By Robert Dixter Mar 7, 2008, 11:26 GMT
Since the Academy Awards are well over now and all the critics are done talking about them, I felt there was no better time for me to add my two cents about what an Oscar is worth.
British actress Tilda Swinton with her Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for "Michael Clayton" (2007) at the 80th annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California 24 February 2008. EPA/PAUL BUCK
The Oscar, like a hit blockbuster movie, allows an actor’s value to rise while increasing the size of their bank account. Suddenly you’re in demand more than an American Express black card or an invite to Jerry Seinfeld’s Passover Seder. When Christopher Walken won his Best Supporting Oscar in 1979 for The Deer Hunter he turned to his wife and while holding his Oscar told her “This is a house”. He knew what the award would do to his career, and he was right. The man has not turned down a role or a free sandwich in the last thirty years, and if you think I’m wrong look up The Country Bears.
Take Jamie Foxx for example. Here was a guy with tons of talent waiting for someone to fire the starter’s gun so he could show it to the world but in the meantime he had starred in a movie called Booty Call and it didn’t even feature Jennifer Lopez! Foxx showed glimpses of talent in Ali and Any Given Sunday but when he won that gold statue he was suddenly a leading man who could hold down films like The Kingdom and Dreamgirls.
The same could be said of Foxx’s winning counterpart at the 77th Academy Awards, Hilary Swank. She won one award earlier on for a small independent film but all that really did was put her on the radar and gave her third billing in Insomnia. Her second win for Million Dollar Baby let Hollywood know that she was a star and a leading lady. After winning for Clint’s film she was starred in The Reaping and Freedom Writers, while neither will be ranked by AFI as a top 100 choice, for a girl who used to play the girlfriend on Beverly Hills 90210 (and not even Luke Perry’s girlfriend!) Hilary was now the headlining star of both films.
But what about recent winners, will the award augment their careers? Or was the little naked gold man a wasted present to some people who will never cash in?
Daniel Day Lewis is an acting genius. It would be great if someone told him to give back his earrings to the costume department of Pirates of the Caribbean, but as far as talent goes the guy is pretty much in his own department without even a secretary to answer the phone. Will the Oscar help his career? Not really since he has always been in such high demand anyway because of his unique talent. He only makes about one film every three years and it never is for the money. He avoids big loud blockbusters like Drew Barrymore avoids dating guys her own age. Danny is not looking to cash in so another statue of a man standing on a film reel is just letting Dan know what the world already does, that he’s probably the finest (part time) actor working today.
When Marion Cotillard won Best Actress for La Vie en Rose I was happy for her since she turned in such a fantastic performance, but the truth of the matter is the Oscar is wasted on her. I’m not saying she didn’t deserve to win. She definitely did for such a fine performance, but the clout the award brings you is wasted on a French actress. She’ll never be able to turn that around and cash in on big Hollywood films. It won’t launch her career stateside because Hollywood films are looking for a French speaking leading lady about as much as James Cameron is looking to make Titanic 2: The Rising. If Julie Christie had won the award she could be doing supporting roles in blockbusters like Helen Mirren showing up in National Treasure 2. Marion winning the award is great since it shows the Academy truly rewards talent but as far as being able to turn that award around to better your career, it was as big a waste as giving an Oscar to Dr. Haing S. Ngor in 1985.
The one person who stands to gain the most is Javier Bardem. Granted he does have some trouble with the English language, he also has movie star good looks and is now known as a momma’s boy to over a billion people. He can take that Best Supporting Oscar and cash in on leading man roles. I see him as the next Antonio Banderas before Antonio married the surgically enhanced Melanie Griffith. The fact that everyone has been talking about both his character and his haircut from No Country for Old Men also plays into people’s minds when trying to cast a person who will leave a lasting mark on the audience.
The biggest question mark from the Oscars is Tilda Swinton. While she is known for artsy and independent fare, she has also popped up in Chronicles of Narnia and Constantine. Will she stay in the independent world or cash in on the Oscar and star in predictable Hollywood films? Right now I’m betting that Tilda does what Tilda wants. She’ll probably still keep making the edgy art films not seen by many people. I say this only because any person who publicly admits they are giving their Oscar to their agent surely doesn’t care too much about the Hollywood game or achieving a certain level of stardom, and you know what? The more power to her.
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