The new Tonya Harding biopic is bound to be controversial for its satirical approach, but Sebastian Stan explains why comedy was essential for the Harding-Kerrigan story.
For an entire generation, the Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan scandal is basically like the female equivalent of the O.J. Simpson trial — the source of just as much sensationalism, dissection and endless fascination. Harding has long been portrayed as the villain of the story, as most retellings tend to focus on Kerrigan’s more empathetic perspective and depict Harding in an unkind light. Margot Robbie is poised to change that with a new biopic on the disgraced figure skater, and she’s found a director to bring her vision to life.
For decades, there’s been a clear delineation of roles in the Affleck clan: Ben’s the leading man, Casey’s the character actor. Ben has the perfect chin and lustrous hair, not to mention the major height advantage. (He’s almost half a foot taller than Casey, according to IMDb.) Even when Casey Affleck takes a central role in a film, it’s almost always in material that explores the unlikelihood of a guy like him becoming a hero (think The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford or Gone Baby Gone). But that’s not the case with the new historical adventure The Finest Hours. There’s nothing quirky or unconventional about Affleck’s charisma here. Even with a more traditional leading man co-anchoring the story and serving as its de facto protagonist, Affleck commands the screen with quiet, steely resolve and intense eyes. At 40 years old, he’s blossomed into a full-fledged movie star.
Director Craig Gillespie will make his triumphant return to the world of quirky, heart-felt comedy with Will Ferrell in 'Flamingo Thief' for Ben Stiller's Red Hour Films.