Supporting the WGA Strike Beyond Cannes
A decade after the last Writers Guild strike, writers are gearing up to walk off the job to demand higher residuals for streaming and a ban on writers’ “mini rooms” — proposals requiring them to pitch their scripts before production gets underway. Though the WGA primarily wants to address issues that impact TV more profoundly, there is no doubt that a strike will also disrupt feature productions. And while viewers may be among the short-term losers, a successful strike could start a global conversation about how creatives are paid and their contractual rights.
Paul Dano’s Passionate Stance: Supporting the WGA Strike Beyond Cannes
It’s been a big year for Brooklyn-born actor Paul Dano, who has taken on several heavy roles since starring in Matt Reeves’ The Batman and making his directorial debut with Wildlife. His empathetic portrayal of a man battling mental illness in the latter film, which premiered this week at Cannes, has landed him several critical plaudits. He conveys Wilson’s sense of despair and isolation with a restrained but raw power, and his vocal delivery is utterly convincing.
But perhaps the most exciting aspect of his performance is the subtlety with which he reveals the underlying tension between Wilson and his wife, Jeanette. Dano is not one to oversell his work, and that’s true here as he gives us a husband terrified of the consequences of his actions. He delivers his lines with a measured, hesitant demeanor that makes him appear to be almost uncomfortable in his skin. As a result, the audience is forced to reevaluate their relationship with each character.
Despite being a relative newcomer to the industry, Dano has already established himself as an actor with a unique talent for bringing heft to the thinnest of scripts. From his ferocious performance as John Tibeats in 12 Years A Slave to his surprisingly soft and touching portrayal of a man with terminal cancer in the understated Swiss Army Man, Dano is adept at capturing the essence of large and minor characters.
