Who’s afraid of Roy Cohn? Not Jeremy Strong

As I delve into the life and times of Roy Cohn, portrayed masterfully by Jeremy Strong in “The Apprentice,” I am struck by the actor’s unwavering commitment to authenticity and depth. His dedication to understanding the complexities of his character is truly inspiring, and it’s evident that he has immersed himself in every facet of Cohn’s life, from his porcelain frog figurines to his dinner orders at Le Cirque.

Brutal. Vicious. Crooked. Cruel.

Ali Abbasi’s latest biopic, titled “The Apprentice,” portrays a significant character who manipulates, deceives, flatters, and intimidates to ascend the highest tiers of U.S. business and politics, residing primarily in New York and Washington D.C.

No, it’s not Donald Trump. It’s Roy Cohn.

In a vividly dramatic portrayal, the film shows Roy Cohn, a combative lawyer born in the Bronx, who gained notoriety by prosecuting Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for espionage, later acting as chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during his communist purge. In the 1970s, he mentored Donald Trump, providing him with a ruthless guide to success that emphasized attacking, denying, and never admitting defeat. The advice was to attack relentlessly, deny everything, and never acknowledge defeat. However, by the time of his disbarment and death from AIDS-related complications in 1986, Trump had outgrown Cohn’s influence, stepping out of his shadow.

In “The Apprentice,” Jeremy Strong portrays Cohn in a unique way that combines his well-known aggression, yet also showcases an unexpected amount of compassion.

Strong, age 45, stated in a nearby bar beside the San Vicente Bungalows’ sunlit courtyard during an autumnal afternoon, ‘If Roy Cohn were to enter this room now, I doubt I’d feel inclined to shake his hand.’ However, from the perspective of analyzing his work and attempting to empathize with him – both emotionally and imaginatively – I felt compelled to discover, in essence, a form of respect or affection. This sentiment might seem surprising, but it’s a bit like throwing a grenade into a conversation.

After returning from a quiet meditation retreat in upstate New York, the actor from “Succession” often incorporates thoughtful contemplation into his articulate and intellectually rich statements, filled with literary references (like Kafka’s “The Zürau Aphorisms”) and cinematic figures (such as Danish director Tobias Lindholm). At times he pauses for such extended periods that I find myself asking my next question prematurely, only to be cut off by the completion of what seemed to be an incomplete thought. He dismisses any suggestion of being hesitant around media interactions following a widely shared 2021 New Yorker profile where some of his colleagues – both named and unnamed – expressed reservations about his dedication to immersing himself fully into a character’s role.

I often find myself taking things seriously, which has led to difficulties,” he emphasizes firmly, “but I’ve no desire to pretend or hide who I am. Life is precious and too short for games.

In my perspective, the subject under discussion isn’t merely about Roy Cohn’s life and era. When “The Apprentice” debuted at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the Trump campaign swiftly threatened a lawsuit, labeling it as “pure malicious defamation” and suggesting it should be kept hidden. For months afterwards, without a distributor, the project seemed to be gathering dust, much like the former president had wished. Despite repeated promises from director Emilio Estevez, writers, actors, and others involved in the production that “The Apprentice” was not a political statement but an exploration of character, it appeared, as recently as August, that the film might stay shelved until after next month’s election, or possibly forever. Fortunately, it eventually found a home with Briarcliff Entertainment.

In his words, “We came very close to facing strict silencing within our own nation,” he stated. “Such actions are typical in places like Russia and North Korea, but not in democracies. The cautiousness among Hollywood figures regarding this issue was quite concerning.

Starting this weekend, “The Apprentice” is set to hit theaters, approaching the final stages of an intense, tumultuous presidential campaign. Given its timing during a highly contested election, it’s expected to receive close examination, much like any major film released in autumn.

In light of the tense political climate, Strong attempts to separate his perspective on the character from any implied approval. He employs terms such as empathy, kinship, and love to explain how he connected with Cohn, yet he also labels him as a “puzzling tumor” and a “wicked Peter Pan.” This suggests a complex portrayal that encompasses both understanding and criticism.

Strong cautions, “Wow, it’s risky,” he remarks. “I have this sense that speaking positively about him could land me in hot water. When I express these thoughts, I primarily mean them within the context of creative expression, as a character like Roy is similar to Iago. Criticizing Iago is essential in a story, but as an actor, Iago is among the most captivating roles. This role feels equally compelling.

In various productions like Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer-winning play “Angels in America”, Mike Nichols’ HBO miniseries adaptation, the 1992 TV movie “Citizen Cohn”, the recent miniseries “Fellow Travelers” and many documentaries, Cohn has been portrayed more frequently than even Harvey Milk in films and television series. These performances have earned him two Tonys, an Emmy, and a Peabody. I ask Strong if he believes there’s any validity to the criticism that straight actors are often praised for playing gay characters, while such roles remain scarce for openly gay actors themselves.

Strong agrees that this approach is perfectly reasonable. He admits to being somewhat traditional in his viewpoint, as he believes that an actor’s primary role is to express their artistry, and great artists throughout history have managed to transform themselves in the process. In other words, acting involves portraying characters that may not necessarily reflect your own personality or experiences. While he doesn’t think it’s essential for gay roles to be played by gay actors, he suggests that it would be advantageous if more emphasis were placed on this aspect.

