One Movie Michael Keaton Says He Absolutely ‘Sucked’ In (But Not Everyone Can See His Point)

One Movie Michael Keaton Says He Absolutely ‘Sucked’ In (But Not Everyone Can See His Point)

As a longtime admirer of Michael Keaton‘s extraordinary acting career, I can’t help but be captivated by his candid admission about feeling less than stellar in Tim Burton’s “Dumbo.” It’s quite fascinating to delve into an actor’s psyche and understand their perception of their own performance.


Michael Keaton is a highly acclaimed actor who has starred in many blockbuster films that have impressed critics and raked in huge box office revenues. He’s taken on roles as iconic characters like Batman and Birdman. He’s topped the box office charts and been part of movies honored as Best Picture. It’s not an exaggeration to call him a great actor, but there was at least one instance where the actor himself felt he fell short in his performance.

Michael Keaton and Tim Burton have collaborated on multiple projects. Following their successful partnership in the initial “Beetlejuice,” Keaton appeared in both of Burton’s Batman films. As they prepare to reunite for the upcoming “Beetlejuice” sequel, Keaton admitted that there was one instance where he felt he disappointed his director and friend. Specifically, he believes he performed poorly in “Dumbo.” He expressed this sentiment to The New York Times…

I absolutely enjoy collaborating with Tim, yet I can’t pinpoint exactly why our partnership thrives; it simply does. There was a film project where I feel I fell short of expectations, and that incident still bothers me. As for Dumbo, I must admit, my performance left much to be desired – I struggled with that role significantly.

In their recent collaboration, Michael Keaton and Tim Burton teamed up for Burton’s latest production. In this project, which was Disney’s reimagining of Dumbo, Keaton portrayed the character V.A. Vandevere. This film’s villain, he acquired Dumbo as an attraction for his amusement park, but later mistreated him under his care. Previously, Burton had kick-started Disney’s successful series of live-action remakes with Alice in Wonderland, but unfortunately, Dumbo did not achieve the same level of box office success.

It’s not entirely certain what specifically Keaton feels he may have mishandled in the movie Dumbo. His portrayal as “clueless” might suggest that he didn’t fully grasp the nuances of the character he played, or perhaps he was confused about some aspect of the filmmaking process such as the visual effects.

In this scenario, one might expect that if there were issues with an actor’s performance, the director would intervene or offer assistance. However, since Tim Burton was apparently satisfied with Michael Keaton’s performance in “Beetlejuice,” it seems no such help was required. During their interview, when asked about concerns over Keaton’s acting, Burton made a straightforward denial.

I don’t even know what you’re talking about, but whatever.

As a devoted admirer, I wholeheartedly concur with Tim Burton on this particular project. Although the Dumbo live-action remake isn’t ranking high among Disney’s best or Burton’s most outstanding work, it’s Michael Keaton who truly steals the show and significantly enhances the film’s quality. Among all characters, his role is undeniably the most captivating and intriguing. Essentially, he portrays a villainous version of Walt Disney, a daring choice that only a handful of actors could effectively pull off. Michael Keaton is one such talented individual who masters this challenging part brilliantly.

If Keaton’s acting in Dumbo is lackluster, it merely underscores his exceptional talent as an actor. Despite his performance being subpar, he remains remarkably impressive.

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2024-08-28 21:07