Academy Award winning actorSam Rockwellgot the acting bug when he was ten years old, playingHumphrey Bogartin a play with his mother, actressPenny Hess. In a conversation withThe Hollywood Reporter’sScott Feinberg, Rockwell explained that as an only child of two actors, he had fun acting and enjoyed both the lifestyle and “the adventures of the actor’s life, even the struggling actor’s life.” Fueled by his love of the theatre and acting, Rockwell made the move from San Francisco to New York, and immediately took up odd jobs to make ends meet, including bussing tables, interning for a private investigator, and being an elevator operator. Then, with his paper copy ofBackstagein hand, he would head off to the inevitable “cattle call” auditions, where he’d occasionally land the lucrative commercial gig.
By finding inspirational mentorship inMaggie Flanigan,Terry Knickerbocker, andWilliam Esperearly in his career and studying the Meisnertechnique, Rockwell was able to land one of his first big roles in the 1997 Sundance hitBox of Moonlight. While this film helped put him on the map, he still faced plenty of rejection and missed out on several projects that potentially could’ve moved his career along. He arrived at the audition forERwearing a lab coat, but the role ultimately went toNoah Wyle. He also auditioned forDead Poets Society,Scent of a Woman, andUnforgiven, but was told he wasn’t the right fit (and that he should ease up on the props).
Rockwell’s career has been rising steadily sinceBox of Moonlight, with some impressive and underseen performances in projects such asMoon,Choke,Snow Angels, andConviction. For a brief moment, directorJon Favreauhinted he might play Iron Man, but, as we know,Robert Downey Jr.secured that role. (Rockwell ended up playing villain Justin Hammer inIron Man 2.) Rockwell also maintains a solid theatre career and says that trading in the screen for the stage is a “way to work out” and stay in shape as an actor. He played Judas IscariotinThe Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Mervyn inA Behanding In Spokane, and Eddie inFool for Love, to just name a few. This spring, he’ll be part of the Broadway revival ofDavid Mamet’sAmerican BuffaloalongsideLaurence FishburneandDarren Criss.
Without further ado, let’s break down 7 essential performances of Sam Rockwell’s career.
Billy Bickle,Seven Psychopaths
The 2012 bloody dark comedySeven Psychopathsisinteresting. Written and directed by playwright and screenwriterMartin McDonagh, the film follows Marty (Colin Farrell) a screenwriter who has a great title for his next film (also titledSeven Psychopaths) but has no clue who the seven psychopaths are or what the story will be. His buddy Billy (Sam Rockwell) is a struggling actor who makes money on the side with his friend Hans (Christopher Walken), by stealing dogs and returning them to their owners for the reward money. Things get a bit complicated when Billy and Hans steal a Shih Tzu that may or may not belong to a really tough criminal named Charlie (Woody Harrelson).
It’s hard to really dig into the character of Billy without spoiling some major plot twists, but let’s just say the second half of the film is Rockwell’s time to shine. He takes his seemingly harmless (aside from the dog stealing), albeit a bit crass, Billy and morphs him into the film’s biggest threat without straying too far from the buffoonish figure we meet at the very beginning. Throughout the entire movie, all Billy wants to do is co-write the screenplay with Marty, but he has a lot of insecurity and hesitates to ask Marty directly. The best scene takes place by the campfire with Hans and Marty, when Billy decides to perform a one man show as he acts out how he imagines Marty’s movie should unfold.In this absurd and spectacular monologue, Rockwell does everything from fall to his knees in tears, imitate a machine gun, and talk about rabbits.
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Frank Mercer,Matchstick Men
The 2003 filmMatchstick MenisNicolas Cage’s movie, no question. Written byTedandNicholas Griffinand directed byRidley Scott, it tells the story of Roy Waller (Nicolas Cage), an obsessive-compulsive veteran con-artist and his hard-working apprentice Frank Mercer (Sam Rockwell) as they attempt to get away with a very bankable scam. Their plan, however, is thrown off course when Roy’s 14-year-old daughter Angela (Alison Lohman), whom he’s never met, enters his life.
While Rockwell’s screen time in this movie is somewhat limited, he makes every minute memorable. This role, if put into the wrong hands, could’ve been played as a one-note sleazy con-man, with no redeeming qualities. But because of Rockwell’s nuanced performance, the audience is able to get behind a fast-talking criminal and believe in his partnership with Roy.
Owen,The Way Way Back
The 2013 comedy-dramaThe Way Way Back, written and directed by creative duoNat FaxonandJim Rash, is a quasi-coming of age story about Duncan (Liam James), an extremely introverted 14-year-old who’s forced to spend his summer with his mother (Toni Collette) and her controlling and condescending boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell). Adding to the frustrating dynamic is the fact that they are staying at Trent’s beach house, far away from the comfort of Duncan’s home. On one of his many solo bike rides, Duncan comes across Water Wizz, a popular water park where he parks himself simply to escape Trent and his obnoxious lifestyle. The park’s manager, Owen (Sam Rockwell) is startled to see such a serious and lonely teenager at such a lively and inviting water park. Rather than watch Duncan wallow on the side lines, Owen makes it his mission to loosen him up and live a carefree summer as an employee at the water park.
