NYFF: ‘Foxcatcher’ Steve Carell Talks His Physical Transformation

Early reports out of the Cannes Film Festival noted that Foxcatcher has a pair of Oscar worthy performances in Channing Tatum and Steve Carell. These are two names we really haven’t seen mentioned at all in the Oscar races in years past, despite both being prominent figures in the industry for more than a few years.

Foxcatcher is a true story about Olympic winning wrestling brothers Mark (Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo). The film centers around Mark’s training and sponsorship with a mentally ill billionaire John du Pont (Carell). Du Pont knows little to nothing about the sport, but is enthusiastic about making his brand “Foxcatcher” a successful wrestling empire with Mark’s image and Dave’s knowledge of the sport. What happens is an inevitable slow-burning spiral for all parties that are entangled in du Pont’s convictions and dangerous need to control and impress those around him.

After viewing Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher at the New York Film Festival, aside from noting just how hypnotizing Tatum’s transformation was from his quiet and at sometimes-explosive intensity to his specific gait, it was Carell who really surprised in taking on a physical and mental transformation to play John du Pont. Back at Cannes, director Bennett Miller said of Carell being an unlikely actor to play the part, “It was so far outside of his comfort zone. I’ve never seen Steve do anything that would give any material evidence that he could do this. We just chatted and I heard how he thought and was thinking about the character, and I had a vision for it working.”

As stated, early reviews on Carrell’s transformation as du Pont came pouring in almost immediately after the first screening.

Variety called for his Oscar nomination which started the buzz nearly six months ahead of its release.

“Carell is barely recognizable in the part, wearing a prosthetic nose (a la Nicole Kidman in “The Hours”), false teeth and a receding hairline. It’s not just the physical transformation that’s so impressive. Carell inhabits the character from the inside. He interprets du Pont as a modern-day Norman Bates mixed with Jay Gatsby, and he prepared for the part by studying hours of footage of the real man.”

Personally, its Carell’s strengths as a comedic actor which are brilliantly played on for early humorous moments that showcase the character’s bizarre and off-putting behavior. That said, the real mesmerizing part of Carell’s brilliant performance is within the layers behind du Pont’s peculiar behavior, which reveals a much sinister and horrifying delusion in this pulsating dramatic opus.

The cast and crew gathered after the screening to discuss the making of the film, and the experience in inhibiting these very real and complex people. Here’s a few points from Steve Carell on his truly chilling performance as John du Pont and his experience filming a film that will without a doubt change how viewers see him.

On getting into the spirit of John du Pont.

“There was a lot to be looked at in terms of research material – the books that he had written, and he had a documentary commissioned on himself. And one of the most interesting aspects of that was the raw footage, the parts of himself that he did not want to be seen publicly. That gave me probably more insight than anything as to the type of person he was – the way he was instructing the crew, the way he was going through his lines in his head, trying to establish an identity for the camera.”

On the physical transformation in becoming John du Pont.

“Du Pont had a very, very specific look to him. And I can’t help but think his look had an effect on the people around him, and people responded to him in part because he looked a certain way. So, that’s why we proceeded to try to emulate his real look.

And watching tape of him and how he carried himself, I think it all – it was just part of who he was. And my finding, it was sort of inadvertent, that when I would arrive on set in that look, people treated me differently, and it just tended to separate me from the rest of the cast.”

Bennett Miller, #SteveCarell, #ChanningTatum, & the rest of #Foxcatcher cast at #NYFF >> http://t.co/nP762SAqk7 pic.twitter.com/KwRJmUNomI

— Gold Derby (@GoldDerby) October 13, 2014

“In Pittsburgh when we were shooting this, it was just a completely different world. So, I think that helped inform the character just by virtue of how people were responding to me in character.”

On coming into contact with members of the du Pont family.

“I ran into someone who introduced himself to me as a du Pont in the Target store in North Hollywood, California. I was buying, I don’t know, a fake plant or something. He introduced himself and was very pleasant and was curious but not confrontational in any way.”

On making a big leap in his career in taking on a demanding dramatic role.

“It wasn’t part of my master plan. I don’t have a master plan. But it sort of fell in my lap. I wasn’t lobbying for it. I had heard of the incident when it happened, but then it went away. And it was presented to me. I was sent the script. I met with Bennett, and we discussed it. It was very intriguing, obviously, and I thought a real challenge. Getting a chance to work with him was a huge draw for me.”

Catch a glimpse of the powerful performances by Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo in the trailer for Foxcatcher below.

Foxcatcher opens in theaters on November 14, 2014.
[Image via Annapurna Pictures]