INTERVIEW: Jackie Earle Haley is The Master Of Disguise | CROOKES MAGAZINE
You might know Jackie from his portrayal of Freddie Krueger in the remake of ‘Nightmare On Elm Street’.
There’s a chance you might recognise him from his widely-praised portrayal of vigilante Rorschach in the comic-superhero film ‘Watchmen’ — or not, the character wears a piece of cloth covering their face!
You may very well have heard of Jackie through his Academy Award Nomination in 2006 for his performance in ‘Little Children’.
Jackie Earle Haley is a highly-respected actor for his ability to utilize makeup and prosthetics in his unconventional portrayals of characters.
Looking back over Jackie’s extensive array of work, I was intrigued to know if he ever thought about his legacy. Jackie insisted he’s “not trying to build a legacy”. “I’m just trying to do what I love, telling stories and keeping those lights switched on”.
Jackie has recently been starring in Amazon’s ‘The Tick’ — based on a comic book of the same name — as the antagonist — The Terror.
AC: What appealed to you about the role in ‘The Tick’? Were you a fan of the original series?
JEH: I had never heard of The Tick, but some of my nerd friends really talked it up. And Ben’s pilot script was great. When we talked on the phone he walked me through his thoughts for the season’s arch. It sounded great. I think the whole cast is really pleased how it turned out. The shows are hysterically funny… but there’s still great character development, and great storytelling. I can’t wait to see the second half of season one in February.
AC: What does makeup do for your performances?
JEH: The Terror makeup takes two and a half hours getting into, and half an hour taking it off. That part’s kinda a pain. But it really does help the performance. You get transformed into this whole different creature, and when you see yourself in the mirror, you somehow feel more like the character. Hard to explain, but I almost can’t imagine playing The Terror without the makeup. It would feel weird to even try.
AC: Who are you really keen to work with again?
JEH: Wayne Allan Rice. He hired me to direct Criminal Activities. And I’d love to direct another film for him. It’s weird, but I’ve always felt more like a director than an actor. But I love acting too.
Other than that, I pretty much would love to work with everyone I’ve worked with in the past. I’ve been super fortunate to work with so many talented and legendary directors, and great actors. I’d love to explore other rolls and stories with them all.
You can watch ‘The Tick’ now on Amazon Prime
Read the full interview at AdamCrookes.com
Interview by Adam Crookes
