David Strathairn
David Strathairn
David Russell Strathairnis an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for portraying journalist Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck. He is recognized for his role as CIA Deputy Director Noah Vosen in the 2007 film The Bourne Ultimatum, a role he reprised in 2012's The Bourne Legacy. He played a prominent role as Dr. Lee Rosen on the Syfy series Alphas from 2011 to 2012 and played Secretary of State William Henry...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth26 January 1949
CitySan Francisco, CA
CountryUnited States of America
I think they were being kind saying that. Murrow read his stuff, so I had that ace in the hole. If I froze in front of the camera, I could always just look down. But George said, 'We want you looking at the camera a little bit more than reading, OK?' ... And it was scary.
In this film George presents issues that are important, essential and vital, whoever you are, about constitutional rights and the bedrock of a democracy. I am drawn to those kinds of stories because they inspire me - they are responsible to a populace and responsible to man.
It's really a presentation of life, as it was at that moment, in a really artistic way. Everything was double-sourced. George was determined to do this as a journalist.
I think George just nailed the whole thing, the whole time period, the whole look and feel of what that newsroom was like. I did a lot of research for the role and believe me, it's all pretty genuine, down to the very last cigarette butt.
I think he was honoring a lot of sentiment in the community and trying to do what was right. His choice not to have football for the remainder of that season, I think, was a very important one because he said it's important for the families to be together and grieve, and it might just be too raw a moment to have a football game out there too soon.
You kind of get pigeonholed for various reasons. One thing I didn't do in this movie (that) I regret not doing was taking a pratfall. I think, as great as Edward R. Murrow was, in terms of cinema, you've gotta honor those great clowns.
When I first saw a rough cut of it, I knew it was going to have some kind of bells and whistles.
We were actually making news. He told each of us to cover a different subject and then find something that's germane and pitch it. It was improvisational acting and it was great.
I checked out all types of tobacco trying to find one that would be easiest to live with, I ended up using pipe tobacco. It burned slower, and it wasn't as harsh on my throat... It also smelled better.
Film is our literature, so we should tell stories that are apropos of our culture, in that we can learn something about ourselves.
It's either the Amendment or this Confederate peace. You cannot have both.
If it's a role like this one, an actual live person, a legend, there's lots of material laid out.
Decisions made in real time are never perfect.
So much money and energy is expended making a film that I think it should be used for positive ends.