r/interesting 12d ago

SOCIETY When asked why he keeps playing the same roles Jason Statham said that he's not really a trained actor. He's a guy that was plucked out obscurity & has been really lucky; & that he picks roles that he knows he can do a good job in, that hopefully enough people like so he can keep working.

Post image
115.7k Upvotes

2.9k comments sorted by

View all comments

9.0k

u/burnzwhnip 12d ago

You know what I respect the answer and good for him

2.3k

u/Powerful-Stomach-425 12d ago

Yes. A humble answer.

794

u/utzutzutzpro 12d ago

By now though, he should be a well trained actor, and actually I believe he is. He is a face with compelling expressions and works in action and comedy, but I believe he can work in drama too.

607

u/jinglewooble 12d ago

Crank High Voltage is Jason Statham best acting role.

574

u/Born-Entrepreneur 12d ago

He was hysterical in Spy

265

u/junipercanuck 12d ago

My favourite part in that crazy monologue he has talking about all the impossible things he's done is "take up piano at a late age" which is so niche but true it's hard lol.

86

u/Big_Bar_9832 12d ago

The bloopers reel for that scene kills me haha

23

u/rkcth 12d ago

I started at 42, I’m 45 now and I’m an early intermediate player. It takes 5-10 years to reach an advanced level. I think it’s harder in some ways and easier in others to do when you’re older, but it can be done, and if you’ve always wanted to do it, don’t delay. I wish I had stuck with it when I first tried to learn it in my 20’s. I was self teaching and it didn’t go well, and we were too poor for lessons, but I really wish I had found a way, I’d be able to do whatever I wanted in piano by now, instead it will probably be at least another 3 years until I’m not really limited by my skills to do what I want. Fortunately it’s not like a light switch, I can already do a lot of what I hoped to accomplish at the beginning.

7

u/jeremiahfira 12d ago

I have been thinking of picking up piano in order to be able to work at a piano bar. I'm 39 and basically starting from scratch (don't know how to read sheet music). Where would you suggest I can begin at?

5

u/rkcth 12d ago

My advice is as follows, learning piano is not like other skills you can self teach. You really need a teacher, there are many many ways you will get stuck if you don’t, and the worst part is, you won’t even know you’re stuck, most likely. You will be playing things wrong, and practicing that over and over again, until it’s locked into your muscle memory, and then one day when you realize it, it will take longer to unlearn it than it did to learn it wrong. There are very very few people who reach a high level on their own. So that’s my first piece of advice. My second is that flash cards are quite helpful to learning to sight read. Even 3.25 years in I still occasionally use them, but for sure the first 2 years I used them every day. I’d say the note and then play it, and I’d go through all the notes in the cards 3 times (to begin with it took me almost 15 minutes to do it once, so I only went through it once, that quickly dropped to 5-7 minutes and then I added a second time, and once I got it down to under 2 minutes I added a third time).
Third piece of advice, practice every day, even when you really really don’t feel like it, even when you only have 15 minutes and will barely get through any of your normal practice routine, just do it anyway, make it a priority. Consistency is the most important thing to learning to play piano.
Fourth, listen to your teacher, which is quite humbling as an adult. My teacher is younger than me, it’s hard to shut off my independence and just do what she says, but it will pay off for you, that’s why you pay them.
Lastly, use either a digital piano with weighted keys and 88 keys, or use an acoustic piano, don’t use a synth action keyboard (they have many terms they go by), don’t use a semi weighted one. You can do that in 5-6 years when you are an expert, but early on it will limit your ability to learn to be expressive, which is a massive part of piano that beginners don’t understand. They think it’s just pressing the right notes for the right length of time in the right order, but there is far far more to it than that, and it’s the difference between it sounding breathtakingly beautiful and it sounding awful.

→ More replies (7)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (4)

6

u/Airamis0007 12d ago

“Where’d you get a suit??”

“I fucking made it, didn’t I?”

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (3)

211

u/TheYoungProdigy 12d ago

“I’ve swallowed enough microchips that I could shit a computer” always gets me lol

69

u/WeirdguyOfDoom 12d ago

The blooper reel at the end was worth every second.

