Are actors wasted in Marvel movies?
“Black Widow” streams on Disney+, and arrives in theaters today as well. A sequel of sorts to some “Captain America” thing I wouldn’t have been caught dead watching, it’s a Marvel movie remarkable for the number of interesting actors in its cast. They include Scarlett Johansson (“Ghost World,” “Lost in Translation”), Florence Pugh (“Midsommar,” “Little Women”), David Harbour (“Stranger Things”), William Hurt (“Altered States,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman”) and Rachel Weisz (“The Favourite”).
The appearance of “serious” actors in throwaway comic book projects is hardly new. When “Apocalypse Now” finally debuted in 1979, director Francis Ford Coppola was criticized for its excessive cost. I recall an interview where he defended it as a serious film and not some movie about “a jerk in tights,” alluding to the 1978 “Superman” adaptation, starring two Coppola veterans, Marlon Brando (“The Godfather”) and Gene Hackman (“The Conversation”), both handsomely paid for campy performances. Note: “Superman” was directed by Richard Donner, who died Monday. Donner also directed the “Twilight Zone” episode “Nightmare at 30,000 Feet,” starring William Shatner.
Everybody has a right to seek big paydays. But some have begun to grumble about the good movies and series such actors might be making instead of being consumed by green screens, special effects and insipid dialogue.
Conversely, one could also argue that Marvel money enables some performers to appear in and even bankroll more interesting projects. Years ago, Steve Buscemi won an Independent Spirit Award for a small art-house project. He began his acceptance speech by saying, “I want to thank Jerry Bruckheimer.” He went on to explain that money from films like “Con Air” allowed him to pursue the movies he wanted to make.
› The “new” series “Secret Celebrity Renovation” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) recalls two memorable quotes. Humorist Fred Allen, whose radio stardom was eclipsed by the rise of TV, bitterly remarked that “Imitation is the sincerest form of television.” Legend has it that Pablo Picasso said, “Lesser artists borrow; great artists steal.”
Nobody is going to call “Secret Celebrity Renovation” great art, but it reflects ideas clearly purloined from HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU.” In both series, the famous and semi-famous offer a surprise home makeover as a way of paying back “the little people” who helped them back in the day.
Over the course of its short summer run, “Secret Celebrity Renovation” will showcase acts of gratitude from game show host Wayne Brady, singer and former “Idol” host Paula Abdul, singer-songwriter Lauren Alaina, NFL star and TV sports analyst Boomer Esiason, recording artist Eve, Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family”), Boston Rob Mariano (“Survivor”), NBA All-Star Chris Paul, singer and actor Anthony Ramos and NFL Hall of Famer and “Dancing With the Stars” veteran Emmitt Smith.
The connections to series past don’t end with the “celebrities.” The makeovers will be overseen by Jason Cameron (“Man Caves,” “While You Were Out”) and interior designer Sabrina Soto (“Design Star,” “Trading Spaces”). Nischelle Turner (“Entertainment Tonight”) hosts.