I missed the Oscars. I hadn't seen any of the movies, but it's the only time anything interesting or surprising happens on live television. I didn't know it was happening that night until I looked on the computer and saw some news item about someone or other winning an Oscar for one thing or another.
I watched some of it on YouTube. It looked painful, Timothee Chalamet smiling a bit too broadly as Conan O'Brien mocked his unkind comments about opera and ballet. Chalamet had to show he was a good sport, but it wasn't that funny. He should have practiced in front of a mirror, looking at images of himself when he was genuinely but only slightly amused and learned to simulate that.
He should have played it cool in the months leading up to it.
I am reminded of the words of Orson Welles talking with Henry Jaglom about Woody Allen. Welles hated Allen and thought he was arrogant. Jaglom argues that Allen wasn't arrogant, just shy. Weird that Welles would mistake one for the other, but he explained:
“He is arrogant. Like all people with timid personalities, his arrogance is unlimited. Anyone who speaks quietly and shrivels up in company is unbelievably arrogant. He acts shy but he’s not. He’s scared. He hates himself but he loves himself. A very tense situation to people like me who have to carry on and pretend to be modest.” [emphasis added]
Orson Welles had the good sense to pretend to be modest.
Instead of saying he wanted to be one of "the greats", Chalamet could have said he was trying to improve. Instead of saying he'd been doing "top level shit", he could have said "I've been trying my darndest."
Timothee's a millionaire. His career could grind to a halt and he'd still be fine.
No comments:
Post a Comment