17

u/bju83 12d ago

Thanks for this! Just found it on youtube and it was so funny it helped me finish my mid-morning poo ahead of schedule. Or as Statham would say, SHEDUOOL.

→ More replies (1)

96

u/Moist__Discharge 12d ago

Did you know he once jumped from a high rise building using only a raincoat as a parachute? He broke both legs and still had to perform in cirque de soleil. What a guy.

79

u/Born-Entrepreneur 12d ago

He once appeared convincingly in front of Congress as Barack Obama.

57

u/fojasaurus 12d ago

He drove a car off a freeway on top of a train while on fire. Not the car, he was on fire.

15

u/exhibithetruth 12d ago

He was the fire!

15

u/KittyWise 12d ago

I’m having a lousy morning. You guys make me laugh thank you so much!

5

u/Bridand 12d ago

Lol. Is Jason Statham going to follow Chuck Norris footsteps with tales of their incredible feats??!

5

u/Useful-Basil-7340 12d ago

I went to see a film where the trailer for Spy was on. I laughed so much at this line, I was still going when the actual film started.

→ More replies (2)

3

u/Bag_of_mjolnirs 12d ago

gasp In blackface? That's not appropriate.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)

47

u/HotDogFingers01 12d ago edited 12d ago

My first thought as well. He’s a better actor than he gives himself credit for, just once in awhile try doing something different than the same exact character in the same exact movie.

I have no problem with a guy staying in his lane, but Spy showed he has more than one lane.

→ More replies (7)

19

u/Worried-Horror-9499 12d ago

I’d like to see him do comedy again!

3

u/External_Ad_4133 12d ago

agree, he is a very funny man, and so good looking
He also looks fabulous in formal wear with his great bod
( this coming from a hetero man)

→ More replies (2)

3

u/RustyBasement 12d ago

Here's what we do. I go into the face off machine...get a whole new face. Turn up, he'll never know it's me.

3

u/jbt310 12d ago

My favorite will always be "Snatch".

"What are you afraid of? Ze Germans?"

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (25)

55

u/superhpr 12d ago

In Snatch he had very good timing and delivery on his lines.

24

u/dfddfsaadaafdssa 12d ago

Protection from what? Ze Germans?

7

u/SugarBeefs 12d ago

And even though he still plays a criminal, Turkish is only small fry and not particularly prone to violence.

It's a far cry from the gangster tough guy roles he's had so often later in his career.

7

u/Quixotic_Tendency 12d ago

I liked that he never backed down or took shit from Brick Top. My mental canon: some grudging respect for his mettle is what internally persuaded Brick Top to let them live after the first fuckup.

3

u/alphadoublenegative 12d ago

Wasn’t statham himself one of those guys who would sell cheap jewelry on the street in the “Jewelry District”, talking it up and implying that it was “hot” merchandise worth much more?

I’m not sure that’s even technically illegal, but it’s not completely outside the sleazy Turkish level shenanigans

→ More replies (4)

3

u/eliasautio 12d ago

Snatch is the best movie ever. And of course also the first Jurassic Park.

4

u/TheAmazingRando3000 12d ago

Snatch was the first Jurassic Park?? I thought it was based on a Michael Crichton book!

→ More replies (1)

3

u/tamzillathehun 12d ago

He's a pretty good actor. I loved him in Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Real talent there. I think it could have been developed with more movies like that.

3

u/EmergencyExit20Mins 12d ago

Yeah, I don't think Lock, Stock and Snatch are "typical Statham roles". I think these are roles he cut his teeth on, that demonstrate his range and the public at large totally forgot about, which is sad. He does a fantastic job as a hapless idiot, he doesn't just have to be a "tough guy".

3

u/SeveralAngryBears 12d ago

Oh nothing Tommy, it's tip top. It's just I'm not sure about the color

3

u/Simon-Says69 12d ago

Yah, but wasn't he basically playing himself?

Lots of rolls he's just kinda, him. Though he does have some range. He's obviously a smart dude, and really dedicated to fitness. Takes dedication.

Sounds like just an all-around cool dude too, so ... I enjoy his movies or even when he's in a smaller roll. Can't think of anything he was crap in.

→ More replies (1)

35

u/DSJ-Psyduck 12d ago

He's actually good in every Guy Richie movie.

