Yahoo Lifestyle Guy Pearce Realizes 'I Hate What I Did' in Christopher Nolan's “Memento”: 'I'm S--- in That Movie'
The Australian actor recently rewatched the 2000 thriller and was not a fan of his performance
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Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby in 'Memento'Guy Pearce does not look back on his performance in Christopher Nolan’s Memento fondly.
“I watched Memento the other day, and I’m still depressed. I’m s--- in that movie,” Pearce, 57, tells The Sunday Times of his performance in the 2000 thriller. “While it was playing, I realized I hate what I did.”
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Guy Pearce attends the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on Jan. 5, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California.In the film, Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, an ex-insurance investigator who tries to find the man that raped and murdered his wife. However, Shelby suffers from a rare form of memory loss. He remembers what happened before the incident but doesn’t know what happened 15 minutes ago.
The Brutalist actor adds: “I was trying to do a flippant attitude but it was all wrong. John Gielgud once said, ‘You can be good in a good movie, good in a bad movie, bad in a bad movie, but never be bad in a good movie.’ Yet I watched Memento and realized I’m bad in a good movie. F---!”
The Australian actor’s comments come after a Vanity Fair interview in December where he spoke about a Warner Bros. executive who was bitter.
“There was an executive at Warner Bros. who quite openly said to my agent, ‘I don’t get Guy Pearce. I’m never going to get Guy Pearce. I’m never going to employ Guy Pearce,’ the actor told the magazine. “It meant I could never work with Chris.”
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Christopher Nolan attends the 2024 EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 18, 2024 in London.Today, Pearce realizes why: “It’s because I’m no good in Memento.”
Pearce reflected on how the performance compares to his other roles.
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“It’s funny; people say I should’ve been nominated for Memento. Now I understand why I wasn’t,” he says. “I’m pleased with L.A. Confidential, but I look at this and go, ‘Oof! Nails on a chalkboard!’ If I reckon my performance in Neighbours is two out of 10, Memento is a five.”
Pearce was also in talks for roles in several of Nolan's other films including The Prestige and Batman, but the roles ultimately went to other actors.
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