I figured that he and the director had met on the set of Alien Resurrection, but then I found that City of Lost Children came first. Does anyone else find it odd that he would arbitrarily show up in an otherwise French film?
I am the anchor of salvation!
Movie stars are adored the world over and are sought out by filmmakers hailing from many different nations. Lots of big name actors do foreign commercials, particularly in Japan.
shareYes, but that's Japan. This is a French movie and we all know, Europeans don't adore Americans, to the contrary...
I think the reasons are unknown still.
Most Europeans aren't dumb enough to "dislike" Americans as a general rule...they may dislike some of the country's policies, or their leaders or the general vibe of the country but still find artists from there solid.
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*+_Charos_+*
"God's away on business"
-Tom Waits
You're confused. It isn't American's that Europeans dislike, it's the politics of the nation. Individual American's generally aren't the problem.
Prof. Farnsworth: Oh. A lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!
"It isn't American's that Europeans dislike, it's the politics of the nation."
Then they should learn to not throw stones in glass houses.
Oh okay. You're right. Every European nation goes around the world sticking its nose in everyone elses business...
Prof. Farnsworth: Oh. A lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!
We hate american leaders and government, not the people and I personally hate EU very much.
sharePerlman has worked for Jean Jacques Annaud three times, starting with Quest for Fire in 1981. French directors know great talent when they see it, and Perlman is a multi-talented man.
shareRon Perlman has worked with other foreign filmakers as well...
Just look at his work with Guillermo Del Toro, Ron has worked with Toro for at least four films. I would assume Ron Perlman has a good work ethic and is able to work well with filmakers, period.
Yes, french directors seems to have a good eye with good actors that were yet not well known.
It's interesting to see too that they pick up pretty very good small actresses too, like Judith Vittet in this movie (I think that she does a great job), and Natalie Portman in Leon: The Professional (sublime acting, even if she was 12 at the time).
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You're absolutely right. What I like about Ron Perlman is that he is a really great person who enjoys trying new roles. He's very professional but also very accommodating. It stands to reason that a reputation like that travels through the underground opening up opportunities all over the world.
shareYeah like oldgirl says, he did work for Jean-Jacques Annaud, another french director even before starting up with Jean-Pierre Jeunet. In "The Name of the Rose" he also shows of his language skill when he speaks a mixture of Italian, Latin and English (Maybe more too).
shareAccording to the making-of documentary they went with Perlman because they couldn't find a European actor with the right look for one, you can see how it would be difficult, Perlman does an awesome job of making a character that's both physically intimidating and also quite vulnerable.
shareRon Perlman is just such a superb actor, that people all over the world want to work with him. I think that the director might have seen him in some of his previous work, most likely Beauty and the Beast, seeing how well known the show was.
"I've just picked up a fault in the AE35 unit. It's going to go 100% failure in 72 hours."
Ron Pearlman has proven to be pretty versitile. Anyone remember him in The Name of the Rose?
shareI thought maybe he was Canadian (i'm not american btw). That at least would explain his french language skills. Pleasantly surprised. After watching him behave like a monkey jock in Ressurection and then loving him in Hellboy I had no idea he was in associated with Jeunet. I'd only seen Delictessen (many years ago), so this was a welcome casting. If I interviewed the guy (ha) this would be one of my main questions.
http://advicefromxmaspast.blogspot.com
he speaks no french he learned his lines for the movie. and as for canadians go canada is still part of north america
therefore canadians are still americans
I have to be honest, I was surprised when he turned up. Good performance though.
shareSame here I was very surprised to see him in this movie especially when I read he doesnt (or didnt at the time) speak French. He did a great job though
you stay classy san diegoshare
Canadians are NOT Americans. Stretching it you could call us North Americans but 'American' generally refers to citizens of the United States.
Ron Perlman is an amazingly talented actor and learned all his lines phonetically. He speaks no French, which makes his performance that much more astonishing.
There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls. -George Carlin
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You call the ones in the north North Americans, the ones in the south South Americans, the ones in the middle Central Americans, and the ones from the United States of AMERICA are called Americans (who are also North Americans by definition, along with Canadians and Mexicans). That's just the way it is, and no one's ever going to make it different just by picking at the logic. Language doesn't work that way and people just have to get used to it.
share"That's just the way it is, and no one's ever going to make it different just by picking at the logic."
In other words, you think things work a certain way just because you say they do.
A French Director gaved Ron Perlman is first major movie role (Jean Jaque Anneau) Then there was "Chronos" with Del Toro , Jeunet saw Chronos and hired him for "COLC" then he fought with the studio to have him for "Aliens 4".
Ron Perlman calls those three directors "his Angels" , they literally gaved him a career , none of those three directors are Americans.
BKO:
Your question was not completely answered. I believe, in addition to Perlman's great talent, that he was picked because of his unusual facial features...think back to "Beauty and the Beast", "Quest for Fire", "Hellboy", "Island of Dr. Moreau"... What actor could have pulled these off as well as he did if not for his features?
In his case, what some would say is a disadvantage, proves to be a great advantage over a myriad other pretty boys or average types who have no depth.
Enrique Sanchez