How Gary Oldman almost missed out on a career-defining role

Before Gary Oldman made a name for himself in Hollywood, he could be seen in many British productions that would prepare him for a career as one of the film industry’s most heralded stars. From the rude skinhead Coxy in Mike Leigh’s Meantime to the notorious Sex Pistols member in Sid and Nancyit didn’t take the actor long to receive widespread acclaim.

His career exploded in the 1990s, with Oldman often landing villainous roles, such as Count Dracula in Bram Stoker’s Draculathe horrendous pimp Drexl in True Romanceand the terrifying Norman, a corrupt DEA agent, in Leon: The Professional. Oldman mastered the ability to play mentally unhinged, reckless, and violent characters so well, illuminating many movies with his bold and intense performances.

Oldman soon landed several franchise roles, such as playing James Gordon in The Dark Knight trilogy and Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series, elevating his star power even further. Despite often landing a certain kind of role, Oldman has had a rather varied career, lending himself to movies as wide-reaching as Kung Fu Panda 2, A Christmas Carol, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Lack.

The actor has also tried his hand at directing, helming the brutal Nil By Mouthwhich starred Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke. With many awards, including an Oscar for ‘Best Actor’ to his name, Oldman has clearly had a very impressive career. Yet, that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t still experienced self-doubt and insecurity. There was a time when Oldman felt so anxious about a performance that he had to seek medical help, almost losing out on a role that would earn him his first Academy Award nomination.

In 2011, Oldman earned lots of acclaim for his role in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spybased on John Le Carré’s novel. As George Smiley, he played a secret agent, a very smart and modest character who the author created to stand in opposition to James Bond. Over the years, Smiley has been played by various actors, such as Alec Guinness and James Mason, and Oldman was rather intimidated by the lineage of fantastic actors he was mentally competing against.

Thus, he sent himself down a spiral that forced him to seek medical help. He told The Guardian“I panicked and I got stage fright. Bone crushing. Yeah, calling the doctor to help my life. I was in pieces. My life was falling apart…I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep… I just said, ‘I’ve got to get on a plane, I’ve got to go home. I can’t even relax in my hotel room. How am I going to walk on a set and remember these lines?’”

Oldman proved that despite his status in Hollywood, becoming afraid of your ability to master a difficult role can significantly destroy your confidence at any stage in your career. “And another thing, I called a doctor …Yeah, and he gave me a little tablet, and after a few days, it started to calm me down,” Oldman added. Luckily, he went ahead with the movie, directed by Tomas Alfredson, and was widely praised for his performance.

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