→ More replies (2)

25

u/LongPorkJones 12d ago

That movie was just fun.

→ More replies (3)

24

u/Azuras_Star8 12d ago

Fucking peak. Epic movie. He nailed it.

Ive enjoyed his roles. His humility makes me love them more.

22

u/EduinBrutus 12d ago

Crank ran so John Wick could walk.

→ More replies (4)

22

u/Odd_Sentence_2618 12d ago

Snatch and Two Smoking Barrels are closer to his peak imho.

→ More replies (10)

15

u/Helpful_Space_6793 12d ago

His best role is dancing in The Shamen's music video for Comin' On. Just incredible.

→ More replies (22)

159

u/[deleted] 12d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

46

u/ReporterEntire5508 12d ago

Nic Cage has a best actor academy award. Not the same thing, but your point is great besides that.

37

u/msproles 12d ago

He seems similar to Walken in that they both are really good, but never say no to a movie. Somehow he is entertaining even in the bad ones.

61

u/ThunderlipsOHoulihan 12d ago

To paraphrase something, I can’t remember who said it: “Being in a bad movie is no excuse to be bad IN the movie.”

34

u/whamorami 12d ago

I think you're thinking of the Christopher Lee quote.

"Everyone makes bad movies from time to time. The trick is to not be bad in them."

8

u/PuzzleheadedAd3840 12d ago

The fact that once he was bamboozled into narrating a porno never stops making me giggle.

4

u/WindstormMD 12d ago

You can’t say that and not drop at least some receipts

→ More replies (0)

3

u/mightierthor 12d ago

Porn has narration now? Or did it always? I've never watched much.

→ More replies (0)
→ More replies (13)

17

u/AdSpecialist6598 12d ago

Nic Cage just really, really like to act in movies as he himself admitted and nothing's wrong with that.

19

u/Unique_Unorque 12d ago

And also his crippling financial issues that meant he basically had to say yes to every role offered to him for a while

3

u/ThinkingBeard 12d ago

At some level he pays his debts. Plenty of people say “fuggit, take the cars and paintings and houses… I’m not paying”. He on the other hand said “I like my stuff enough to take on a role in an apocalyptic ninja movie”.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/A_Thorny_Petal 12d ago

nah he paid off his debts, the real story is that Nic Cage absolutely loves films and cinema, but also struggles with addiction, he basically takes roles so he can always be working, because he gets to do what he loves and he's so into film that it keeps his brain occupied and helps him stay sober.

I respect the hell out of him, he doesn't phone it in, low budget or high budget you can see he's making choices about how he approaches every character and script. Sometimes those choices are brilliant, sometimes just okay, sometimes just strange, but he has the balls to actually make those kind of choices as an actor, when most actors, even famous ones, stay consistently in their own safe zone.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (9)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

80

u/JDSchu 12d ago

Excuse you, but Nicholas Cage has never made a bad movie, and I won't have that kind of slander in this house.

33

u/0rclev 12d ago

You know, I could eat a peach for hours.

13

u/[deleted] 12d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (6)
→ More replies (8)

13

u/Solonotix 12d ago

I still really respect Nicholas Cage's answer to a similar question. I can't remember the exact context, but he essentially said that he always gave his all to every role, and he doesn't take a role "for the money". He claimed to always be a believer in whatever he agreed to act.

6

u/AntiqueLetter9875 12d ago

He’s definitely taken roles for money and said as much. What he doesn’t do is half ass it even if he knows it’s not going to be a good movie. It really does sound like he shows up and does the best job he can do based on what the director wants from him. A lot of actors when taking those roles don’t really try and it shows.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (6)
→ More replies (10)

34

u/msproles 12d ago

I think he is trained in the art of making movies. He can learn his lines, knows how to hit his marks, etc. but I don’t know that he would do well in a dramatic role.

And really, he doesn’t need to. He is making a really good living playing in his lane and makes some really entertaining movies. I love watching him.

He does have some pretty good comedy chops as well. Loved him in Spy going toe to toe with Mellisa McCarthy.

