As is the case with any Mike Flanagan series, The Fall of the House of Usher is packed with top-tier performances from beginning to end, something we’ve come to expect from both the filmmaker’s regular forays into episodic storytelling and the regular repertory of talents he’s picked up along the way. 7ol

However, if there’s any justice in the world, Bruce Greenwood will be deserving of some awards season recognition for his powerhouse turn as patriarch Roderick Usher. A familiar face without being a huge name, he’s quietly gone about his business of becoming one of the most reliable, consistent, and underrated character actors in the industry.

What makes his turn in The Fall of the House of Usher even more remarkable, though, is that he didn’t the ensemble until three months after shooting had started. Principal photography kicked off on the last day of January, but Greenwood wasn’t announced until April 29, when he stepped in for Frank Langella after the veteran was dismissed following misconduct allegations.

Filming ended at the beginning of July, and when you consider that Greenwood is all over every episode as Roderick and manages to deliver what’s comfortably one of the best small screen performances of the year, it’s mind-blowing that he managed to do that as what was effectively an emergency recasting.

Reshoots are part and parcel of the film and television circuit, but boarding something as ambitious as The Fall of the House of Usher three months in and stealing the entire show is an incredible achievement, one that’s fully deserving of at least a look-in come awards season.

The decorated Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood is one of those names you might not recognize, but there’s no doubt at some point you’ve been wowed by his on-screen talent. He’s appeared in all sorts of classic films like I, Robot, as well as massively popular television shows like Mad Men. But in what roles did he show the very best of his talent? Read on to find out the 10 best Bruce Greenwood movies and TV shows!

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This tense psychological thriller sees Greenwood take on the role of a psychiatrist who discovers that a severely ill patient may hold the key to finding a missing colleague. As the film unfolds, this mental game of cat and mouse reaches a disturbing climax, with all of the complex emotions at play shown wonderfully in Greenwood’s excellent performance. He is undoubtedly the highlight of an already captivating film.

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Greenwood stars as a surfing purist and surf shop owner, Mitch Yost, in this short-lived oceanside HBO drama. Although it only ran for one season, the series was noted for its unique take on all kinds of topics, as well as the intriguing way it wove fantastical elements into an otherwise normal setting. Greenwood is excellent as Yost, making the audience root for what is objectively a prickly character.

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Although Greenwood is only a ing character in this adaptation of Theatre by W. Somerset Maugham, he is fantastic in his limited screentime as Lord Charles. His character is the former lover of the eponymous Julia, and eventually ends up becoming close friends with her after he reveals he’s gay. A funny, smart film that’s made all the better by its sterling performances, including Greenwood’s. Die Hard fan favorite Jeremy Irons also stars.

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When J.J Abrams was given the chance to get his hands on the iconic IP that is Star Trek, many trekkies were pretty happy with the choice, and their optimism was proven correct. Star Trek (2009) is one of the best reboots in the sci-fi world, and part of that is thanks to Greenwood’s excellent performance as captain of the Enterprise Christopher Pike. He does a truly fantastic job of embodying such an iconic character.

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This emotionally devestating movie follows the aftermath of a tragic school bus accident in which fourteen kids are killed. The traumatic event further deepens divisions in the town, sometimes even between family . Greenwood plays a grieving parent and is magnetic, really making you feel his pain. Women Talking director Sarah Polley also stars alongside him.

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Greenwood was a fan favorite as Dr Seth Griffin on this iconic American medical drama series. Although it never gained a massive following, the gritty show developed the sort of devoted fanbase that nowadays would have probably earned it an extra couple of seasons from online fan pressure. Griffin was only on the show for seasons 5 and 6, but managed to be one of the best performers in a talented ensemble cast that includes big names like Ed Begley Jr.

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Canadian veteran Greenwood took on the role of one of the most iconic American presidents of all time in this film that dramatizes the events around the Cuban Missile Crisis, from the perspective of the U.S. government. Although it’s a tense watch, the pacing never feels off, and Greenwood does such an excellent job as Kennedy that he earned himself a Satellite Award for Best ing Actor.

