There are a handful of actors we associate with the films of Paul Thomas Anderson. Two of them – Philip Seymour Hoffman and Philip Baker Hall – are sadly gone, but the other, John C. Reilly, remains one of the definitive faces of the works of PTA. Yet, he hasn’t really worked with the director in more than 25 years save for an uncredited cameo. And it turns out that Reilly is to blame.
John C. Reilly recently told Vulture that he made the mistake of once telling PTA that he shouldn’t just cast him because they’re pals. “After three movies, I said, ‘Listen, I don’t want to be in one of your movies because I’m your friend. I want to be in your movies because I’m the right person to play the part. So you should never feel obligated to cast me in one of your movies unless it’s absolutely right.’ And then he promptly stopped casting me in his movies!”
Reilly’s three notable appearances in PTA’s films – naive drifter John in Hard Eight, porn actor Reed Rothchild in Boogie Nights and hapless police officer Jim in Magnolia – made him a mainstay to be sure. But since then, he has been relegated to a split-second cameo in Licorice Pizza (playing Fred Gwynne), you’d only know is him by recognizing his voice. “But we’re still super, super close friends. I mean, he’s like family to me…I feel very, very connected to Paul. And I stand by my decision. I hope someday we do something great again, something other than Herman Munster, which I did in Licorice Pizza. Our collaboration was born of our friendship.”
While it’s great to hear that both Reilly and PTA remain pals, we would still love to see him pop up in a more significant role. Admittedly, Reilly has a point in that he shouldn’t only be cast because he’s friends with PTA, but surely he could have found his way into any of the post-Magolia films. Then again, Anderson actually wrote Reilly a part in There Will Be Blood but he evidently talked himself out of it…
What is your favorite performance from John C. Reilly in a Paul Thomas Anderson film? Give us your pick below!
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