Friday, February 5, 2010

Actors: Job Acceptance and the Possible Alienation of the Fanbase

It's such a random thing to write about when I haven't published anything in months, but I've been thinking about Orlando Bloom the last few days.  It came up because when Michael was recovering from the stomach bug, he tried to watch *Pirates of the Carribean* (whatever the first one was called) with Parker while resting on the couch.  I was passing through the room and I commented, "I don't really like Orlando Bloom anymore."  Why?  I don't know.  I know nothing about him apart from the few movies I've seen.  I liked him okay when I had only ever seen him in *Lord of the Rings,* although at the time I thought he was a little too blonde, and perfect looking.

I think it was while watching *Elizabethtown* that I decided he was more annoying than attractive.  Though that may have only been his character.  I enjoyed the film well enough over all.  So I wonder...

Do you think that an actor takes an acceptable risk when agreeing to play an unlikeable character?  Is it likely to do harm to their career in any way?  My case in point is Orlando Bloom as Paris in the movie *Troy.* Paris is a completely and irredeemably unlikeable character, but someone has to play him.  Someone has to wreak the havoc and through their own ridiculously unreflective actions bring about the destruction of the city, right?  I wonder if my dislike of his work as an actor is actually colored by my experience of him in this one movie.  I also wonder if he deserves my respect for the fact that he was willing to take such a risk.

No comments: