“The worst piece of advice I was ever given by somebody, a long, long time ago, was ‘It’s all about likability. I remember [thinking], ‘what a ridiculous thing to say about acting.’ ” – British actor Clive Owen doesn’t give a rats ass if you like his screen characters or not. Next up for Owen is the Tom Tywker (“Run Lola Run”) political thriller called, “The International.”
In the same article (mostly a promo piece on Owen timed to the upcoming release of the cartoonishly violent “Shoot “Em Up“), New York Times writer Caryn James seems obsessed with the fact that Owen has no blockbuster success to his name yet and seems genuinely puzzled as to why he doesn’t really care. Throughout the article, he envokes the lack of “megahit,” franchise,” “lack of megastardom,” and generally posits the idea that you’re not really an actor unless Michael Bay or Tom Hanks-sized success come knocking. Her agenda is unsettling to say the least, but there’s hope on the horizon for her Owen marquee-name hopes: He will executive produce and star in “Trouble Is My Business,” a Raymond Chandler/Phillip Marlowe book that’s never been adapted for the big screen. A project she says has “the potential to become a franchise.”
Whew, we bet she’s sleeping somewhat more soundly now.