Gene Hackman Reveals Why He’s Nothing Like Cary Grant
Oscar winner Gene Hackman opens up about the different types of movie stars, comparing the mysterious allure of legends like Cary Grant to his own down-to-earth, relatable persona.
When it comes to Hollywood, it’s easy to sort actors into neat categories. That’s why it’s so surprising when someone steps outside their usual lane—like Adam Sandler taking on a dramatic role in Punch-Drunk Love. Some actors stick to crowd-pleasing blockbusters that don’t push boundaries, while others are drawn to experimental films or indie projects. There are those who never stray from the mainstream, ranging from the universally beloved Tom Hanks to the action- driven Vin Diesel. Then you have performers like Nicole Kidman, who can move between daring, unconventional roles and more accessible fare. And finally, there are the purists, such as Vincent Gallo, who rarely compromise their artistic vision for Hollywood’s demands.
The most versatile actors often land somewhere in the middle, balancing challenging roles with more approachable projects. This allows them to explore a wide range of characters and directors, maintaining their artistic integrity while also keeping their careers steady.
Hackman on Mystique Versus Relatability
Gene Hackman, an Academy Award winner, saw another way to divide actors: those who possess an air of mystery and those who feel familiar and approachable. He considered himself part of the latter group, while he saw classic stars like Cary Grant as the embodiment of mystique. Hackman once explained,
“There’s several kinds of movie actors who are popular. There’s the kind who have the mystique. Cary Grant is a good example. I would not begin to try to tell you who he is, what he’s about personally. But I know from watching him that he’s a great actor and does what he does better than anybody has ever done.”
He continued,
“So there’s that kind of mystique. Then there’s the other end of the pole, which is guys like myself. And then there are guys who probably fall in between, who have a little bit of what I have, maybe, and also have developed a kind of mystique, through whatever it is they do in their private lives.”
The Power of the Everyman
For Hackman, being relatable was just as valuable as being enigmatic. While the mystique of stars like Grant elevated them to iconic status, Hackman believed that audiences connected with him because he represented the ordinary person. Grant, despite his legendary charm and wit in films like North by Northwest and The Philadelphia Story, never won a competitive Oscar, but his appeal was undeniable.
Hackman elaborated on his own appeal, saying,
“I guess the audiences respond to the proletarian man they see in me: the working guy who’s doing vicariously what they would like to do. I think that’s why essentially The French Connection worked. I don’t have any illusions about my being the only actor who could have played that. A lot of guys could have.”
Familiarity Versus Enigma
When viewers see someone on screen who feels like a regular person, it draws them in and makes the story more engaging. Hackman believed that this sense of familiarity could be both a strength and a weakness.
“They’re able to say that, in some funny kind of way, you know, ‘Yeah, I know who that guy is.’ And that works both positively and negatively, I think, because what it does is give you a kind of familiarity, without the mystique, which is what people are really attracted to, I think,”
he reflected.
For Hackman, the magic of acting didn’t require an air of mystery. Sometimes, being the guy everyone thinks they know is exactly what makes a performance unforgettable.