Actors Should be Seen on the Screen and Not Heard...

A couple of weeks ago I went to a screening of the new Danny Boyle film Sunshine at the newly named BFI Southbank (the NFT). After the really rather enjoyable sci-fi flick ended, during which I almost drowned in Cillian Murphy's eyes, Danny Boyle came out to talk to us about the film and explain the rather bizarre ending (Madness or reality? Madness makes more sense to me). He was really entertaining, full of the energy of a ten year old boy and answering the questions fully and with thought.

Then the thing I can't get over happened. Cillian Murphy came out to talk about the film. Actually, no, when I say 'talk about the film' I mean 'mumble incoherently and pass all the questions to Boyle'. It's not that he wasn't perfectly nice and polite (well he probably would have been if he'd spoken up)... it's just; he was so small. It's such a cliche that actors are short, but Cillian was SO short. And skinny, and hunched... and quiet. And normal. Bah. Those eyes were not as big and blue as previously thought, they looked tired and pale and a little bloodshot. And he was so quiet, and so unenthused when compared to his director. I was so disappointed. I'm not even a big fan of his, or even a fan... I don't think I've ever thought about him too much. But after seeing him on screen for the best part of a couple of hours and then seeing him in front of me... hmm.

Much disappointment. Maybe if his posture had been better I wouldn't have been so disappointed. I've never even really thought about posture before. But... well, now it's important to me. In fact as I'm writing this I have three magazines (InStyle, Elle and Nylon) and two biographies of President Jimmy Carter balancing on top of my noggin. No bad posture for me; oh no. And I'm also reading this blog back to the (empty) room, projecting my voice from the base of my spine, out into the house and, as the window's open, my parents' back garden and street and my childhood village. Should I get cast in some Hollywood or British film any time soon I will not be a disappointment to my fans during the inevitable screening/ Q&A (note to self; get some anecdotes).

Superb. Well, that's that sorted then. I don't blame Murphy for bringing this life lesson to me... but it hurts...