LOVE AND DEATH
Rainn Wilson finds light in tragic ‘Blackbird’
Rainn Wilson’s latest film isn’t just another day at the office.
The actor is part of the star-studded ensemble cast of “Blackbird,” a poignant drama about a family’s final weekend together as its matriarch battles amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Wilson, who rose to fame playing Dwight Schrute on “The Office,” stars in the new movie as goofy son-inlaw Michael, who provides much of the comedic relief but also goes on a powerful emotional journey.
“It’s a film about death, but it’s really a film about life, and it’s about family, and it’s about how precious life is,” Wilson told the Daily News. “The amount of comedy that is milked through the course of the story is pretty extraordinary.
“My character, Michael, starts as this kind of lawyer, factoid-spewing husband to Kate Winslet, and over the course of the story he really goes through some stuff and finds his voice, and finds a stronger, better way to be a husband and a father, and comes out on the other side as a slightly changed person. It’s heartbreaking, but filled with laughter along the way.”
In the movie, which comes out Friday in select theaters and on demand, Susan Sarandon’s character, Lily, decides she wants to end her battle with ALS on her own terms and plans to turn to assisted suicide after one last weekend with her loved ones.
Drama ensues at the family reunion, however, as old issues rise to the surface between Lily’s daughters, played by Winslet and Mia Wasikowska.
“There’s a lot of weird, funny things that happen when you’re experiencing grief,” Wilson, 54, said. “It’s part of the human experience. That’s why I really want people to see this film. It’s just the most human film I’ve ever been a part of.”
Wilson, who attended NYU, broke into the entertainment industry with the goal of becoming a stage actor and spent the first decade of his career doing theater in New York. He enjoys taking on both comedic and dramatic roles, and with “Blackbird,” he got to do both.
“For me, it’s not about comedy or drama. It’s just about characters,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s a Shakespeare play, or a Eugene O’Neill play, or a new play, or a comedy or a TV show, how do you transform yourself to be the character that needs to be there to say those lines and help tell that story? That’s what an actor’s job is, and that was what my training was in.
“I had some success with Dwight, but before Dwight, I played a more dramatici role on ‘Six Feet Under.’ So I’ve done comedy and drama my whole life,” he continued. “I’ll probably always be best known for Dwight, but at the end of the day, I hope people will appreciate my range as an actor and the life I brought to all the different roles.”
Ahead of its wide release, “Blackbird” began playing in select theaters with “sneak peak” screenings on Monday and Tuesday.
Wilson believes “Blackbird” is an inspiring story.
“This is a film that is uplifting,” Wilson said. “It’s just about the rich, beautiful, loving human experience.”