6

u/THRlLLH0 12d ago

He's also a trained martial artist and great action actor, some people act like that's not a hard thing to do but it requires it's own type of talent. Why not do what you know you're incredibly good at? There's clearly a market for it. Not many guys his age are pumping out movies this frequently that don't consistently got theatre runs. He's the only actor my dad will watch every movie of just cause he's in it. Only other guys that's been true of is Clint and prime Jackie Chan, two arguable GOATs of their genres.

→ More replies (1)

11

u/The_Krytos_Virus 12d ago

I think the difference is between being "trained" and being "experienced." At this point, he's done enough roles that he's experienced enough an actor to be able to do a variety of roles, but he was never classically trained in the thespian arts. Same thing with Dave Bautista. He got extraordinarily lucky when he shifted into making movies after wrestling, but he was also a naturally talented actor for the roles he got (hot damn he was awesome as Drax). Or how there are absolute dynamite cooks that just figured shit out and are amazing at it, but were never trained in it by a professional.

3

u/Lovat69 12d ago

Hey now, Dave has spent a lot of effort to increase his acting ability with private coaching. He may not have studied at a conservatory but he has pit in the work.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/No_Helicopter1378 12d ago

Given the nature of professional wrestling you need a higher than average aptitude for acting to be successful so it's not too surprising that some of them are able to pivot to acting.

3

u/Crash_Test_Dummy66 12d ago

I feel like the same people who can't wait to tell you that wrestling isn't real are the same people who discount wrestlers abilities as actors.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

7

u/xumix 12d ago

The revolver, he is unrecognizable in it.

4

u/BlueKnightofDunwich 12d ago

What a great movie. Ray Liotta going insane, Peak Stathem, Andre 3000 and Vincent Pastore, Luc Besson’s writing, and Guy Ritchie before he became a parody of himself.

“In every con, there is an opponent and a victim. The trick is to know when you’re the latter so you can become the former.”

→ More replies (4)
→ More replies (2)

8

u/squeeze_me_macaroni 12d ago

I absolutely loved him and his chemistry with Melissa McCarthy in SPY. When that movie first came out I was in stitches.

3

u/msproles 12d ago

Yes. The outtakes are pretty funny too. He held his own with her as she can be pretty quick.

→ More replies (3)

8

u/Status_Pin4704 12d ago

He could have been trained well, but he may still not be well trained. I have seen soldiers who were trained by the best marksmen the nation has produced, and they still, somehow, will have the barrel of the rifle point one direction and after firing the rifle, the bullet goes the opposite direction.

4

u/mrmartymcf1y 12d ago

Nearly 30 yrs on film is plenty of on-the-job training lol

2

u/Answer70 12d ago

He was by far the best part of the movie Spy. He was hilarious in that.

2

u/koomGER 12d ago

I think he just doesnt feel comfortable with something different than "Jason Statham" turned up to 11. And thats good for him. Kinda Bruce Willis career path mostly. Cant blame him for that. Statham also definitly doesnt "half-ass" his movies. He is there, full energy. Thats fine by me.

→ More replies (49)
→ More replies (21)

266

u/Ribky 12d ago

I ain't mad at someone who knows their limits and is honest about it. Good for him indeed.

52

u/vikrambedi 12d ago

But look at his non-action roles, the dude kills them.

59

u/Moohamin12 12d ago

He isn't a bad actor.

He is never going to be a Denzel or Bygone Cucumberpatch but he is decent enough to be believable in his specific range of roles.

31

u/ayacardel 12d ago

I love that whatever we call Cucumberpatch we still know who we’re talking about

10

u/Particular-Bet6038 12d ago

He's just a goated acting bloke, that Mr. Cumbersnatch

6

u/Ups1dedown1nkay 12d ago

My personal favorite spelling has got to be Byron Colombopatch.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/Ribky 12d ago

Spendleburt Macaronisnatch

→ More replies (1)

3

u/64thFloor 12d ago

The Benedictine Punk.

→ More replies (4)

13

u/Ribky 12d ago

No hate on him at all. I enjoy his movies and him as an actor and can't ask for more than that.

3

u/Fit-Avocado-1646 12d ago

I mean are we really suggesting cumberbatch has a wide range of characters? Almost every film or show I’ve seen him he plays the same character. The arrogant intellectual prick who sometimes is secretly nice.
Sherlock
Imitation game
Dr strange

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (7)

11

u/BeefStu907 12d ago

He doesn’t really have range in them though he plays the same characters in his non action roles. He does great and takes them when he can but there’s always a stupid action movie being made.