Then, as I begin to follow up, he interjects, “What do you think?”

frankly speaking, I find it complex, and I’m not sure if it’s appropriate for me to bring it up. Over time, stereotypical representations of gay men in film and TV, where their sexuality is often exaggerated or superficial, have become less common, especially among cisgender white gay men who have historically held significant influence in LGBTQ+ media. However, it’s challenging to feel inspired by Cohn, a man once referred to as the “polestar of human evil” on the “Bad Gays” podcast.

Despite being a hidden, self-loathing homosexual who contributed to the Lavender Scare and stayed silent during the AIDS crisis as it took his life, this real-life figure serves as an excellent example. To date, no openly gay man has ever won an Oscar for portraying a queer character in the 96-year history of the Academy Awards. Interestingly, this year could potentially add two more names – Strong and Daniel Craig for “Queer” – to the list of nine straight actors who have done so previously. Unfortunately, the situation for women is not much better. Given these statistics, it’s hard not to think that playing gay roles is seen as exceptional acting by critics and voters. This leads to a thought-provoking question: Could a gay actor potentially receive more recognition if he chose to play our community’s infamous supervillain, rather than another inspiring hero we’re inclined to celebrate? Would such a role seem more like acting to the Academy’s approximately 10,000 members, and less like real life?

Compared with Pacino’s outraged and outrageous Cohn, spraying a vulgarian’s spittle across Nichols’ magisterial “Angels,” Strong’s performance is a model of white-knuckle control, swaggering when Cohn exerts his power, wilting when he can’t. When Cohn learns that Trump has gifted him fake-diamond cuff links for what will turn out to be his final birthday, Strong invests the petty indignity with pathos, as a man who would step over anyone to get ahead realizes he’s subject to the same ruthless forces. Along with Will Brill’s turn in “Fellow Travelers,” painting Cohn as practically lovesick for his partner in anticommunism, G. David Schine, “The Apprentice” is the closest any screen actor has come to reflecting the description of the attorney on the AIDS Memorial Quilt: “Bully. Coward. Victim.”

When acting any role, one should approach it with the utmost sincerity, recognizing that it’s not a game but a portrayal of real people and their complex emotions, explains Strong. If I didn’t genuinely empathize with the character’s pain, confusion, and unique struggles – especially Roy’s knotty predicament – or if I couldn’t connect to these feelings in a profound and intense way that stays true to the character, I wouldn’t have accepted the role. I definitely don’t take on such projects for my own personal gain or glory.

Strong has turned into an almost encyclopedic source of personal details about Cohn, peppering our chat with an abundance of information that ranges from his home decorations (porcelain frog figurines), preferences in poetry (Joaquin Miller’s “Byron”), and dining habits at Le Cirque (Bumble Bee tuna, exclusive order) – providing a formidable challenge to Cohn’s biographers.

When Abbasi proposed the part to Strong, the actor was previously acquainted with Cohn, not just through “Angels in America,” but also from research conducted five years prior for another film project where he was considered to portray Cohn. Preparing for “The Apprentice” intensified Strong’s preparation process significantly. This included delving into Cohn’s unique voice—a commanding New York sneer that is authoritative yet rarely loud—by studying videos, and interviewing Cohn profiler Ken Auletta. Strong also mentioned that portraying Cohn was his most significant physical transformation.

In my own words, I’d say, “I didn’t need to change myself like that,” Strong expresses, referring to the extreme measures he took under medical supervision to achieve Cohn’s distinctive, tanned look, which included regular tanning booth sessions and bi-weekly spray tans. He was consumed by his physical image, demonstrating a significant level of vanity and self-absorption.

With an Emmy for “Succession”, a Tony for the spring revival of Henrik Ibsen’s “Enemy of the People”, and Oscar buzz for his role in “The Apprentice”, Strong’s professional ambitions have shifted. Whereas past career setbacks fueled him, he now seeks significant roles to culminate his career. In our discussion, it’s as if gymnast Simone Biles, driven to push the boundaries of her sport, invents new and daring vaults.

Strong expresses that he no longer experiences hindrances in that aspect and can afford his rent. Moreover, he acknowledges this privilege, as it came late for him. He cherishes the freedom to select opportunities that hold significant value and personal meaning. He yearns to continue challenging himself, much like Simone Biles, who continually seeks new boundaries. This pursuit demands a courageous approach, which for him encompasses most endeavors, as they all appear daunting.

After we’ve parted ways, Strong texts me a quote by Bruce Springsteen — “The pressures of the business are powerless in the face of what is real” — from music journalist Fred Goodman’s history “The Mansion on the Hill,” which Strong is reading to prepare to play Springsteen manager Jon Landau in the upcoming biopic starring Jeremy Allen White. I, too, am a collector of quotations, and after joking that newspaper stories should have epigraphs, I suggest one, from Wallace Stegner, that seems apropos to our conversation about Cohn: Present your subject in his own terms, judge him in yours.

“That’s a good one,” Strong texts. “For actors too.”

Read More

• TOMI PREDICTION. TOMI cryptocurrency
• BAG PREDICTION. BAG cryptocurrency
• Louis Theroux reveals the sweet moment he fell in love with his wife Nancy Strang as he offers rare insight into their relationship
• ETH PREDICTION. ETH cryptocurrency
• RTM PREDICTION. RTM cryptocurrency
• BCH PREDICTION. BCH cryptocurrency
• EUR ILS PREDICTION
• MANA PREDICTION. MANA cryptocurrency
• COTI PREDICTION. COTI cryptocurrency
• XAI PREDICTION. XAI cryptocurrency

2024-10-07 13:32