This story about Michael Shannon and his two recent projects, “George & Tammy” and “Waco: The Aftermath” first appeared in TheWrap Awards magazine’s limited series/TV movie issue.
A tweet recently circulated asking, “Who is an actor who may not be the main character, but always makes any movie better?” The answer for many was Michael Shannon, whose tense, often explosive performances often inspire lists ranking his roles by their degree of lurid horror, like Curtis LaForche’s mildly paranoid “Take Shelter” and Nelson Van’s repressive bigotry. Alden in “Boardwalk Empire”.
Now the 48-year-old actor has taken center stage with standout lead performances in two Showtime limited series: “George & Tammy,” in which he portrays hulking country firebrand George Jones with masterful vulnerability (alongside Jessica Chastain) and “Waco: The Aftermath,” which captures the simmering internal turmoil of FBI negotiator Gary Noesner.
did you know A lot about george jones before playing him?
No, not one point. At first, when they brought it to me, I was a little apprehensive because I knew there were other actors who would probably have more history with George and his music. Jessica and I had worked together on “Take Shelter” many years ago, and I had a feeling it would be a good fit.
Jessica Chastain said she wanted you for this role because you really “protect your characters.” What about George Jones that you think he needed protection?
There was a fair amount of negativity about who he was. Plus, some of the most macho interpretations of who he was: the whole kicking-ass hick, the kind of guy who doesn’t give a fuck about anyone, who I frankly don’t find very interesting. . What really drew me to him was his sensitivity, fragility, and pain. I guess what he means is that I’m not going to make fun of him or pass him off as some kind of punk just to show off.
How do you approach playing someone as great as life?
It’s not unlike when I played Elvis [in 2016’s “Elvis & Nixon”]. He had Elvis’ friend Jerry Schilling to talk. When he was playing George, he had [Earl] Peanutt Montgomery, one of George’s closest friends. The genesis of a lot of my acting is talking to these guys and seeing how much they loved their friend and how important it was to them that someone go beyond being impersonated… It keeps them from being fans. Because they weren’t monsters, they were real people.