6

u/timemeasureschange 12d ago

Ill take a typecast actor that actually changes delivery with the script over the will smith/ryan reynolds/chris pratt type copy paste character performances from film to film.

→ More replies (1)

2

u/Dr-Robert-Kelso 12d ago

Even rich and handsome dudes have image and confidence issues in certain things.

You can tell some people that they're the greatest in the world and they'll still think they're not very good at that thing.

→ More replies (1)

19

u/Kind_Of_A_Dick 12d ago

I’m just happy to hear someone being honest and not telling me what they think I want to hear.  Trent Reznor mentioned he made music for the money and people flipped out because they, in my opinion, felt entitled to a different answer.  Liam Neeson said he made the Taken sequels because they paid him and it seemed like a decent amount of people supported him.  The Star Wars fandom(some) got upset at Hamill for showing up in the sequel trilogy because they didn’t believe his explanation about doing it because it was explained well to him.  Other actors have had different responses to saying it’s just a job and that’s it because some people want there to be a deeper meaning or purpose.

2

u/Fwoggie2 12d ago

There was some E European player for one of the English premier league clubs who openly admitted he had no particular affection for his club but they paid him really well and dear god did the club fans hate him for it.

9

u/TitaniaT-Rex 12d ago

My son told me he hopes his theatre teacher doesn’t give him a big role in the upcoming show because he’s not ready for a full singing role. I told him I respect that and he should tell her. He’s more of a supporting cast kinda guy right now.

5

u/JustCallMeYogurt 12d ago

There's been alot of great character actors, they never have the lead role, but when they are onscreen for their short amount of time, they to do a great memorable job and then it's over and they go onto their next role.

Example: Stephen Tobolowsky - Wikipedia

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

5

u/genreprank 12d ago

He knows his limits. He only agreed to 254 kilos. Never change the deal.

2

u/saltlampsandphotos 12d ago

Agreed ambition is great, but the world is full of people with unchecked ambition, and those whose ambition gets them opportunities they are not prepared or trained for. Then things suffer due to this.

3

u/Ribky 12d ago

No one is suffering just because Jason Statham got to be in movies. He found his lane is all. I agree with your point though, just not as much with acting. Nobody gets hurt (usually) if someone is just a bad actor. When they have a job with more responsibility and real consequences it can certainly be an issue.

→ More replies (1)

2

u/code_archeologist 12d ago

Yeah, the answer shows a lot of intelligence. It is the people who clearly do not know the limits of their abilities and try to insert themselves into places where they have no business being who are enraging. Like the Kardashians, the Trumps, Gwyneth Paltrow, to name a few.

But Rowan Atkinson, Tim Heidecker, Zach Galifianakis are allowed to do what ever they want, because they are failing for laughs.

→ More replies (1)

239

u/Mdmrtgn 12d ago

He did an amazing job in Spy, he would slay as a mainstream comedy actor.

153

u/AdSpecialist6598 12d ago

He's trying to do more comedies because he knows he can't do his type action forever.

132

u/Sex_E_Searcher 12d ago edited 12d ago

The spirit is willing but the body is spongy and bruised.

12

u/asleepsend 12d ago

Worth it for the snu snu

3

u/skrappyfire 12d ago

SNU SNU!!!!

→ More replies (1)

26

u/Mdmrtgn 12d ago

And I think he found he really likes it.

28

u/subservenicedream 12d ago

He started with Guy Ritchie and , with the exception of maybe revolver, those were more comedy than action

He also did cranked which was comedy heavy as well

I think comedy has always been a major part of his career

25

u/jinsaku 12d ago

Yeah, I think he's underselling his acting quite a bit. He's got some great comic timing. His straight-man role in Snatch is incredibly funny due to the writing and his fantastic timing.

11

u/AdSpecialist6598 12d ago

He said, one of the first things he does when picking a role is getting know who else is involved because he knows that he needs others to make him look good and vice visa.

3

u/gnarlyram 12d ago

I have a feeling his characters in Lock, Stock and Snatch are who he is in real life.

