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He was very nomadic. He was born in Baltimore, then his parents died, he went to London with John Allan, spent about seven years there, then came back to Virginia. And so we were trying to work out, “What was the accent he would hear the most?” And we thought it would be the Virginia one, because he spent the most of his formative years there. Then we got very specific to have some class with the way he spoke, which we thought was useful for someone who was in performance mode early on. It allowed me to get the lyricism of what Poe was playing with, but also allowed a sense of earthiness and roots.
Is it ever hard to stay focused working opposite a prestigious actor? Do you catch yourself saying, “I’m having a dialogue scene with Christian Bale”?
Oh, yeah. It was the last day before Christmas hiatus and I was on set with Christian Bale and Robert Duvall, and I had to walk off and go, “How did this happen? How did I end up here? This is crazy.” Those moments are fleeting. I’m quite good—after having that “Ahh” moment—at getting back to the job. You do have those moments.
Scott Cooper and Queen’s Gambit showrunner Scott Frank both were inspired by your performance in Buster Scruggs**. Why do you think your character The Artist resonated with so many directors? What was special about shooting that?**
I have no idea! It is this thing that opened me up to a certain caliber of director, which I’m so thankful for. When you’re allowed to work with Joel and Ethan Coen, it does open you up to certain people being aware of your work. The Artist in Buster Scruggs is such a unique character, such a soulful character. He’s performing these big speeches and then, on the other hand, is very somber, quiet. I don’t know if that presents a certain range, but I try not to think about my appeal to certain directors because it might become a conscious thing.
Hopefully it doesn’t mean they prefer you limbless.
I know, right? “We like you, but maybe lose [your arms and legs].”
It’s funny that the majority of your recent work can all be found on Netflix, where you don’t get to see the box office figures of your movies. Is it a freeing thing to have your work unattached to a number or dollar figure?
I think it is. I’ve always found that the second I try to engage with any noise—positive or negative—it’s always backfired. So, hearing box office figures is going to freak me out. It incentivizes me to the next, or what might be possible after that. I’ve always been sort of work-focused: What’s the script, the role, can I offer anything to this? Anything beyond that I do my best to dull it out.
As Harry Potter came to an end and you pivoted into studying theater, was there ever an tendency to compare your career with Daniel Radcliffe or Emma Watson or some of your other peers?
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Jake Kring-Schreifels
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