Notable Roles:Tito - "Living in Oblivion"
Benson Hedges - "The Baxter"
Peter - "Death at a Funeral"
Frank - "Death at a Funeral"
Why He's Awesome:
Hollywood tends to turn little people into jokes. Warwick Davis has been an ewok and a mythical creature. Danny Woodburn uses his size as a punchline. Peter Dinklage is a little person known more for his acting than his physical size. This all started with his break out role in "Living in Oblivion." With the class that makes him famous, he declared the ridiculousness of how filmmakers treat dwarves.
Recently, he's had a big come back. As the wedding planner in "The Baxter," his prissiness is without compare. The crowning jewel on his resume is the role no one else can play. When Chris Rock and Co. remade "Death at a Funeral," the only actor to return from the original was Dinklage. No one can match wits with a huge cast of comedians than the king of the little actors.
With luck and some social progress, we might even star respecting him as the leading man he would be if he were a foot taller.
You'd Be Surprised to Learn:
As a vegetarian, he eats tofu when a role requires on-screen meat eating.
Check out his imdb page.
Hey man, I am a big fan of Peter--especially his role as Tyrion Lannister. But, as a cousin of Danny Woodburn, I know for a fact that he has pioneered for better, "human" roles for Little People -- and to not have to be a punchline all the time.
ReplyDeleteI remember him telling me at the beginning of his career how he managed to get a script altered involving Frank Zappa calling him a "midget." He's written memorable Op-ed pieces for the Huffington Post against the marginalization of little people by Rosie O'Donnell and has even "schooled" Roger Ebert on the disparaging remarks that critics and viewers alike dole out toward people with dwarfism in films. To his credit, Ebert was very civil and engaging.
Jason,
ReplyDeleteI meant no disrespect to Mr. Woodburn. I loved him on "Seinfeld," and believe it or not, I loved "Death to Smoochy," which he was great in.
This was not a piece with any sort of political or social agenda, so I stayed focused on the quality of the work. My intention was not to belittle anyone. In fact, I used him as one of my examples because I do respect him as an actor, and by referring to him specifically, I make it clear just how good I think Peter Dinklage is.
Tell your cousin I think he's great, and if you commented because he, himself, read it and was offended, please extend my sincerest apologies.