Will The Real Gary Oldman Please Stand Up
Maybe I have some problems with the part of my brain that identifies people. Maybe this part of the brain is limited to a handful of people. Of course I think this disability is directly related to Gary Oldman. I am really starting to think I have a condition, a condition I like to call:
Oldmanidentisis
There may be some of you suffer this very affliction. If you have the inability to indentify Gary Oldman when you see him, then maybe you suffer from Oldmanidentisis. For most of you it is not a debilitating disability, but for me, I pride myself on being able to notice actors and connect them with other actors and projects they have done. I pick up on all of the subtle nuances that a filmmaker adds to a film. As I like to say: “I watch the movie good.”
But for some reason I cannot identify Gary Oldman when I see him.
Last night I went to see “The Dark Knight” with a large chunk of my Dork crew. I am not going to ramble on about the film, or give my opinion, I will leave that up to another Dork to post about. As we were watching the film and the character Jim Gordon came on the screen, I leaned over to Robin and said “That dude looks like the Kokanee Ranger.” What I should have said was “Gary Oldman looks like the Kokanee Ranger.” [sorry to all of you that have not seen the Kokanee commercials you may not get this reference; it's a Canadian thing.]
It wasn’t until the end of the movie when I saw the credits and I realized that it was in fact Gary Oldman. I understand that he played the same role in “Batman Begins,” but again I must have not noticed him.
The actor Gary Oldman is an enigma to me (and to those that are afflicted with Oldmanidentisis).
I do not think there is any treatment for this condition. I am screwed. I am going to live my whole life not being able to identify Gary Oldman. I just hope that I am not the only one with Oldmanidentisis. Maybe it’s just me, but the images above do not look like the same person. Am I going crazy or is Oldmanidentisis really affecting my ability to watch Gary Oldman movies?
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Jul 20th, 2008 at 4:53 am
Maybe it should be called Prosoldmagnosia… (Prosopagnosia being the term psychologists use to describe the inability to recognize faces).
Jul 28th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. For about 10 years there I was pretty sure no one knew what Gary Oldman actually looked like. Even now when I see him out of character I am sometimes convinced its just another disguise
Aug 19th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
It just goes to show how amazing he is as an actor. I had forgotten he had played Dracula. Also I used to have the same problem with Tim Curry. From Demon to Tranny to Mad scientist he always makes me take a second look.
Aug 19th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
My gf is a huuuuuge Gary Oldman fan. When she told me he was in the 5th Element, I didn’t believe her until I looked it up. And I never knew he was Commissioner Gordon until the 2nd movie either.
Spoots last blog post..Thrall’s Crib
Aug 19th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
surely that’s a mark of a good actor though, if he can make you forget about themselves and concentrate fully on the character whether that be through how they look or by their acting
Aug 20th, 2008 at 2:18 am
Truly this is what separates the men from the boys. Only the best of us can pick him out in a makeup-ed crowd. Seriously tho, I think he does this on purpose. So many actors with distinctive features like his get type-cast, but he’s figured it out…disguises! It keeps him fresh, like a tomato. Yes, like a fresh tomato.
Aug 20th, 2008 at 7:01 am
I can’t identify Natalie Portman. And that’s even more terrible.
Aug 21st, 2008 at 7:39 am
@Zeno: I’m with you on Natalie Portman as well. I quite often get her mixed up with Keira Knightley
Aug 25th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Zeno, The White,
I’m the exact same!! Can’t remember which film i was watching (coulda been V for Vendetta, when Portman’s head was shaved, and i was thinkin ‘damn, keira got proper hot all of a sudden!!’
a few days later it dawned on me….
Aug 28th, 2008 at 3:13 am
Oh my gosh I feel the same way! He’s such a chameleon!
Aug 28th, 2008 at 6:31 am
lets not forget he was also the guy without a face in the silence of the lambs sequel
Aug 28th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
The reason why it’s hard to notice Gary Oldman is because he does such an amazing job of immersing himself in his characters/roles. I still can’t believe that he plays the villain in “The 5th Element.”
Aug 28th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Maybe he’s here’s right now, in disguise and we don’t know about it!
*looks around* Gary, you there?
Aug 28th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I have this problem with Johnny Depp.
Aug 29th, 2008 at 3:11 am
I find him very attractive and therefore never have a problem recognizing him. However there are several character actors I have the same remembering problem with.
