These 10 actors don’t watch the movies that they are in
It may seem pretty crazy to us, but it’s pretty common among many top actors to have never seen their own movies. But, the reasons for this vary.
Many actors are often insecure about their work and most of them don’t want to see their face projected on a movie screen to be overanalyzed and critiqued by movie critics.
Other actors worry that watching themselves on screen will somehow negatively effect future movie roles. If an actor is too critical of themselves they may become too self-aware of how they look from the outside and it may affect whether or not they take another role in the future.
You would assume that most actors would be excited to see the final product of a movie they have been spending long days and nights making, but for many professional actors that is not the case. Some actors simply enjoy acting, but not the movie itself. Once they are done shooting a production they are moving on to the next project.
Two actors that technically do watch their own films but don’t seem thrilled about it include Tom Hanks, and Robert DeNiro.
Tom Hanks was asked in an interview which one of his old movies does he enjoy to watch again:
Oh, I don’t watch any of my old movies. The one that I might watch with great affection is a little movie I directed, That Thing You Do, which I’m not in that much. I loved doing it so much that when I watch it now it still brings a smile to my face. I don’t watch my own performances – who does that? That would be madness. I’ve seen all the movies once, but I don’t need to see them again, because they don’t change.
Robert De Niro agreed and said watching himself in a movie is boring.”I don’t like to watch my own movies— I fall asleep in my own movies.” This almost seems hard to believe with cult classics like The Godfather and Taxi Driver how can you fall asleep?
Here are 10 actors that don’t watch their own movies
10. Andrew Garfield
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter for the movie Never Let Me Go, Andrew Garfield told reporters that “I haven’t actually seen the movie. I try not to.” Garfield fears that he’ll learn or see something about himself which will mess with his head. He added, “I don’t want to be aware of what I’m doing. As soon as I am, I’m less open.” However, he was pressured by the makers of The Social Network to attend a screening of the film, “They made me watch that one,” he admits.
9. Jared Leto
Jared Leto won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Dallas Buyers Club, but he probably never even saw what he looked like in the movie. Despite playing a unique and challenging role, Jared Leto said that process of making movies is different for him in comparison to other actors.
Well, the experience for me making a film is the most profound one. I really don’t have any business watching the movie so much. Maybe I could watch it for entertainment purposes, but you have so little input and control of the final product once you’re done that I feel like I just would rather leave it alone. It kind of leaves me in a place where every film I do, I’m kind of having to reinvent and figure out how to start again fresh, and hopefully not repeat myself.
8. Julianne Moore
Moore is one of those actors that is more interested in acting than filmmaking. Julianne Moore is more likely to walk the red carpet during the premiere and leave before the movie begins.
I haven’t seen any of my own movies… I can’t sit there for a premiere or anything. I like being in the movie more than I like watching them. That’s my big thrill, rather than seeing the finished product.
7. Megan Fox
Megan Fox from the Transformers movies admitted that she is really insecure about seeing herself on the big screen. Despite being a huge sex symbol she still feels vulnerable seeing herself on the big screen.
I never (look at myself), even in still photographs. I don’t look at anything. I panic if there is a monitor in the room I immediately go into like an anxiety attack. I’m insecure, I think most actors are pretty insecure.
She admitted that she did see Transformers 2. But, she admitted it took an entire glass of champagne, so that she could get through it.
6. Joaquin Phoenix
The Hollywood A-List actor known for Signs and Her, admits that he is interested in seeing what he looks like on camera. But, at the end of the day he feels that it will negatively effect him in all future productions.
I just think there’s a number of dangers in [watching yourself]. … I don’t ever really want to see myself as the camera sees me … I don’t want to watch myself. Of course, there’s a part of you that’s curious for a second, and I constantly have to tell myself, ‘No,’ because it stands a greater chance of having a negative effect on future work.
5. Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman admitted that when she was filming on a particular movie she was unable to get emotionally connected the character and feared what she would look like on screen. So instead of watching the movie, she decided to just never watch the movie at all.
I can’t look at this movie and be proud of what I’ve done. I sat there and I looked at (husband) Keith (Urban) and went, ‘Am I any good in this movie?” It’s just impossible for me to connect to it emotionally at all.
4. Harrison Ford
Despite working on some of the biggest movies in Hollywood history, Harrison Ford admitted that he has never seen his work on the Indiana Jones series.
3. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is not that interested to see how her movies turn out. Pointing out that:
I like the process of doing them more than watching them. I don’t really like to watch movies. But I love to watch Brad’s movies…
She pointed out while filming the action movie ‘Wanted’ she did not feel that connected the production to watch it.
I never like to watch myself ever. I still haven’t seen Wanted. I heard it was fun. I feel like I did something right if I can watch something and feel removed enough. I can watch this movie. I’m proud of this. I think it’s a really beautiful film. You’d have to ask Brad, but I think he likes this one.
2. Jesse Eisenberg
While promoting his new movie The Double during an appearance on The David Letterman Show, Jesse Eisenberg revealed that he hasn’t seen the movie, nor any other movie he has worked on. Just like Andrew Garfield he admitted that he was forced to watch The Social Network.
We had to go to a public screening of The Social Network at Lincoln Center, and I hated it. I mean, I know it’s a good movie because people say it, but I can’t look at my face.
But, what’s even more interesting is that he does not watch movies at all.
I’ve watched one movie in the past several years…
I just stopped watching movies altogether. So I’m not aware of anything that’s going on in the movies right now. I don’t know. I just stopped watching them.
1. Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp admitted that he has never seen any of the movies he has been in.
In a way, once my job is done on a film, it’s really none of my business. I stay as far away as I possibly can… I don’t like watching myself.
So in other words, Depp has barely seen any Tim Burton movies?
I made a choice a long time ago, that I was better off not watching my films, which is a drag because you miss out on a lot of your friends’ incredible work. But I feel like it would just harm me. I would rather stay as ignorant as possible about the result of anything because once you’re done playing that character, it’s really not your business anymore.
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