“You try to find the most interesting work for yourself, and sometimes you have choices and sometimes you don’t have choices… It’s constant work, constant doing, and constant showing up.” – Pierce Brosnan
Actor Pierce Brosnan has little left to prove to audiences after starring in four James Bond movies, two Mamma Mia! musicals, and many other popular movies, but he shows no plans to slow down, including starring in the recent Amazon Original film Cinderella and the upcoming DC Comics movie Black Adam. While speaking to Collider about his role in Cinderella, Brosnan spoke about his current career and why he continues to act in so many varied roles.
Regarding his song-and-dance performance in Cinderella, Brosnan explains that in his career he has constantly tried to vary his roles — which is why he has appeared in so many different types of movies. He explains, “Yes, absolutely, 100%. That’s why I’m an actor. I want to do everything. You want to play kings and you want to play queens. You want to play everything. I went to drama academy, which was very method-orientated, and I was led to believe that I could play anything. I’ve played many great roles. And then, there were times when I went to the board to see who I was playing, thinking I was going to be the leads, and I’d look down the list and I was playing the waiter or the messenger. How do you play the messenger and how do you still carry that within your heart, as an actor? You want to be a leading man all your life, but there comes a time to just move over and get on with the character work. At this point in my life, I’m reveling in playing the king in Cinderella, or Will Ferrell’s father in Eurovision, or Dr. Fate in Black Adam. So, it’s all going to plan.”
Brosnan realizes that he has the ability to be choosy about his roles because of the success he has had over his career. As he approaches his seventieth birthday, he is aware that he has now transitioned to “older” roles. He says, “You’ll hopefully grow into your years, as an older actor, and find work for yourself, as the wizard or the sorcerer or the king. You try to find the most interesting work for yourself, and sometimes you have choices and sometimes you don’t have choices. So, that’s where you find me and how you find me. It’s constant work, constant doing, and constant showing up.”
