Having begun his career as Jimmy in the 1978 movie Team Mates, James Spader has been working solidly for over four decades. While his earlier roles were typical of a good looking leading man in the 1980s, Spader has since become more focussed on playing eccentric characters. Currently starring as the lead on hit TV show The Blacklist, Spader has now been working on that project for nine seasons and it is arguably now the role he is most associated with. Bets at online casinos australia would suggest that the general public first became aware of James Spader when he played the villainous Steff in Pretty in Pink. However, James Spader’s first big movie role was in the 1985 drama Tuff Turf alongside Robert Downey Jr.
James Spader’s 80s back catalogue includes Pretty in Pink, Mannequin and Baby Boom. These aforementioned roles were well acted, but fairly run of the mill and certainly not controversial. If we fast forward to 1989, that is when James Spader truly became noticed for playing a complex character. In Sex, Lies and Videotape Spader was cast in the lead role of Graham Dalton and under the direction of Steven Soderbergh, James Spader would garner critical acclaim for his performance, winning the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Many movies followed for James Spader during the 90s, each coming with varying degrees of success. A running theme however would be that the majority of the parts Spader would chose had some element of eccentricity or strangeness about them. For me, it was in the early 2000s that Spader would really come into his own, playing the charming, hilarious, intelligent and sometimes slightly disturbing Alan Shore on both The Practice as well as its spin-off Boston Legal. His chemistry with William Shatner in that particular series was nothing short of spectacular.
More recently, James’ role as Raymond “Red” Reddington in The Blacklist has really captivated TV audiences. The show manages to be interesting and even complex at times, but is also a relatively easy enjoyable watch. Due to the popularity of The Blacklist, Spader’s movie career has stalled somewhat, but he strikes me as the kind of guy who could not give a damn!
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