Other times, it seems to have no effect on one's career at all, like with Benicio Del Toro. Actors who are dubbed "household names" by the media are generally placed there for a reason. They're good.
They're damn good. We grab onto these actors because they often stay clear of Hollywood blockbusters, creating a rebellious character and credibility that the media love. Some actors were born with this title.
Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon; these people were destined for mainstream stardom right out of the gate - and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Other actors plug away at it for years and finally get a break, like Depp or Clive Owen. The most recent addition to this line of "household names" seems to be Robert Downey Jr.
, an actor who has been overlooked for years and is finally getting his due. It didn't occur to me until Downey appeared on the cover of Esquire, a spot usually reserved for actors whose names carry more clout - like George Clooney. Although Downey has an outstanding filmography, it is puzzling as to why the media is latching their tentacle-shaped grappling hooks into this fine, and oftentimes underground, actor.
Most "households" recognize Downey more from his mug shot than from any work that he's done. On top of that, many of the films he has made in the past have flown completely under the radar - two of the most recent being "Eros" and "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints." What makes Downey so appealing to the mainstream media, as well as to any film fan, is that he is incredibly talented.
It's not a fake kind of talent, either - it is a natural-born talent that few actors can recreate. He has an off-the-wall charm to his performances that no other actor in Hollywood right now can imitate. Downey doesn't even have to play a "nice guy" in order to have the audience like him.
Take Richard Linklater's "A Scanner Darkly," for instance. Downey plays James Barris, a drug addict who, frankly, does many stupid things throughout the film - while also giving one of the best performances of 2006, hands down. Even though Barris is a nothing but a drug-addicted jackass, the audience is still drawn to the character in a positive way.
No one could have done that but Downey. Maybe the media are realizing this talent and coming around to the fact that Downey will someday - most likely soon - take home an Academy Award. After all, it's surprising that he hasn't recieved one already.
Maybe it's because the media are hyped up about "Iron Man," which Downey is currently working on. Although the latter is probably more accurate, it's good to see an actor of Downey's caliber getting recognition.
News RSS