Tom Courtenay (The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner), a sudden star in the 60s and one of the leaders of the British New Wave, suddenly retreated from film after his star turn in the Oscar-winning Dr. Zhivago.
Now he says he’s leaving the theatre and wants to concentrate on movies.
“I left film in the 60s because I became famous way too quickly and I couldn’t handle it,” says the amiable actor, here at TIFF as the co-star (with Charlotte Rampling) of 45 Years, a performance which won him a Silver Bear best actor statue at the Berlin Film Festival.
“But now I can’t bear to sit alone at home waiting to go on the stage. I don’t understand why I still get so nervous.”
I notice a book of crossword puzzles sticking out of the side of his jacket pocket. As an inveterate crossword solver myself, I express my appreciation.
“Oh,” says Courtenay. “It’s something a lot of stage actors do while they’re waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” I ask. “I thought actors only have to wait on film sets.”
“Waiting at home until curtain time,” Courtenay says. “Paul Scofield was famous for doing crosswords and so was John Gielgud.
“But,” he says slyly, “Gielgud was known to cheat.”
45 Years screens Sep 15, 3:30 pm Winter Garden Sep 16, 5 pm TIFF Bell Lightbox 1. See review.
susanc@nowtoronto.com | @susangcole
