Joel Edgerton’s Anti-Charisma Has Become His Greatest Strength
It’s surprising to realize this actor has appeared in so many major films. He first gained recognition playing Uncle Owen in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, and has since been in movies like King Arthur, Exodus: Gods and Kings (where his casting caused some debate), The Great Gatsby, and Smokin’ Aces. I always thought he was in Blackhawk Down, but it was actually Zero Dark Thirty. For a long time, it was hard to categorize him as an actor. Was he a leading man, a character actor, or a strong supporting player? He never quite became a traditional movie star, and didn’t seem interested in that level of fame, but he often played very similar roles. He consistently portrayed quiet, stoic characters – reliable when he was on the good side, and unyielding when he was the villain. He excelled in roles where his reserved nature contrasted with more outgoing co-stars. He’s a great match for Chiwetel Ejiofor in Kinky Boots, and in the now-classic film Warrior, he’s captivating as a quiet high school teacher competing in an MMA tournament against his troubled war veteran brother (played by Tom Hardy).
