I don’t even have to peek at the comments to know they’re gonna be super “JOOOOO!”-y this week…
Speaking of enigmas, Oldman’s initial written apology was rejected by the ADL, and one sentence in particular probably had something to do with that: the actor’s archly worded remark that the Jews “surely are the chosen people.”
I immediately recalled John Wayne’s notoriously awkward line reading in The Greatest Story Ever Told; making a cameo appearance as a Roman centurion at the crucifixion, Wayne drawls, “Truly, this man was the son of God.” He strains so hard to convey his sincerity that he actually sounds sarcastic. It’s one of American cinema’s most cringe-inducing moments, one film buffs still joke about.
So: Was Oldman pulling a “Pueblo”?
After all, the contrast between the Gary Oldman in the pages of Playboy and the one on Kimmel’s couch is startling. Maybe he really is the greatest actor of his generation.
