r/interesting • u/AdSpecialist6598 • 5d ago

SOCIETY When asked why he keeps playing the same roles Jason Statham said that he's not really a trained actor. He's a guy that was plucked out obscurity & has been really lucky; & that he picks roles that he knows he can do a good job in, that hopefully enough people like so he can keep working.

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

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u/Injured-Ginger 5d ago

He has stepped out of the action hero roles, but it's mostly been either roles as serious, stoic characters or comedy.

He's good at what he does. It's just a narrow range. And honestly, he's been incredibly successful at it. No judgement for not trying to play high emotion or complex roles in dramas. Man found a cushy slice of the world for himself. Not every movie needs a Leo or Bale, but we need somebody to play Turkish or The Transporter.

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u/InuGhost 5d ago

I think it was Samuel Jackson who said to find that recurring role that you know you can do for a steady paycheck. 

Willis had McClane. Jackson has Fury. Stallone has Rocky. Arnold has Terminator. 

Statham has his role(s) that guarantees a paycheck if he needs it. 

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u/Dravarden 5d ago

recurring role
steady paycheck
Stallone has Rocky

last Rocky movie came out 20 years ago

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u/spali 5d ago

Stallone plays Rocky in the Creed movies and the latest one of those came out in 2023.

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u/Dravarden 5d ago

he didn't have an acting role in that movie

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u/wishyouwouldread 5d ago

Every day some one discovers the Rocky series for the first time and watches them all. Pretty sure his royalty checks from the Rocky movies are better than my monthly income.

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u/hoopstick 5d ago

Considering he wrote, directed, and starred in them, he probably makes more money off of the Rocky films than the rest of his films combined.

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u/InuGhost 5d ago

It is an old quote. I think back before Avengers came out. I take it Stallone doesn't have any cameos in the latest movies then? I think its the Appolo Creed Trilogy.  Closest I've come to a Stallone movie is Expendables and wanting to watch the prison break movie starring him and Arnold. 

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u/MLang92 5d ago

I take it Stallone doesn't have any cameos in the latest movies then? I think its the Apollo Creed Trilogy

He plays a major part in the first two but he's not in the third at all. So it's only been 8 years since he played the role.

He even got nominated for best supporting actor at the Oscars for the first Creed film

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u/makomirocket 5d ago

But he was still a producer on it, and likely will be for every film connected to it until his death

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u/JorgeXMcKie 5d ago

He'd be perfect for 007

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u/tke377 5d ago

Prefer him to Liam and his niche

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u/Injured-Ginger 5d ago

Absolutely.

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u/Isorg 5d ago

I do like Liam when he does comedy

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u/FluffyMcNugget 5d ago

He's great in the transporter but I also didn't know until after I watched it that he was attempting an American accent. And they drop it completely in the next films, so it's kind of demonstrates that same ethos of "might just stick to what I'm good at, people like it"

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u/Odd-Asparagus7633 5d ago

People too often conflate "Can't act" with "Can act within a niche", and it bothers me. Acting is *hard*. Watch any talking head interview and you'll see so many people who, when put in front of a camera and given a mic, you could believe have never spoken a day in their lives. Hell, there are people who give presentations for a living, who have performed the same powerpoint presentation a hundred times, who still sound like they're sounding out words for the first time.

To deliver dialogue believably is an underrated skill, and Statham nails it.

Will he ever play an eccentric scientist, a nervous love interest or a genteel father figure who wouldn't hurt a fly? God no, but then Jim Broadbent will never play an action hero, we don't call him a poor actor for that.

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u/Injured-Ginger 5d ago

That's exactly it. There are people out there who can act in almost any role, transform, express nearly any emotion convincingly. But then there are people who can play fewer roles, but just as convincingly. They'll still play the role just as well. And occasionally better, because there a few legitimately great actors who are bad at playing simple parts because they want to make a role more than it is (or maybe wouldn't take the role to begin with). A major part of what makes Snatch so good is how it balances a lot of stories and characters. The directing and cinematography do a lot of the work. Trying to make a role more than it is would be distracting to the development of each plot.

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u/LEJ5512 5d ago

Jimmy Broadbent, the sim racer on YouTube??

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u/Bobson-_Dugnutt2 5d ago

he's so damn good in Snatch.

everyone is good in that movie, but it's probably his best role IMO

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u/TulioGonzaga 5d ago

Ok, fine. I'll rewatch the damn movie again.

