A complete stranger director James Mangold explained why it was so important to include Johnny Cash as a central figure in his new Bob Dylan biopic. Based on the 2015 book Dylan goes electric! Mangold's latest biographical drama features Dune Timothée Chalamet as a young Dylan throughout his early career as a folk singer, and traces the controversy that arose from his eventual switch to electric guitars. Having previously covered Cash's life in his 2005 biopic Walk the line, Mangold has now cast his frequent collaborator Boyd Holbrook as his latest on-screen Man in Black.
Talking to Forbes ahead of A complete stranger Released in the US, Mangold explains why it was important to return to Cash after having already told his story with Joaquin Phoenix in the role. Suggesting that the deeper he delved into Dylan's story, it became apparent that Cash needed to play a pivotal role as a figure Dylan admired and wanted to imitate. Furthermore, Mangold also suggests that the Cash portrayed in his last film is a much later version of the charactercompared to the largely origin-focused story told in Walk the line. Check out their comments below:
The deeper I got into working on the script, the clearer it became that he played an important role, representing and shaping a point of view because Johnny had a band. One of my favorite moments in this film is an almost silent one, when Johnny Cash takes the stage for the first time in Newport in 1964. This scene follows Johnny and the Tennessee Three on stage, and you hear their boots against the wooden boards of the stage. The camera pans and finds Bob; he's looking at them with adoration and admiration as the band passes by, and it was an attempt to capture exactly what Bob described to me, which was the longing for that kind of camaraderie, to be on a team, to maybe be the leader of a team. where you guys went out and did work together.
That was the main reason why I felt Johnny should be in the film, even though I had already made a film about him. In a weird way, as a writer and director, everyone is so aware of branding in their careers, and I try not to be aware of it at all. I needed Johnny Cash in this movie. It occurred to me, 'Wow, I've already done that,' but then I went back to it and said, 'I need him in this movie because he plays a significant role.' The part of his life that we are representing is a little different because Walk the line it was mostly an origin story. Boyd is someone I've worked with several times. I think he's an incredible actor. Since we are only focusing on him in his later period, we would have these two sides of Johnny, both real. Bob also sees a little cautionary tale about stardom, his loneliness, and the fact that this problem isn't necessarily solved just by having a band.
Holbrook has huge shoes to fill
Ranked high on Phoenix's vast list of critically acclaimed performances, 2005 Walk the line was widely praised by audiences and critics. It would also earn its star a number of award nominations and other accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. As such, Holbrook certainly has his work cut out for himfollowing in Phoenix's footsteps.
Although Holbrook is said to be playing Cash at a much later point in his career than what formed the focus of Mangold's previous musical biopic, comparisons between the two versions of the character are largely unavoidable. However, Mangold's assertion that audiences will see a different side of his character compared to Phoenix's version could serve to work in the film's favor, while also ensuring that the film's focus remains firmly fixed on Dylan's Chalamet.
Our Take on Mangold Recasting Johnny Cash With Holbrook
Not bringing Pheonix back was the right decision
Given the overwhelming response to Phoenix's tenure as Cash in Walk the linemany audience members may wonder why Mangold didn't take advantage of the opportunity to have his former protagonist return for this latest film. However, Phoenix is not just now too old to play a convincing Johnny Cash in the early 1960sbut the enigmatic nature of his return would likely have significantly detracted from the story Mangold wanted to tell.
Previously admitting that he is not a fan of “multi-film universe building,” despite his continued participation in some of pop culture’s biggest franchises, Mangold appears to have moved closer A complete stranger as a completely separate project and had no inclination to build tenuous connections with his previous film. In fact, this approach appears to be paying off, with early reviews already generating considerable Oscar buzz for the film and its performances.
Source: Forbes