For Jake Gyllenhall, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, and Anne Hathaway, the movie is clearly something they are passionate about and proud of. Jake was especially terrific, commenting on how he just doesn’t understand why people care about “how other people love.” Anne said the usual star-talk about how the awards are nice, but the real reward is seeing how much the movie means to people. More often than not that is just talk. But given the impact of Brokeback, perhaps it was more than just that.
The four actors truly seemed to appreciate the significance Brokeback Mountain has for so many people, most notably gay men. Indeed, at one point Jake said he wasn’t sure he could have done the movie had he known the effect it would have. His hesitation is understandable. Gay men placed a great deal of expectations on the movie’s shoulders. Our reaction has been powerful, likely even overwhelming for someone who probably thought he was in a movie few would ever see.
Then there is the fact that the movie has hit the cultural landscape like a bombshell, creating an impact not seen Ellen came out. It must be daunting to stand at the center of such a cultural hurricane. Everyone involved with Brokeback Mountain has had his or her character questioned and their motives impugned. That can’t be fun.
The other thing that struck me was how young these actors really are! After seeing them age in Brokeback Mountain, it's easy to forget that they were really really young when they filmed it (principal filming was May to August 2004 - Jake Gyllenhaal was only 23!).
No comments:
Post a Comment