Oscar Isaac Defends His Most Criticized Film Performance
The acclaimed actor stands by his work in a widely panned 2018 drama, revealing how personal tragedy influenced his controversial role and why he considers it among his finest acting achievements.
Oscar Isaac has established himself as one of the most gifted performers of his generation, particularly after his breakthrough role in Inside Llewyn Davis demonstrated his remarkable range as an actor. Despite dedicating considerable time to the Star Wars sequel trilogy, he has consistently chosen to work on intimate, director-driven projects that showcase his versatility.
Strategic Career Choices
Isaac's filmography reveals a deliberate pattern of collaborating with visionary filmmakers. His role in The Card Counter gave him the opportunity to portray a complex anti-hero under Paul Schrader's direction, while Suburbicon marked his first collaboration with George Clooney. He also built a strong creative partnership with writer-director Alex Garland, appearing in both Ex Machina and Annihilation.
When the chance arose to work with Dan Fogler, the accomplished television writer and producer behind This Is Us and Galavant, Isaac saw another promising collaboration. Fogler's feature film Life Itself promised to be the kind of character-driven drama that Hollywood rarely produces anymore, featuring an ensemble cast including Olivia Cooke, Samuel L. Jackson, Olivia Wilde, Mandy Patinkin, Annette Bening, and Antonio Banderas.
Unexpected Critical Reception
Despite good intentions, Life Itself faced harsh criticism when it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018. Even the most negative reviews acknowledged Isaac's performance as a standout element, suggesting that Fogler's storytelling skills were better suited for television than cinema. The intensity of the backlash caught Isaac off guard.
"I was surprised that there seemed to be a full-on critical narrative to it," Isaac told Indiewire. "It's some of the better work that I've done."
Personal Connection to the Role
While many found the film's emotional moments unconvincing, Isaac delivered a powerful portrayal of a man struggling with profound loss. His performance carried extra weight because he was processing his own mother's recent death during filming, which deeply influenced his approach to the character.
"I'm really proud of the places that I went and being able to sustain it, really dealing in a personal way with grief," he explained. "It was insane that I even decided to do that, considering what I was in the middle of during that moment of my life."
Though Life Itself failed to generate awards buzz and performed poorly at the box office, Isaac has continued to thrive professionally. He recently earned critical acclaim for his nuanced performance as Victor in Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein and is set to appear in the highly anticipated second season of Netflix's anthology series Beef.