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Greenwood’s most recent consistent television role saw him dive back to the world of medical dramas in The Resident. He plays the part of the hospitals chief of surgery (and later CEO) Randolph Bell, and is fantastic as this complex and occasionally morally dubious character, showcasing just why he’s had such a long and successful career.

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This legendary show about the world of advertising in the mid-20th century was critically acclaimed and ultra-popular, and Greenwood lived up to all that hype during his guest appearances in the final season as Richard Burghoff. His character is a wealthy real estate mogul who gets involved with Joan, with pretty sad consequences for the former Sterling Cooper office manager.

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Greenwood is utterly brilliant as the eponymous Gerald in this Stephen King adaptation on Netflix. Although his co-star Carla Gugino is the real star of the show, he is an excellent foil as the angry husband (and later ghostly apparition) that taunts and haunts her character. A tense but unmissable watch.

Horror auteur Mike Flanagan has revealed his behind-the-scenes experiences producing some of the greatest works of the genre was not a cakewalk.

Speaking to the challenges he found difficult without being insurmountable while speaking at the Tribeca Film Festival (via Variety), the filmmaker found himself in a reflective mood.

“The management of production is something there is no real training for. Being the adult in the room is a bummer, but I learned early on if I wanted a career I had to balance creativity to people, responsibility to the story, and the people you are working with. You swim or drown together.”  

As we know, Flanagan fired Frank Langella during the production process of his miniseries The Fall of the House of Usher after allegations of misconduct on set against the actor surfaced, with Bruce Greenwood dafted in as the lead, Roderick Usher.

The eviction that took place mid-way through filming created a disruption on set and understandably so, as half of the shoot was completed by then, and on Greenwood’s arrival, he had to be trained and acquainted with the script afresh.

Saying so, wise and responsible decisions like these also need to be balanced with creative responsibilities, and for Flanagan – who gifted audiences with output like Hill House, Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass, the bar is extremely high.

On the plus side, Flanagan did offer an update on The Dark Tower amidst the ongoing writers’ strike, hinting that it’s shaping up to be an impressive addition to his brilliant filmography.

Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix got some bad press when it was revealed earlier this month star Frank Langella was fired due to alleged poor behavior, but now, Bruce Greenwood is in.

News of the new casting choice is in a report filed by The Hollywood Reporter today. Greenwood takes over the Roderick Usher role in the adaptation of the famous Edgar Allan Poe story, and will reshoot all of the scenes for the character. He s a cast which includes Mark Hamill, Carla Gugino, Mary McDonnell, Carl Lumbly, Henry Thomas, and Robert Longstreet. This is the fourth time Greenwood and Flanagan have worked together — before this, their projects included 2019’s Doctor Sleep — and Flanagan joked about it on Twitter while also referencing a very, very miniscule part Greenwood had in The Haunting of Hill House.

Fans who flocked over to Flanagan’s post were ive of the shift and this has been the main sentiment as of this story being filed. Many were shocked he was one of the background ghosts in the prior show, others praised Greenwood’s earlier works and said he is a great lead when given a chance, and for one, Flanagan needs to tackle the works of a 20th century author who left his mark on the horror story genre:

The Fall of the House of Usher is set to wrap filming of its episodes in July. It does not have a release date set yet.

