Full disclosure, there are two things this writer needs moving forward. One, a new laptop and, two, to double check quicktime is working before recording a phoner (both items may actually be connected to one another, but I digress…). There have simply been too many interviews this season, but Tuesday afternoon was an opportunity to talk to a true artist, Kazuhiro Tsuji, and even when it doesn’t properly record we are going to make sure he gets credit where credit is due.
Now a three-time Oscar nominee after his work in “Darkest Hour,” Tsuji previous nominations were impressive work on “Norbit” and “Click.” It’s his remarkable work that transformed Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill that should finally put him the winner’s circle. And, admittedly, an honor from a part of his life he thought was over.
“Darkest Hour’s” Joe Wright on nearly quitting movies after “Pan”
As you may have heard, the famed Tsuji had decided to leave the movie business. The makeup artist’s last film was supposed to be Rian Johnson’s “Looper,” but before that assignment he’d already begun to segue into work as a full time artist. Years earlier he’d created a bust of his mentor, legendary makeup artist Dick Smith, and after its reception was committing his time to using his unique talents to create more sculptures. His work in the years since include interpretations of Andy Warhool, Frida Kahlo and Robert Crumb, among others. It was a request to meet from Oldman, however, that made him partially reconsider his decision to swear off Hollywood.
Tsuji said they had worked together “Planet of the Apes” which was sort of confusing as Oldman only starred in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” which Tsuji is not credited on. In any event, the actor wanted to collaborate for his role as Churchill in Joe Wright’s period wartime drama. Tsuji was hesitant and asked for a week to think about it, but when Oldman told him he wouldn’t do the role without him it struck a nerve (perhaps a guilt nerve, but it certainly stressed how important his contribution would be).
The Japanese born Tsuji says his least favorite part of movie making is the on set application. It weighs heavily on him both physically and mentally. A breaking point was his experience working with Jim Carrey on Ron Howard’s “The Grinch.” He describes Carrey as “insane” during filmming and there’s certainly a lot more to that story. The experience caused him to go into therapy where he realized the day to day interaction on set wasn’t healthy for him. That being said, the honor of working with Oldman and the opportunity to recreate a historical figure such as Churchill was something he simply could not say no to (one of Tsuji teenage inspirations had been a photo of Dick Smith’s Abraham Lincoln makeup in the 1985 mini-series “North and South”).