Tom Wilkinson: an actor of great humanity who seldom played the lead but dominated the screen
Retrieved on:
Friday, January 5, 2024
Wilkinson seldom played the leading man, and yet he often dominated the screen.
Key Points:
- Wilkinson seldom played the leading man, and yet he often dominated the screen.
- Wilkinson’s Benjamin Franklin is a clever, witty, cantankerous extrovert, often dominating scenes because he has the most dialogue.
- In many ways, that was unusual in the characters Wilkinson portrayed (with the exception perhaps of Arthur Edens in 2007’s Michael Clayton).
Low-key roles that shine
- His homosexuality isn’t commented on by the other characters, and Wilkinson carries it with the confidence of full acceptance.
- Again, the quiet confidence in the conviction of having been born in the wrong body shines through Wilkinson’s performance.
- But in the end, it is clear that his moral compass is functioning better than that of his fellow clerics.
- His impeccable performances will be long remembered, and will serve to remind us of what we have lost in Tom Wilkinson.
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Elke Weissmann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.