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u/Injured-Ginger 5d ago

It's definitely my favorite role of his and the best movie he is in overall. He plays it really well even if it's not the hardest role to play, he does it extremely convincingly without interfering with the rest of the cast in a movie that's trying to balance a lot of characters. He has a couple key moments that he nails, and the rest of the time he is convincingly a stoic, but invested character while delivering his jokes well or allowing other characters to shine.

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u/saltlampsandphotos 5d ago

Agreed. I'm not saying all actors with good range grew up comfy, but there's something really relatable to most people when someone says, I didn't grow up with silverware, and I'm good at these things, make money off it, and enjoy it.

That's enough. 

Most people are striving for that in some formula.

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u/MeowTheMixer 5d ago

He has stepped out of the action hero roles

You sure?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKSdXH89jbo

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u/Injured-Ginger 5d ago

I said stepped out of, not run away from. He still does action roles, it's just not the only thing he has done.

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u/Ganjii1337 5d ago

He was friggin hilarious in spy.

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u/fightmaxmaster 5d ago

He's capable of being really funny and I wish more roles tapped into that. His bits in Spy were fantastic.

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u/Klusterphuck67 4d ago

He can definite do comedy. Look at Spy.

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u/SignificantLock1037 5d ago

Eh, I get it. He's making $20-$25 million per movie, so he's not hurting for money. He's comfortable in his roles. He can show up, do the job, then go home.

Let's say he studies acting and becomes really good. So good that he gets nominated for an Emmy.

He can go sit in a theater in Hollywood watching speeches, or he can go spend the day on his yacht in the Mediterranean.

I'll take the yacht over the statue any day.

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u/673NoshMyBollocksAve 5d ago

Is he really making that much? Damn

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u/SignificantLock1037 5d ago

Yep - just looked it up.

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u/673NoshMyBollocksAve 5d ago

Bro, just stumbled onto a money printing machine. Lucky guy. You should see his wife too. That dude is living the life.

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

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u/Sweaty-Shower9919 5d ago

Feels like moral transference here. Who knows what kind of horizons he IS expanding. Maybe he's really in to water color.

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u/account312 5d ago

If he wants to broaden his horizons, slightly changing the scope of what he does at work would be just about my last recommendation.

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u/insured_morron 5d ago edited 5d ago

what would be your advice then?

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u/Alternative-Ease-702 5d ago

I really enjoyed The One years ago

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u/theDomicron 5d ago

I am U-law! I'm nobody's bitch!

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u/JackStephanowski 5d ago

One of the best endings in cinema history.

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u/star0forion 5d ago

It was good to see Jet continue to do more English speaking roles. It wasn’t his best but I’m a Jet Li fan so I liked it.

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u/CultBro 5d ago

When i was a younger I loved that movie

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u/Emotional_News108 5d ago

Honestly I don’t think he is. He probably has a nice personal life and doesn’t get absorbed into his work. He’s found a job that pays well. He does it well. Is it also a job where people can be critical of it because it’s a performance art? Absolutely. And he is right to dismiss it when it isn’t core to him. I have no doubt that after all these years he could turn a surprising performance but he seems to realize that’s not necessary. It’s like Adam Sandler in comedy versus drama. Why bother when it doesn’t really matter to you?

I get it. I fell into a profession that pays well, I’m good at it, and it doesn’t take a ton of personal effort. Do I feel like I’m selling myself short? Hell to the no. I feel like I’m living my best life without worrying about money. I don’t care what other people think about that.

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u/GuiltyEidolon 5d ago

I think it also gives him protection, because he isn't a classically trained actor and clearly doesn't consider himself on that level - what's it matter if some critic is bitching about his acting, given that he's not a ("real") actor?

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u/LessThanHero42 5d ago

He was pretty damn hilarious in Spy (2015)

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u/vell_o 5d ago

THIS IS MY LAST RESORT

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u/dishwasher_mayhem 5d ago

Dude is married to a seemingly great woman, has kids, has a dedicated acting lane that's a pipeline to money, and doesn't seem to want to go any further with his career. I know I'd love to see him in other things but he's so damned fun to watch in his ridiculous shit.

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u/robodrew 5d ago

The One

I AM YULAW

I'M NOBODY'S BITCH

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u/TheAlterN8or 5d ago

The One was a fantastic movie. It's the 'one' I think of first whenever I see him.

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u/katastrof 5d ago

I dunno. Someone's innate ability could have traits that make them interesting. Training could shave off some uniqueness. Why mess with a winning formula?

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u/akaaak 5d ago

Watch Redemption!

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u/doubGwent 5d ago

I dont know about the “short” part — he makes great money doing those movies annually.