Aug 29th, 2008 at 5:06 am
I just now realized that he played the villain in the Fifth Element and Bram Stroker’s Dracula. I thought this article was hilarious because I was watching Air Force One the other day and all of a sudden I said to myself, “Holy S***! is that Gary Oldman?”
Aug 29th, 2008 at 5:17 am
I agree with Happy Fhantum. Only really good actors get their audience to not recognize their faces.
Aug 29th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Hi I have never had a problem before now, but i did not immediately recognise him in Batman, Do you think I may have early symptoms of Oldmanidentitis?
by the way, his sister plays Mo in the soap Eastenders…
Aug 29th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
I usually pick up on Oldman, but it took me a while in The Contender. Good movie with an excellent cast.
Aug 30th, 2008 at 12:44 am
I have been saying this since Prisoner of Azkaban came out. I said, “Gary Oldman? Who is that?”
Aug 30th, 2008 at 1:06 am
You ever see him in Hannibal? Crazy stuff.
Aug 31st, 2008 at 7:27 pm
I didn’t really feel that way until I saw Batman. Then I was just like, “what the hell?” I’m not sure I’m comfortable saying he’s just such an amazing actor that he disappeared behind a character completely. I feel like Morgan Freeman and Dustin Hoffman are good actors, and you always know it’s them. I think maybe Oldman is just one of those people with a “everyman” face.
TDK was really messed up. I didn’t know who the hell that was.
Sep 1st, 2008 at 3:45 am
Oh I can never spot the Oldman. I thought I was the only one! Goodness, it actually is a legitimate disorder!
Sep 1st, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I can now happily add Tom Cruise into this category. For those of you who have seen Tropic Thunder, you know what I’m talking about. It took me about 10 minutes before I realized who I was watching.
And I can’t believe nobody has equated Oldman with his greatest achievement, Lost In Space.
Sep 1st, 2008 at 9:54 pm
@Robin: Check out the collage I made in the post. It has a Lost in Space pic in there. Of course I think the only reason Oldman did Lost in Space was to get a good look at the ‘now growing up’ rack of Lacey Chabert.
…that gives me a another post idea!
Sep 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 am
spanks you
Sep 3rd, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Dear God I can’t believe I forgot the whole Lost in Space gig. That movie was badass. It didn’t get very good reviews. It looks like I too suffer from Oldmanidentisis.
Sep 5th, 2008 at 4:37 am
Gary Oldman is the greatest. He’s my favorite ever. I’ve always had Oldmanidentisis, for as long as I can remember.
Sep 16th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
man he’s a legend. i can’t say i’ve ever hated a movie he was in.
Dec 7th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I HAVE THIS TOO! Always thought there was something wrong with me, I think he’s a great actor but I always takes me ages to recognise him. Even just now, after reading the headline, I looked at the photo with the name Gary Oldman at the forefront of my brain, and for a brief second thought “did Paddy Considine lose weight?”. Thank you internet for reassuring me I am not alone.
I was recently astounded to be told he was the guy in Hannibal, but to be fair he was heavily made up. A role no-one seems to have mentioned though… “I found the Picture! Why’d you have a Picture of Paulette in your Pack?”
Dec 7th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Ahahaha I know what you mean. I’m the same. I might even read the movie poster beforehand and see that he’s in it, and make a conscious effort to spot him, yet still don’t manage. >_>
I was thinking this exact thing when I left the cinema after Dark Knight. I was hammering my brain to think who he was when I saw his name in the credits. So I googled him, saw the cop, and facepalmed. XD
Dec 8th, 2008 at 4:50 am
Brilliant actor and yes I have to do double takes when it comes to him since he has a way of being in so many movies I love yet his characters are so different than one another.
Dec 9th, 2008 at 1:23 am
i can identify gary oldman in any movie i see him in. just look at the shape of his eyes and you’ll know it’s him.
my advice is to pay close attention to his eyes
Dec 11th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Seriously? He was the guy in Hannibal?! How did I miss that?! Even if he was made up, I am a dedicated credit-watcher and I STILL missed him.
Dec 11th, 2008 at 6:10 am
i never recognize gary oldman either… amazing. maybe there’s hope for humans after all!
Dec 12th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
3 words Sid and Nancy. Gary became Sid Vicous, it is the Oldman fave i see when i think of Sid now.
