Richard Jenkins

He is a recognizable face, we have seen him many times in secondary roles, which he executes with enviable professionalism. He’s not the hottie on duty, but the guy is well planted, he stands 1.85 meters tall. Richard Jenkins was born on May 4, 1947 in Dekalb, a town located in Illinois, United States. He studied at Wesleyan University and did a theater program at Indiana State College; there he was trained under Harold Guskin, an important influence on his career.

A true type, he has managed to reconcile his artistic career and family life. He attests to this his marriage since 1969 with Sharon R. Frederick, with whom he has two children. And of course his wife is a good adviser, according to the actor himself, who says that when he received the script for The Visitor – for which the director, Thomas McCarthy , ruled out Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman themselves – “I told him To my wife, who usually doesn’t read scripts because she says they never turn out the same as they are written, to please read it. When she asked me why, I said, ‘because I want you to tell me if it’s as good as I think.’ I didn’t trust myself, I thought it couldn’t be that good, but she read it and she said, ‘yeah it’s that good.’”

Jenkins says that seeing Michael Caine in Alfie was the boost he needed to decide to become an actor. And he would display his acting talent on stage for fifteen years, at the Trinity Repertory Company of Rhode Island, New York, in indisputable works such as “Waiting for Godot”, “Macbeth”, “American Buffalo”, “Of Mice and Men”. ..

As far as the screen is concerned, the actor started in the small in 1974, in telefilms of little interest. And although the roles they gave him were minimal, he had to have something, so that Lawrence Kasdan signed him for Silverado in 1985, Woody Allen for Hannah and her sisters the following year, and George Miller for The Witches of Eastwick immediately after. Yes, his work in Rhode Island hadn’t gone completely unnoticed. Someone must have thought that he was a good fit in thrillers, since he chained a few in the 80s, such as Deadly Toy , Spies Without Identity and Melody of Seduction., in addition to the fact that he intervened in a couple of episodes of the Miami Vice series . But in addition to being a sufferer, he had the face of a comedian, or else he fit both. This was understood by the Farrelly brothers, who recruited him for titles like There’s Something About Mary and Me, Myself and Irene , and other little brothers, the Coens, with whom he has made The Man Who Wasn’t There , Intolerable Cruelty , and more recently, Burn after reading ; instead he did not play the role of William H. Macy in Fargo , although he did test; his lucky break was yet to come. Other comedies featuring him includeBeware the Blues Family , It Can Happen to You , Flirting with Disaster , and What Planet Are You From? , House of Twelve , Dick and Jane: Laughing Thieves and Naked Brothers .

But in reality, Jenkins is an actor who works just as well for a torn as for a torn one, the professional classic, intense in his compositions and at the same time content, who puts all his energy into even the most bland film, aware that he must bring the chickpeas to home. So he’s been in dramas ( In Men’s Land ), and even science fiction ( The Core ). And in his resume he has collaborations with Sydney Pollack ( Whims of Fate ), David O. Russell ( Strange Coincidences ), Rob Reiner ( They say around there…). And his face sounds, although it would be difficult to identify him due to an unforgettable composition… until the television series Six Feet Under arrived , and his role as an undertaker who died in the first episode, but had spectral or flash appearances -back, from time to time, lingers in the memory of the moviegoer. And of course, The Visitor , masterful composition of a gray university professor, who has become a “living corpse”, until his encounter with an immigrant couple changes his life. A very heartfelt role, rich in nuances, where the actor even demonstrates his ability with the ‘djemba’, some African bongos where he gives free rein to his sense of rhythm.

Will this first starring role in his career mean a before and after? Hopefully, the actor deserves it. What is clear is that he does not lower his guard, and he currently has a lot of projects underway… as a secondary, at least apparently. Worthy of note are Dear John , directed by Lasse Hallström , and The Rum Diary , where he will accompany Johnny Depp , a good opportunity to let himself be seen a little more.