If you're a great character actor, you've probably sat behind a desk in a Coen Brothers movie

Authored by news.avclub.com and submitted by BunyipPouch
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The Coen Brothers have an eye for talent. Frances McDormand, Oscar Isaac, and Hailee Steinfeld scored their breakout roles in the duo’s films, and the filmmakers have made routine collaborators out of the esteemed likes of George Clooney, Scarlett Johannson, Jeff Bridges, Billy Bob Thornton, and Holly Hunter. But the well of talent rounding out the fringes of their reels runs deep—character actors you know without being able to name are all over their filmography, and they’re usually sitting behind desks.

Thankfully, a website now exists to help you identify those very actors, from the prolific likes of Leon Russom (Lebowski’s Malibu police chief) and Edward Herrmann (Intolerable Cruelty’s Rex Rexroth) to late Homicide star Jon Polito and Barry’s Stephen Root, the latter of whom boast multiple appearances in Coen fare. Others, like Steve Buscemi and F. Murray Abraham, are more well-known commodities, while a few of the faces, like Raising Arizona’s Ralph Norton, count their experience with the Coens as their only onscreen role.

If anything, the site serves as a testament to how good the Coens are at finding the perfect oddball to turn even the most transitionary of shots into something memorably idiosyncratic.

waynechriss on December 1st, 2019 at 20:12 UTC »

There's an Every Frame A Painting video that made mention that many scenes of characters, especially those behind desks, were shot with wide angle lenses so the viewer can get a glimpse into the character's surroundings. Its a minor but great use of environmental storytelling to give a read on their personalities, how they work or how they live.

SteamrollerAssault on December 1st, 2019 at 20:08 UTC »

J.K. Simmons behind a desk for the final scene in Burn After Reading was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in a movie theatre.

EDIT: Do yourselves a favour and avoid watching this scene before seeing the rest of the movie.

GiffordConfirmed on December 1st, 2019 at 17:04 UTC »

In casting they use two key strategies. Either they cast an unknown with an interesting look, or use a well-known actor in a minor role. Exaggerated costumes, mannerisms, and distinct mood is another trick. The Coen Brothers have mastered making minor characters feel as important as the main characters.