John Malkovich Reveals the Role He Regrets Most in His Career
John Malkovich opens up about his decades-long acting journey, sharing which film role he considers his weakest and why he remains unfazed by critics’ opinions.
Few actors have been under the microscope quite like John Malkovich. With nearly five decades in the spotlight, he’s starred in everything from box office hits to cult favorites, earning a reputation for his unique style and versatility. Over the years, his performances have been dissected by fans and critics alike, but Malkovich himself seems to take it all in stride.
Decades of Acclaim and Scrutiny
Throughout his career, Malkovich has received plenty of praise, including two Academy Award nominations—one for the Depression-era drama Places in the Heart and another for the action thriller In the Line of Fire. He’s also the rare actor with two films boasting perfect scores on Rotten Tomatoes: Which Way Home and Death of a Salesman. Several other projects of his have ratings in the high 90s, cementing his status as a critical favorite.
Despite this, Malkovich doesn’t seem particularly concerned with what critics have to say. In a recent interview with The Face, while promoting his upcoming 2025 film Opus, he was asked about his relationship with those who analyze his work. He responded,
“Critics have their audience. I’m not part of the audience. There may be a critic I particularly like on some particular subject, but really I have to make my own way in my chosen field. I don’t need a critic for that. I’m my own critic.”
The Role That Fell Short
To drive his point home, Malkovich pointed to his performance in the 1985 biographical drama Eleni as the one he’s least proud of.
“I didn’t care much for that,”
he admitted. The film, based on the memoir of Nicholas Gage, follows Gage’s journey from his childhood in Greece—where his mother, Eleni, was killed during the civil war—to his return decades later in search of answers. It’s a heavy, emotional story, far from light viewing.
Interestingly, while Malkovich is critical of his own work in Eleni, the film was well received by professional reviewers. It currently holds an 83% critics rating and a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, comfortably earning a ‘Fresh’ label. Roger Ebert, one of the most respected film critics, described Malkovich as
“one of the great strong quiet zones of contemporary film acting. ”
Honest Self-Reflection
Even with positive feedback from critics and audiences, Malkovich remains his own toughest judge. He’s candid about his feelings, saying,
“I haven’t cared much for many things I’ve done, honestly.”
Whether it’s the pressure of portraying a real person or simply his own high standards, Malkovich’s honesty about his work stands out in an industry where self-praise is common.