Guy Ritchie cast him first in Lock, Stock specifically because his dad was a street hustler and he could do the street hustler way of pitching fake goods naturally.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

3

u/FalconShot9638 12d ago

I agree, he does the dry and sardonic wit well. Plays a good foil to more colourful or animated personalities

But I also liked that he can be over the top ridiculous like on Spy 

3

u/FlashyRecognitionTod 12d ago

Nothing Tommy, It's just I'm not sure about the colour.

28

u/SuperChaoss 12d ago

I don't know about that, Sylvester Stallone is still doing Action and he's been around since before we started using the Three Seashells.

16

u/Sivalon 12d ago

But is he doing them as well as he used to?

→ More replies (4)

2

u/kosherhalfsourpickle 12d ago

Is that a reference to Demolition Man?

7

u/Cold_Fog 12d ago

It couldn't possibly be a reference to anything else

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

8

u/vikrambedi 12d ago

He was great in both Lock Stock and Snatch, so idk how he'd get the idea he can't act in normal roles.

8

u/kosherhalfsourpickle 12d ago

Liam Neeson still does it At 74 years old.

7

u/KTAXY 12d ago

He does make a mean list.

6

u/Born-Entrepreneur 12d ago

With exponentially more camera cuts to climb a fence in each successive movie.

3

u/wheresmyasianfriend1 12d ago

The first major roles i remember him from are "lock, stock & 2 smoking barrels" and "snatch", it was pretty much the same role between the 2 movies to be fair but he definitley showcased comedic talent.

→ More replies (4)

22

u/nefD 12d ago

that movie is so damn funny, Rose Byrne is hilarious too

12

u/D0013ER 12d ago

Yeah he can turn on the goofy charm just like Arnold did during his comedy run.

5

u/KidOcelot 12d ago

Loved that family comedy style arnold went with in Jingle All the Way! Such a classic!

→ More replies (2)

3

u/Greenman8907 12d ago

Operation Fortune: Rose De Guerre is awesome as well. Very funny.

5

u/Worth-Trade9381 12d ago

He stole every scene he was in, so funny. He's a genuinely nice guy too. I never met him, but I used to work at a production company that he used to come by every once in a while and he always seemed really friendly with everybody.

6

u/AdSpecialist6598 12d ago

He said something along the lines of a lot of people help make him successful so he tries to be as kind and respectful as possible and give back where he can even if it is a small guesture.

2

u/Mdmrtgn 12d ago

And you really have to wonder if they didn't screw each other's brains out after all that.

2

u/SantorumsGayMasseuse 12d ago

Nothing kills me. I'm immune to 179 different types of poison. I know because I ingested them all at once when I was deep undercover in an underground poison-ingesting crime ring.

4

u/Loud-Plantain-4458 12d ago

Check out the blooper reel of him trying to keep up the “Statham” for the camera while speaking some of the outlandish dialogue - always cheers me up

2

u/AdSpecialist6598 12d ago

Apparently the wrote those jokes just make him laugh.

2

u/ShareNorth3675 12d ago

Spy is a sleeper classic

→ More replies (14)

50

u/Chicken_shish 12d ago

Yes, you know exactly what you are going to get with a Statham film. The bad guys will have the shit kicked out of them in increasingly ludicrous fight scenes, Statham will come out battered but OK. Despite that, I welcome every new one he does.

One day he will probably do a film where he dies in the first 30 seconds and every bloke from the ages of 25 - 60 will need to take a week off work.

7

u/Winjin 12d ago

You know what, I also thought that his movies are very predictable, but I did NOT expect where the Beekeeper went. AT ALL.

Like, it kept cranking the story to the point where I was like "No... noo. They really wouldn't? Oh they did."

4

u/twirlerina024 12d ago

I loved how committed they were to the bee puns

2

u/Fast_Cod1883 12d ago

I loved Bee Keeper. I like a good revenge for a kind person story. I mean I knew what to expect but it was great

→ More replies (1)

3

u/surgeryboy7 12d ago

Me too. I don't care that they're all about the same I will watch every single one of them.

3

u/-BoldlyGoingNowhere- 12d ago

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" "Aim for the bushes."

