Lee Grinner Pace
March 25, 1979 (Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA)
"I find that the best way into things is to open my heart up to it and
allow it to be as truthful and honest as I can be, and I can make it.
It’s hard to do that; it’s hard to open yourself up to something.”
Ah, another glorious day on the corner when I get to shamelessly appreciate the shit out of the brilliance that is Lee Pace. He is incredibly talented and for some strange reason he still didn't have his big break in Hollywood. He is able to play the most charming heroes and the most horrible villains, plus he has the good looks and charm of the leading man.
Lee's first major role was that of Calpernia Addams, transgender performer, in Soldier's Girl. That work, which I claim had it been in feature film would bring him major award recognition (I encourage all of you to see this important film), put him on the map. Lee also stared in hugely popular TV series Pushing Daisies, but as for movie work, though he appeared in many well known films, he is yet to gain the proper recognition.
He played the lead in well known The Fall and appeared briefly in Tom Ford's brilliant A Single Man. Last year he appeared in three huge movies - Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn, part 2 where he played hot vampire Garrett, Lincoln, where he delivered show stealing performance as Fernando Wood and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, where we briefly saw him as Legolas's father, King Thranduil. I'm given to understand his part will be bigger in next two films in the series.
I'm hoping after The Hobbit movies we will see more of him (and Richard Armitage, for God's sakes) in films. He has proven time and time again that he is gifted and versatile and his magnetism never lets you take your eyes off the screen.
10 best performances:
Pushing Daisies
Infamous
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
The Fall
Wonderfalls
Ceremony
10 best films:
Soldier's Girl
Pushing Daisies
Lincoln
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
The Fall
Infamous
Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn, part 2
Possession
5 most outrageous things that happened to Lee:
- The cancellation of Pushing Daisies
- Omitting him in the list of actors nominated for SAG ensemble for Lincoln
- Not choosing him to appear in Guardians of Galaxy
- Not telling him to be shirtless in Twilight (oh, come on!!!)
- Screwing up which led to The Resident and Possession being direct-to-video releases
10 fun facts:- Lee has a white-haired pointer named Carl who Lee says is the most impressive thing in his life.
- Lost 25 pounds for his role in Soldier's Girl.
- Loves to travel.
- Good friends with Matt Bomer. Both have circled parts in The Normal Heart. Pace was directed by Joel Grey in his debut on Broadway on 2011, while Bomer is set to be directed by Ryan Murphy in the TV-edition due 2014.
- Portrays a paraplegic in The Fall, but director Tarsem Singh decided to keep almost the entire cast and crew under the impression that Pace also suffered from it in real life. A makeup artist walked into a room to find Pace standing and almost passed out from shock.
- He is two years younger than Orlando Bloom, despite playing the father, King Thranduil, to Bloom's character Legolas in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
- “Lee wasn’t working that day, so he was just lounging. He’s 6’4”, so he’s a lot of boy, and he was wearing cowboy boots. I was kind of staring at him, because he painted such a picture, and the director came over, and I was completely in this land of admiring Lee. And Bharat [Nalluri] goes over and tells him, ‘Can you leave the set? Amy’s distracted by your masculinity.’ I was so mortified. But he’s so much fun, too. He’s got such a zest for life. He’s a really good actor. So that’s my gush about Lee Pace. I hope I’m not blushing.” - Amy Adams, on the set of Miss Pettigrew
- Lee’s favorite actor is Daniel Day-Lewis. Lee used to go to the same coffee shop as Daniel in New York City just so he could see him.
- In high school, Lee attended the senior prom every year, taking a different girl every time.
- If Lee could could bring back anyone to life (as his character can on Pushing Daisies) it would be his grandmother.
You can watch part of the preview here. I don't think I'll survive this movie.RELATED POSTS:
Oh my word... [thud}
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Ok, um now that I'm back on my chair again [dust off self] What a lovely man. My faves roles are Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and The Fall, and hopefully The Hobbit Part II & III :D
He's perhaps the only American actor who really got my heart go pit-a-pat.
I just can't wait for him and Thorin to clash. They both hate each other so much and I'm sure there will be more than one intense and hilarious staredown :P
DeleteI think he is also the only American actor in The Hobbit! :)
WOW, I didn't realize he's the only American actor in The Hobbit, but you're right!! I somehow thought he was a Brit or Aussie when I first saw him in The Fall, I dunno why but usually when I like an actor, he almost always turns out to be NON-American, ahah.
DeleteI think it's pretty cool Jackson chose him for The Hobbit, I heard he is a fan of The Fall and that's where he noticed Lee :)
DeleteI LOVE Jackson's taste in men, er I mean actors to cast in his movies. I think he said he liked Spooks too, and that's when he noticed Richard. Man, what I'd do just to hang out on the set for a day, I'll be the water lady for free!!
DeleteOh, Spooks...I'm watching it slowly - it is so intense and Richard is shirtless waaaay too often for the well being of my mental health :)
DeleteMe too! Hell, I'd even pay them money for that :P
Actually, even evangaline is americanš¤ (tauriel)
DeleteI don't know why but the prom girl thing has gotten me very excited :P
ReplyDeleteOh he's so pretty. I love him and I love Ned.
It's so cute that he did that *hearts instead of pupils in my eyes*
DeleteThis guy seems like a good dude. I caught the first few episodes of Pushing Daisies and remember him being charming.
ReplyDeleteI could deal with his meteoric rise, if that's in the cards.
Pushing Daisies is so cute! He is charming indeed and we need more charming leading men, most of them seem like overconfident jerks these days.
DeleteYes, I must send him the best wishes on this day! I could go on and rave about him, but I shall not spam :)
ReplyDeleteHowever, I will say that I'm not concerned, about him not getting the part in "Guardians of the Galaxy". After all, Christian Bale was turned down for "Batman Forever". A decade later, Bale won a much better part, and rest is history, full of adoration and critical acclaim.
That's a good point :) Another is Henry Cavill, he was up for many big roles, but he was never chosen and now he is Superman :)
DeleteDo I sense a slight...affection for Mr. Pace? ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat write-up! Lots of cool tidbits.
Oh, my affection for him is anything but slight :)
DeleteThank you! ^^
I thought he was exceptional in The Fall...such a brilliantly fleshed out performance!
ReplyDeleteHe was so great, no wonder Jackson cast him in The Hobbit after seeing that :)
DeleteI remember him from Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Pretty hot alright! I think pretty guy when playing an elf can be too cute :)
ReplyDeleteHe seems to be yelling A LOT in the next Hobbit movie :) I think it will be really fun with the elves being so dramatic :)
DeleteI don't remember his role in A Single Man, but I enjoyed his performance in Lincoln. I really need to watch The Fall. I keep putting it off, so I'll have to finally watch it soon.
ReplyDeleteHe was there for maybe 5 minutes as one of the teachers in Firth's school. I kept putting it off too, but it's worth seeing, one of the best looking movies I've seen.
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