Gary Oldman Reveals His All-Time Favorite On-Screen Partner

It’s hard to find an A-lister who hasn’t shared the screen with Gary Oldman, but when it comes to his favorite collaborator, the Oscar winner’s choice might surprise you. Gary Oldman is such a fixture in blockbuster films that his sheer brilliance can almost be overlooked. A younger generation knows him as Sirius Black from the Harry Potter series, Commissioner Jim Gordon in The Dark Knight trilogy, or for his Oscar-winning turn as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. But it’s easy to forget his roots in gritty British indie films like Sid & Nancy and Prick Up Your Ears.

A Prolific and Respected Career

Part of what makes Oldman so admired in the industry is his incredible work ethic. Unlike many top-tier stars who are extremely selective about their projects, Oldman has built one of the most extensive filmographies of his generation. His IMDb page is a testament to his consistency and willingness to take on a wide variety of roles.

This constant work has given him the chance to act alongside several generations of talent. He has long maintained a reputation as a professional who is easy to work with and respectful of his castmates, but that doesn't mean one particular actor didn't leave a lasting impression.

An Unexpected On-Screen Favorite

According to Traversing the Stars, Oldman named Kevin Bacon as his favorite, simply because he was “fun” and “he knew his lines”. If there’s any actor whose list of credits can rival Oldman’s, it’s Bacon. His reputation for appearing in so many movies famously led to the creation of the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” which connects actors through their shared film projects. Despite both launching their careers in the early 1980s and remaining busy ever since, the two have only appeared together twice, in the twisty legal thrillers Criminal Law and Murder in the First.

A Pair of Legal Thrillers

Of their two collaborations, Criminal Law was arguably the weaker one, at least in the eyes of critics. The film came at a pivotal moment for both actors. Bacon, already a teen idol from the hit movie Footloose, was eager to tackle more challenging material. He got his wish, playing the troubled member of a wealthy family on trial for murder. Oldman, still a relative newcomer to Hollywood, played the hard-drinking defense attorney hired to defend him.

While Criminal Law was largely written off as a pulpy courtroom drama, it gave the two a chance to work together before reuniting for a more serious film, Murder in the First. Loosely based on real events, the movie featured Bacon as another man accused of a crime, though this time a far more sympathetic character. Christian Slater played his lawyer, but Oldman stole scenes as the cruel and sadistic associate warden of Alcatraz. The film wasn't a box office smash, but it did secure Bacon a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the SAG Awards.

It's strange to think that Bacon has never received an Oscar nomination, given the number of acclaimed movies he has been in. Then again, it took Oldman a long time to get his first nomination and eventual win, so perhaps Bacon’s time is still to come.