Rockwell plays a lovable wise-ass, constantly cutting the tension of any potentially serious conversation by inserting a biting remark or a sarcastic quip. He lives by his own rules, and it just so happens that he doesn’t have any. Rockwell successfully fuses multiple characters together. On the surface, he can seem like a too-cool-for-you snarky jerk who’s never heard of responsibility. But as the story unfolds, Rockwell effortlessly assumes the role of an older brother, and can’t help but let his considerate side sneak through. Not only does he manage the water park, but he manages to give Duncan a sense of belonging and purpose in such an unwelcoming world.
“Wild Bill” Wharton,The Green Mile
Frank Darabont’s 1999 filmThe Green Mile, an adaptation of theStephen Kingnovel of the same name, follows death row prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and his interactions with a strangely gifted prisoner John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan). Rockwell is unrecognizable as “Wild Bill” Wharton, a racist, sadistic convict who joins the other inmates on death row. Upon first meeting him, he appears to be a disoriented and shell shocked prisoner that the officers simply have to shuffle through various checkpoints. But moments before he is ushered into his cell, he unleashes the behavior that earned him his nickname, as he thrashes and screams, and finds utter joy in his disruptive, raucous conduct.Wharton rarely stands still, whether it be because he is jumping on his bed or spitting food on the guards, and easily slings insults at both the officers and other inmates. This role is arguably the most ambitious role of Rockwell’s career to date.
Captain Klenzendorf,Jojo Rabbit
The 2020 list of Oscar nominees for Best Picture is extremely impressive (and long), includingParasite(which won),1917,Joker,Jojo Rabbit,Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,Little Women,The Irishman,Ford v. Ferrari, andMarriage Story. While all these films were powerful in their own unique way, nothing quite tugs at your heartstrings as much asTaika Waititi’s masterfulJojo Rabbit. The film, an adaptation of the bookCaging SkiesbyChristine Leunen, tells the story of Johannes “Jojo” Betzler (Roman Griffan Davis), an energetic and enthusiastic ten-year-old member of Hitler’s Youth. When Jojo finds out that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johannson) secretly opposes Hitler and is letting a young Jewish girl named Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) live safely in their attic, he is horrified and forced to confront his beliefs.
Jojo is surrounded by people who idolize Adolf Hitler (he even has a silly version of Hitler, played byTaika Waititi, as his imaginary friend), including his Nazi army officer leader Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell).When we first meet “Captain K”, he’s introducing himself to his camp of young and brainwashed children, explaining to them the very ways in which they are going to win the war (though, he admits, it doesn’t seem likely). But over the course of the film, Jojo’s innocent and wide-eyed nature makesKlenzendorf question his allegiance with the Nazisand the type of ideologies that he is passing down to future generations. In one particularly moving scene, when Gestapo agent Herman Deertz (Stephen Merchant) suspects that Jojo’s mother is hiding a Jew from the Nazis, Klenzendorf lies on behalf of Jojo in order to keep Elsa alive. Furthermore, he encourages the changed Jojo to abandon his previous identity as a young Nazi, and to instead protect Elsa from the Germans. Rockwell issomehowable to do the impossible and infuse a small layer of humanity into a Hitler sympathizer.
Bob Fosse,Fosse/Verdon
The critically acclaimed 2019 FX limited seriesFosse/Verdonexplores the messy and magnetic relationship between respected director and choreographerBob Fosse(Sam Rockwell) and one of Broadway’s best dancers,Gwen Verdon(Michelle Williams). Through flashbacks, the series shows the evolution of their romantic and creative partnership and how their dynamic thrived and suffered during their respective periods of both success and failure.
Rockwelljoked in hisSaturday Night Livemonologuethat he’s usually the guy standingnext tothe big star, be itBrad Pitt,George Clooney, orChristian Bale. Thankfully inFosse/Verdon, he was given the chance to prove to any skeptics that he can indeed carry a project, cementing his status as a leading man in the process. In eight beautifully shot and scored episodes, Rockwell inhabits the many complexities and idiosyncrasies of theCabaretandAll That Jazzdirector, from his impeccable eye for talent to his constant struggle with infidelity. Fortunately,RockwellandWilliamstoe-tapped their way to SAG Awards for their performances in the show.
Jason Dixon,Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Sam Rockwell reteams with the magnificent Martin McDonagh for the heartbreaking, dark, and at times surprisingly comedic, crime filmThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.Frances McDormandstars as Mildred Hayes, an angry grieving woman who seeks justice for her daughter’s rape and murder. Fed up with the lack of progress in the case, Mildred takes it upon herself to buy advertising space on three billboards, which she uses to post three separate messages to call out the Ebbing police department. Her blunt billboards cause a stir in the small town and also frustrate Chief Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) and one of his officers, the alcoholic, racist, and dim-witted Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell).
The way Rockwell commands your attention in every one of his scenes in this movie is similar to that of a stage performance. Every head tilt, deep breath, and footstep throughout a scene says more about his character than some lines of dialogue ever could. Even the way Jason listens to music speaksvolumes(no pun intended). Rockwell takes his work seriously and it shows.In preparing for the part, which McDonaghwrote specifically for him, Rockwell talked with cops to accurately portray an officer’s gait and appearance. He even accompanied some cops on ride alongs in Missouri. As expected (and deserved), Rockwelltook home the Oscarfor Best Supporting Actor for his performance in this film.
Sam Rockwell is one busy fella. He’s currently filmingMatthew Vaughn’s upcoming mysteryArgyllewithSamuel L. Jackson,Bryce Dallas Howard, andHenry Cavill, and recently wrapped his work on anuntitled murder mysterywithSaoirse Ronan.
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