Adam Driver: I can't stand to watch myself
Mumbai, May 20
Actor Adam Driver, who attended the premiere of his crime drama film Paper Tiger at the Cannes Film Festival, reveals why he tries his best not to watch himself on screen.
Driver, who stars in Paper Tiger alongside Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, told Variety: "I can't stand to watch myself. I have a whole system where I wait until everything is starting and I go through these mazes into a room that overlooks all these boats."
"And then I sneak back in and try not to be noisy so I can be there as the lights come up."
Driver has enjoyed a hugely successful career in Hollywood, starring in movies such as This Is Where I Leave You, Paterson, Silence, House of Gucci, White Noise, and Ferrari, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
However, he still doesn't feel totally at ease with seeing himself on screen.
The actor shared: "I used to have a couple drinks, just to calm down. But I can't go overboard because sometimes you come back and you don't match the mood of a movie. Sometimes people are crying, and you're like, 'Hey everybody!'"
Despite this, James Gray said that he loved the experience of working with Driver.
The film director specifically wrote the part of Gary Pearl, a former police officer, with Adam in mind.
James said: "I wrote this part for him. It's very uncommon to find an actor who can convey vulnerability and danger. These are the two most valuable commodities for a director. I can only think of one performance in the history of movies where there's no danger, and it's great."
"And that's Jeff Bridges as the Dude in 'Big Lebowski.' Everything else has kind of an undercurrent of menace."
Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson recently revealed that she found working with James Gray to be "such a joy".
The 41-year-old actress stars in Paper Tiger, and revealed that she relished working with the filmmaker on the project.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This reminds me of how many Bollywood actors also avoid watching their own films in theatres. Shah Rukh Khan has said similar things about not being comfortable watching himself on screen. It's a common artist thing, I suppose - always critical of your own work. Nice to see Driver being so open about it. 👍
I appreciate his honesty, but isn't this a bit over the top? Having to 'sneak in' and hide in a separate room? He's been acting for over a decade now with huge blockbusters. Get over yourself, mate. Just focus on delivering good performances like in 'Marriage Story'. That was top class. 🎬
The comparison with Jeff Bridges in 'Big Lebowski' is spot on. James Gray is a genius director. And Adam Driver? He's phenomenal - the raw intensity he brought to 'Silence' and 'Paterson' was unmatched. Can't wait to see 'Paper Tiger' in India when it releases. Hope it comes to our theatres soon! 🙏
As someone who works in the film industry here in Mumbai, I can totally relate. Even our editors and directors sometimes have this same feeling of discomfort watching their own work. It's not ego, it's just intense self-critique. Adam Driver's method of going to a separate room and timing his entry is actually quite smart! 😄
Honestly, it's a bit surprising. In an era where everyone wants to be a star and constantly post selfies, here's a guy who's actually uncomfortable watching his own work. Respect for that humility. But I do hope he eventually learns to appreciate his craft - his performances in 'BlacKkKlansman' and
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