
to win best actor at the "I danced around it for a criticized the hypocrisy of
Oscars. It's a part that Old- long time. I think I was afraid, the outcry against Mel Gib-
man grants is a personal to be honest with you," says son's anti-Sematic tirade.
mountain peak. Oldman. "But at the end of Oldman said everyone
"It's sort of like my Lear," the day I couldn't give up is guilty of such slurs and
Oldman said in an inter- saying those words. And he referred to Hollywood
view over coffee. "And I what's the worst that can as "run by Jews." Oldman
don't rule that out. There happen? You stink. They're apologized profusely, in-
are some parts still left in not going to come arrest cluding on "Jimmy Kimmel
the ol' boy." you or shoot you. I thought: Live."
An Academy Awards nom- Jump off the cliff and see Oldman has previously
ination would be only the what happens." struggled with alcohol ad-
second for the 59-year-old Wright says it took five diction (he was charged
Oldman. (He was nomi- months to carefully cali- with drunk driving in 1991)
nated for "Tinker Tailor.") His brate the makeup and but now doesn't drink. In
shape-shifting career and prosthetics: "Too much and August he married his fifth
preference for privacy has you would lose Gary," he wife, Gisele Schmidt, an art
sometimes kept him out of says. Still, Oldman is only curator.
the spotlight, even while his just visible underneath. Asked if he has strong politi-
explosive ferocity ("Leon: "The greatest actors I've cal beliefs, Oldman replies:
The Professional," ''State of ever worked with have ex- "I like to know what's going
Grace," ''True Romance") traordinarily powerful imag- on. But I'm not an opinion-
made him a thespian idol. inations," says Wright. "That maker and I'm not running
That Oldman is an actor's imagination Gary is able to for Congress.
actor is fitting in the case project with this strength of I pretty much keep to my-
of "Darkest Hour." Director power of will out of himself." self these days. We've all
Joe Wright ("Atonement," The hours of makeup got opinions."
''Pride & Prejudice") depicts meant Oldman often ar- Oldman directed once be-
Churchill as an actor, him- rived on set at 3 a.m. His fore in 1997's searing fam-
self, who's playing a part. average day, he estimates, ily drama "Nil By Mouth," a
With a Homberg hat and was 19 hours long. By the film that drew heavily from
cigar as his costume, he time the rest of the cast Oldman's own childhood
rallies 1940 Britain against and crew arrived, Oldman growing up in working-
pacifism in the face of was already in character. class East London. (Old-
Adolf Hitler. Churchill, an "Joe never saw me as Gary man even wanted to cast
unpopular figure when he for three months," says the his mother.) He plans to be
became prime minister, is actor. directing again next year
captured in private self- "If you're going to do a from a script not his own,
doubt and public gran- part like this, you can't go "but the fit is good," he says.
deur, as he prods Parlia- in kicking and screaming In the meantime, Churchill
ment in famous speeches, about the makeup. You've still has a hold on him. q