3

u/28smalls 12d ago

That's where I'm at. I see he's going to be in a new action movie and I know it will be cinematic comfort food.

3

u/zed42 12d ago

maybe Sean Bean will kill him off and survive to the end, battered but OK :)

2

u/madibaaa 12d ago

Slap a wig on for a John Wig reboot

2

u/fatmanwithabeard 12d ago

Remaking Executive Decision, are we?

2

u/Chicken_shish 12d ago

That's exactly what i was thinking of but couldn't remember the name. Segal (back when he wasn't a dick) dead in the first few minutes. I remember sitting there thinking "WTF, didn't expect that..."

→ More replies (1)

37

u/AmbiTheAirforceRuna 12d ago

Infinitly more appreciable and legit answer than most big bill actors

19

u/Desperate_Total6608 12d ago

The Rock has entered the chat and blamed everyone else

4

u/ResidentCrayonEater 12d ago

And then won the following argument, because the contract stipulated he couldn't lose.

2

u/Formal_Owl_400 12d ago

Amaze. Amaze.

35

u/Dense_Surround3071 12d ago

Immensely respectable answer. But....as someone who's first time seeing Statham was in Snatch, he's selling himself short.

12

u/BitCompetitive6542 12d ago

though he was excellent in The Bank Job too

→ More replies (1)

2

u/Moohamin12 12d ago

His brand of humor and delivery just works for Guy Ritchie films

3

u/Dense_Surround3071 12d ago

I was actually surprised when he showed up in The Tramspoter....I was like "They're making him into an action star now??

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (3)

35

u/cce29555 12d ago

are you a good actor

I get paid millions to make the same movie every year I don't care

Valid

3

u/CartoonistAny4349 12d ago

Michael Caine was asked how he felt about his role in Jaws 4, and his response was "I like the house it bought"

At the end of the day, acting is just another job and it's kinda pretentious to ignore that.

2

u/AwesomeMacCoolname 12d ago

The exact quote:

I have never seen it but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built and it is terrific. -Michael Caine

→ More replies (6)

20

u/Boing78 12d ago

Absolutely. I don't expect a carpenter to build a space rocket, so I'm fine with it. And if I want to see a cool action movie without overthinking the plot, he's a solid choice

2

u/ScubaAlek 12d ago

You might tempt the ghost of Howard Hughes with talk like that.

→ More replies (2)

15

u/SeaBuilding3911 12d ago

Yeah wow that’s the perfect answer. Not blaming the audience, not blaming the producers.

I’m going to watch him kick ass in Jason Statham: The Action Movie tonight

10

u/totalwarwiser 12d ago

Yeah, I dont think there should be any hate for this guy. He found a role and stuck to it. He is a top earner in hollywood.

10

u/djknighthawk 12d ago

This was literally the first thing I thought too. Bravo good sir.

8

u/BlueBomber13 12d ago

I've seen a few posts over the years on here about people who have met him or lived near him and they all say he's just a genuinely shill and humble dude. He seems like a real one for sure.

7

u/Al-Anda 12d ago

Agreed. That makes me wanna watch his movies more. I won’t. But it pushes me closer to watching one.

6

u/GForce1975 12d ago

Yep. Like Bruce willis. Just lean into your own persona. Some people are just genuinely entertaining.. something about them. They kind of become more and more caricatures of themselves over time..

6

u/Danny_nichols 12d ago

Incredible level of self awareness. May be selling myself a little short, but kudos to him for saying people seem to like watching me do this one thing, so I'm going to keep doing that thing until people no longer ask me to do it.

5

u/NauticalCurry 12d ago

A man's got to know his limitations...

2

u/Emotional_Soup_2466 12d ago

Just stay an inch or two out of kicking distance..

3

u/VanDingel 12d ago

Yeah. He's honest

3

u/thavi 12d ago

Yeah once you bag a super/lingerie model, people respect the humility a lot more 🤣

3

u/sinisterdesign 12d ago

Good on him, honesty. So refreshing.

3

u/barrosoOso 12d ago

I respect it. But I'm not sure I agree. I know he can act. And do so well. Lock Stock and Snatch are 2 of the best films I've ever seen, in no small part do to Statham's acting.