Dec 12th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
face lol
Dec 13th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
It’s because he was totally photoshooped; I would know, I’ve seen a few photoshooped actors in my day.
Dec 13th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I’m gonna look him up on wikipedia now and find out what he really looks like
Dec 13th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
You should all watch a film called sid and nancy,that is where it all started.The man is a good an actor as all the greats,and he is english,good lad.
Dec 14th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I’ve had the same problem, but haven’t had the guts to share it with anyone…
Dec 14th, 2008 at 8:35 am
oh yea and his character in the professional also doesnt look like any of the other pictures!
Jan 4th, 2009 at 4:56 am
Hey, Gary Oldman is one of my favorites actors; I surely do recognize him when I see him. But I really enjoy reading this blog.
I love most of all, the character he made at that movie with a little 11 years old Natalie Portman and Jean Reno, I think it was called “The professional” or something like that.
Jan 7th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I have exactly the same thing with oldman, I didn’t even recognize him in harry potter, which should have been quite obvious
Jan 8th, 2009 at 1:57 am
I recently told some people “Will Smith could play anybody!” And my buddy said, “No, that would be Gary Oldman PLAYING Will Smith playing anybody.”
Jan 8th, 2009 at 8:10 am
holy, crap! it’s amazing how well he can take each role that he’s given, and how he never looks/sounds the same-unlike most actors in hollywood *coughskeanureevescough* who only have one face/voice and can’t act their way out of a paper bag.
He is just facinating. Good job, Gary Oldman. I’ll probably only remember you as Commissioner Gordan.
Jan 10th, 2009 at 1:21 am
True enough. My friends and I used to guess at what his natural accent sounded like when we were in high school. Excellent actor.
René
http://www.workingauthor.com
Creative Writings last blog post..Sick Day Blogging
Jan 10th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Got the same problem, mate, with him as well as Johnny Depp. Glad to see I’m not only one out there. We should form an Oldmanidentitis support group.
Jan 10th, 2009 at 8:50 am
GET OFF MY PLANE (Gary OldMan)
Jan 10th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
maybe he is a shapeshifter. I have the same problem. I usually can recognize people in movies from eye shape and voices, but I swear those things change when it comes to gary oldman.
Jan 11th, 2009 at 2:07 am
I don’t think you are alone in your suffering. Often times I will go to a party and people will ask me if I’m famous. I say no (I’m a programmer by day). And then they can’t think of Gary Oldman’s name, but can remember the film. “Really? You look like that guy from the 5th Element” (sometimes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead, lately the Dark Knight), to which I replay “Gary Oldman?” and they nod in adoration. I’m glad that I now have a label for these people.
Jan 11th, 2009 at 7:43 am
One of my all-time favorite actors; he actually ACTS. I’m a big fan of Edward Norton for much the same reason.
Jan 21st, 2009 at 1:18 am
Yeah, he’s pretty much a different person in every movie he’s in. I don’t blame you. It took me a while to connect Sirius Black with Zurg. But Gary Oldman is pretty awesome, so I think we can give him a break on his face-changing nonsense.
George, I must agree with you, also. Edward Norton made The Incredible Hulk not suck; I blame Eric Bana for the suckitude of the 2003 Hulk.
Feb 25th, 2009 at 2:38 am
i have the same problem with Benicio Del Toro
Apr 3rd, 2009 at 12:54 am
the one had me going “that was gary oldman?” was murder in the first. and i was a big fan from sid and nancy. totally didn’t recognize him. really liked him in leon aka the professional, too. everything, really.
Apr 3rd, 2009 at 3:29 am
I think part of the reason that he is hard to identify at times is because he’s got a very changable face… he’s a regular chameleon and it doesn’t take a ton of makeup to make him look different.
I always think of him when he was on Friends. He was the actor that gets drunk and makes Joey late for Monica and Chandler’s wedding.
Jun 9th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
You’re right Garry is one of the biggest ever. Saw all of his films.
Jun 11th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
You people are incredible fucktards if you can’t recognize Oldman as Gordon.
Jul 26th, 2009 at 3:32 am
I thought myself and my very close group of friends were alone in noticing this! The way we figure it, Gary Oldman is secretly in EVERY movie. If he hasn’t been spotted in the cast, than he’s the explosion at the end.