Between Flight and Cast Away, one wonders if Robert Zemeckis is out to make us all terrified of air travel. Like his last live-action film, the events of Flight are predicated on a spectacularly staged plane crash, one that terrifies and fascinates in equal measure. The difference between this sequence and the one in Cast Away – or, indeed, most other plane-based movie moments – is the attention to detail. Captain Whitaker, played by Denzel Washington, lands the aircraft with minimal loss of life after a major technical failure, but only because of his focus and expertise; for all the breathtaking, heart-stopping tension the scene has to offer, it’s the Captain’s method that captivates most forcefully, as he executes of series of complex yet plausible maneuvers to do the impossible and save the day. It’s the method more than the danger that keeps us on the edge of our seats, the performance by Washington serving as a powerful catalyst for the calm yet powerful sense of dread that permeates the moment. It is certainly one of the greatest, if not the very best, plane crash sequences in film history. And here’s the crazy part: Flight only gets better – exponentially so – from there. For while aerial exploits put the story in motion, this is not a tale of air travel or post-crash trauma. Captain Whitaker was severely drunk and high on cocaine while flying the plane, and as such, Flight is actually an intense and intimate portrait of alcoholism, beautifully executed on the exact same creative strengths that propel that amazing plane crash: attention to detail and an absolutely stellar performance. The latter is certainly the film’s most striking element, for Washington, one of America’s greatest working actors, takes an inherently meaty part and expands upon it with unparalleled human dimension. Captain Whitaker is a fascinating mess of dichotomies; a fundamentally good man whose uncontrollable drinking leads him to lash out; a loving person who has crippled all his relationships; a brilliant pilot who cannot be bothered to fly sober. Underneath it all he is a liar, for he cannot it the truth about his issues to others, nor can he face coming clean with himself.  The crash is a complex and profound wake-up call, for while saving the lives of nearly everyone on board underlines his astonishing skills as a pilot – if anyone else had been in a situation with that level of mechanical failure, no one would have survived – the few deaths there were weigh heavily on his conscious, a constant reminder that he has an addiction, and that no matter how many peoples he saved, he did wrong by each and every one of them, living and dead, by stepping onto the plane hammered. What an extraordinary moral dilemma to build a film around, and what an enthralling performance by Denzel Washington. The film rests almost entirely on his shoulders, and he bears the weight with ease, expertly blending each divergent element of Whitaker’s complex psyche into one profoundly broken whole. Washington attacks the countless bleak and ugly moments without a hint of fear, while simultaneously maintaining the right measure of charisma to keep us rooting for Whitaker even as his downward spiral grows steeper and steeper. Through simple facial movements, Washington communicates volumes of emotion and conflict, often using his eyes to indicate the weight a lifetime of lies and self-inflicted abuse has wrought upon Whitaker’s soul. The film’s final scenes are a remarkable emotional powerhouse, and it all comes down to what beautiful, tremendous work Washington does, how deeply felt and thoroughly lived in this character feels at every turn. This may just be the single best performance of his entire career. As a character study, the lion’s share of the film’s success does indeed lie on Washington’s shoulders, but other elements should not be discounted. John Gatins’ screenplay is a good one, featuring well-paced introspection and a thorough understanding of process. The particulars of Whitaker’s alcoholism are impressively detailed and authentic, but I am even fonder of how Gatins explores the fascinating investigation process behind a massive plane crash. It’s a tense and effective backdrop for Whitaker’s journey, and feels a little unlike anything we’ve seen before. Zemeckis’ direction is sharp and restrained; those years of tinkering with creepy motion-capture animation have not softened his filmmaking instincts one iota. Longtime collaborator Alan Silvestri does very nice, understated work with the musical score, and Don Burgess’ cinematography impresses without drawing attention to itself. This is a running theme of the production, for the goal is to get out of the way and let Washington – along with some very impressive ing cast , including Kelly Reilly doing stellar work as a recovering drug addict Whitaker befriends – command the screen. Command he does, and Flight, in turn, commands our attention for every second of its remarkably brisk 140-minute runtime. This is an outstanding character piece, one that absolutely has the potential to please audiences everywhere. That it never panders or simplifies to achieve this is a rather extraordinary achievement. Flight offers smart and mature commercial drama at its very best, and comes highly recommended. Sorry, this video is currently unavailable.