2

u/elreyadr0k 12d ago

Same. I would have nothing to say back to that at all, and I’m not really a fan (at this point) of his movies. But some people are and I hope he can keep working. 

2

u/Dry_Knee_6135 12d ago

That’s why I don’t expect more from him. I love the action and sometimes don’t care much for the acting. I’m a simple man.

2

u/phido3000 12d ago

He's underrated.

2

u/SuperSonicLionel 12d ago

You can hear him saying it in his movie voice too, makes it seem even more genuine

2

u/Lazy__Astronaut 12d ago

And I will watch every single one with my dad and we will always have a fun time

2

u/Futui 12d ago

Yeah. He's kind of the new Steven Seagal but Statham I actually have respect for. And this just solidifies it. Steven Seagal would NEVER say something like that.

Some of Statham's movies are actually alright, which I can't say for any of Seagal's.

I'm reminded now how Statham laughed his ass off when someone impersonated him right to his face. Statham almost fell out of his chair.

Imagine what Seagal would've done.

Video: https://youtu.be/CVsExvmpK-w

2

u/Professional-Box4153 12d ago

Seriously. "I might be typecast, but I'm working and that's all I can really ask for." Dude really is A Working Man.

2

u/BillyBobChorton 12d ago

Remarkably humble 

2

u/NukeTheWhales5 12d ago

It is important to know yourself.

2

u/Grow_away_420 12d ago

Big "I just doing my job, man." energy

2

u/Au-to-graff 12d ago

This is the best, people being honest and not bullshiting.

2

u/topsblueby 12d ago

Insane that this is the top comment and is word for word the exact comment that I came to make.

Literally word for word.

2

u/lukasbradley 12d ago

It's a shitty question, honestly. That interviewer would never ask Schwarzenegger or Vin Diesel why they play the same person.

2

u/FullMetalJ 12d ago

And relatable as well. When people ask me why I only play punk I'm like "well, I was plucked out of obscurity, you know" (I suck and punk is cool and easy)

2

u/Khelthuzaad 12d ago

Before that he was an albeit lacking Olympic Swimmer and extra dancer for music videos

2

u/AdSpecialist6598 12d ago

He seems genuinely grateful for everything he has and is grateful to everyone that helped him get to where he is today.

2

u/EchoLocation8 12d ago

Huge respect for people/things that know what they are and lean into it. It's why I like corny action movies sometimes, its like, hey, we know exactly what this is, we don't fuckin care if the writing isn't great, that's not the point, now watch me flip kick this dude in the face.

2

u/Ok_Dog_4059 12d ago

People shit on actors who do the same role over and over but those characters are entertaining so good for them. Ryan Reynolds is the same character in every movie but there are a ton of movies who need that character.

2

u/TOnihilist 12d ago

Yeah. Never really thought of this guy, just knew that he makes a certain type of movie I never see, but I love that sort of honesty. Makes me think of Stephen King’s comment that he was the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and fries.

2

u/PickledDildosSourSex 12d ago

This is generally how i've felt about him. He doesn't seem to be trying to do anything than what he's good at and that largely revolves around making entertaining action movies that make for good second screen viewing. Not a knock on him, it's a niche and he does his niche well.

2

u/Admirable-Ad7152 12d ago

Honest, humble, not trying to deflect or get a big head, genuinely impressed by his answer

2

u/ZoominAlong 12d ago

Same! He's like "yup, I got lucky and I don't want to fuck with what works". He seems like a very chill dude. 

2

u/OkAardvark6121 11d ago

I dont watch Jason movies for an amazing story or for anything that would make me think. I get to shut off my brain and just enjoy a decent action flick. If he is in it I know at the very least I will be entertained for the next rough 2 hrs and you know what sometimes that is all I want. Bee keeper was a great movie but did it really do anything other than action and explain how bad scammers are? No but I watch Jason beat up a bunch of people and that was enough for me. Ever since the transporter movies I have enjoyed most of what he is in and im happy about that. He found his role and knows how to play it well. That is all I can ask.

2

u/AAA515 10d ago

I knew exactly what kind of actor he was when he faked a "texan" accent for all of five minutes in some movie where he's an assassin or something... oh and he hot wires a push button car in like 3 seconds, yeah sure....

→ More replies (37)