Flight marks the first live action movie Robert Zemeckis has directed since the year 2000, when he made What Lies Beneath and Cast Away. But moreover, it is that rare film which Hollywood never seems to greenlight enough of these days: a difficult drama with complex (and potentially unlikable) characters. It says a lot that Zemeckis and Denzel Washington, who stars as airline pilot Whip Whitaker, could get a movie like this made today when studios are typically more interested in the next big franchise to exploit. The movie follows Captain Whitaker as the plane he flies suddenly goes into a dive. Somehow, he ends up landing it in a field and saving just about everybody on board. An investigation into the crash soon follows however, and Whitaker is discovered to have had alcohol in his system while flying. The movie’s trailers and TV ads have suggested that Flight is a mystery about whether this pilot was at fault or not, but those who have seen it can see that it is a morally ambiguous tale about a man who has yet to be honest with himself about who he is. Paramount Pictures recently held a press conference on Flight at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. In attendance was Zemeckis, Washington, Kelly Reilly, John Gatins (who wrote the screenplay), Bruce Greenwood, Melissa Leo and John Goodman. Check out what everyone had to say below but be warned, this article does contain spoilers. We Got This Covered: Denzel, anyone would want to play a role as brilliantly written as this one, but I wonder for you if the attraction was also personal in the sense that everybody’s known people whose lives have been destroyed by addiction. Did you feel like you were doing something positive in your portrayal of this character? Denzel Washington: No, I think it’s just having read the script and saying “wow this is good.” My agent, the late Ed Limato, the last two scripts he gave me were Flight and Safe House and that was part of the promise I made to him. People say, what do you want audiences to get from this movie? I say it depends on what they bring to it. So I don’t try to decide what people should get from it. I don’t do a part for those kinds of reasons. We Got This Covered: Mr. Zemeckis did you ever think that Denzel’s character would have been able to land that plane if he was not high on booze and cocaine? Robert Zemeckis: Denzel and I talked a lot about that, and one of the things I loved about the script was so much of the ambiguity and that’s one of the most ambiguous questions. There was that speech Don Cheadle made of how ten pilots couldn’t land the plane the way Denzel’s character did, and they were all sober. And we thought that maybe because the pilot was a little bit loose he was able to do something that no one who wasn’t would have done and in that case saved a lot of lives. But obviously we’re not endorsing that pilots should fly in that state as I don’t think any of us would want to fly in a plane like that. We Got This Covered: Mr. Zemeckis, what was it about this film that brought you back into the realm of live action movies? Robert Zemeckis: I never felt that I went away from that. Movies are movies and some bend light through a lens, some create moving images virtually, but at the end of the day movies are movies. We Got This Covered: Had this picture come to you all ten or fifteen years ago, would your grasp of these complex characters been the same? Bruce Greenwood: Yes. Melissa Leo: I don’t know if I could have played Ellen Brock ten or more years ago. I don’t know if I would have felt comfortable or official enough. I think there was something about my age now that helped me in playing Ellen. Robert Zemeckis: I hadn’t thought about that and I’ll have to think about that. I’ve always said that movies are kind of like love affairs where two people come together and if they’re at the right place at the right time then it just clicks. I have always connected with screenplays that way, and I guess it’s just the romantic in me. We Got This Covered: You all had to go places that were certainly uncomfortable for you. What helped you get through those tough places in this film? Denzel Washington: A painful scene for me was when I go to my ex-wife’s house and get into this wrestling match with my son. I’ve gotten into wrestling matches with my own son but not under the same circumstances. My nerves got really raw doing that scene. Kelly Reilly: I did consult a wonderful guy called Mitch in Atlanta who helped me understand the inner life of a heroin addict as much as one can without experiencing it, and he really did open up his story to me. There was a technical side of it as well as he taught me how to inject heroin without really injecting heroin. I wanted to honor the truth of somebody in that situation, and I think that was the most difficult part without ever having experienced that. We Got This Covered: I know some were conflicted at the movie’s end over the prison term Denzel’s character got. If something like this happened to someone you love in your own life, do you think the person responsible deserves some serious prison time? Denzel Washington: I believe he deserved more prison time. I even told Bob that I thought the number of years was too low. I thought he should have gotten at least twenty years. John Gatins: My intention was always to have people walking into the final turn of the movie thinking “wait a second, let me just do my own personal scorecard here; what am I rooting for? Do I feel like this guy earned this , or do I feel like he needs to be punished?” I had an argument with my mother about it because I had her proofread the script at one point, and she said Denzel’s character should go to jail for the rest of his life. And I said to her “yeah but he didn’t make the plane fall apart.” Look, he definitely committed a felony. You can’t be high on cocaine and fly a commercial airline, I get that. He should be punished for that but he didn’t kill anybody. I wanted it to be ambiguous and I wanted it to be about the conversation because to me it’s ultimately about what is the value of the truth. Continue reading on the next page…