Why is Hugh Laurie so good at playing a jerk?
Thought this was cute...
Why is Hugh Laurie so good at playing a jerk?
Posted By BILL HARRIS, SUN MEDIA
Posted 46 mins ago
Not many people can say they've insulted Hugh Laurie in public, but we've done it. It was a compliment, really.
During a media conference with the cast of House at the recent Television Critics Association tour, we grabbed the microphone and asked Laurie, "Do you ever watch old episodes and think to yourself, 'Why is it that I am so darned good at playing a jerk?' "
"Wow," said Laurie, who plays Dr. Gregory House, as the entire room laughed.
Robert Sean Leonard, who plays Dr. James Wilson, chimed in, "Can we all answer that? In unison?"
Laurie collected himself and earnestly pondered the question.
"I mean, no, I don't," he said. "I could just leave it there, couldn't I? I suppose there's a big jerk inside me. There must be. That's the only explanation.
"There are all sorts of aspects of (House's) character that I feel very sympathetic to, and what a lot of people describe as his jerkiness, I think he's more complicated than that. I don't think it's quite as easy to dismiss it."
This led to an amusing exchange between Laurie and House co-executive producer Katie Jacobs.
"I don't think we would have the audience we have if (House) were a jerk," Jacobs said.
"Just a straight jerk," Laurie said.
"I don't think he's a jerk," Jacobs said.
"He's a twisted jerk," Laurie said. "OK," Jacobs said.
"I don't know," Laurie added. "I suppose, yes, I must be a jerk."
As the room laughed again, Laurie peered directly at yours truly and bellowed, "Are you happy now?"
Well, yes, actually. This is fun. "Does anybody else want to confirm or deny that, or take a stab?" we asked.
Enter Jennifer Morrison, who plays Dr. Allison Cameron, with a thoughtful analysis of the jerk hypothesis.
"I think it's exactly because (Laurie) is not a jerk in real life that makes (House) work," Morrison said.
"Good, good, yes, what she said!" Laurie pleaded.
More laughter.
"I'm being very honest," Morrison said. "I think if you had an actor playing the role who is really an a--hole, no one would watch. He would just be an a--hole. Can I say that?"
"You just did," House creator and co-executive producer David Shore interjected.
"There's this beautiful soul behind the character, which is really Hugh," Morrison said. "Yes, he's playing a character, but he's still him, and he's incredibly articulate and intelligent, and he has such a warmth to him. Having that behind a harsh exterior -- the almost teenage rebelliousness he puts out -- is exactly what makes him so lovable, because it's both things at once.
"When I'm watching as an audience member, that's what I love about House. It's that he's incredibly, beautifully complicated that makes him a lovable jerk."
Yeah, that sounds good. We all can live with that.
The 100th episode of House airs tomorrow night on Global and Fox. Clearly, Hugh Laurie's portrayal of Dr. House resonates.
In a lovably jerky kind of way.
Why is Hugh Laurie so good at playing a jerk?
Posted By BILL HARRIS, SUN MEDIA
Posted 46 mins ago
Not many people can say they've insulted Hugh Laurie in public, but we've done it. It was a compliment, really.
During a media conference with the cast of House at the recent Television Critics Association tour, we grabbed the microphone and asked Laurie, "Do you ever watch old episodes and think to yourself, 'Why is it that I am so darned good at playing a jerk?' "
"Wow," said Laurie, who plays Dr. Gregory House, as the entire room laughed.
Robert Sean Leonard, who plays Dr. James Wilson, chimed in, "Can we all answer that? In unison?"
Laurie collected himself and earnestly pondered the question.
"I mean, no, I don't," he said. "I could just leave it there, couldn't I? I suppose there's a big jerk inside me. There must be. That's the only explanation.
"There are all sorts of aspects of (House's) character that I feel very sympathetic to, and what a lot of people describe as his jerkiness, I think he's more complicated than that. I don't think it's quite as easy to dismiss it."
This led to an amusing exchange between Laurie and House co-executive producer Katie Jacobs.
"I don't think we would have the audience we have if (House) were a jerk," Jacobs said.
"Just a straight jerk," Laurie said.
"I don't think he's a jerk," Jacobs said.
"He's a twisted jerk," Laurie said. "OK," Jacobs said.
"I don't know," Laurie added. "I suppose, yes, I must be a jerk."
As the room laughed again, Laurie peered directly at yours truly and bellowed, "Are you happy now?"
Well, yes, actually. This is fun. "Does anybody else want to confirm or deny that, or take a stab?" we asked.
Enter Jennifer Morrison, who plays Dr. Allison Cameron, with a thoughtful analysis of the jerk hypothesis.
"I think it's exactly because (Laurie) is not a jerk in real life that makes (House) work," Morrison said.
"Good, good, yes, what she said!" Laurie pleaded.
More laughter.
"I'm being very honest," Morrison said. "I think if you had an actor playing the role who is really an a--hole, no one would watch. He would just be an a--hole. Can I say that?"
"You just did," House creator and co-executive producer David Shore interjected.
"There's this beautiful soul behind the character, which is really Hugh," Morrison said. "Yes, he's playing a character, but he's still him, and he's incredibly articulate and intelligent, and he has such a warmth to him. Having that behind a harsh exterior -- the almost teenage rebelliousness he puts out -- is exactly what makes him so lovable, because it's both things at once.
"When I'm watching as an audience member, that's what I love about House. It's that he's incredibly, beautifully complicated that makes him a lovable jerk."
Yeah, that sounds good. We all can live with that.
The 100th episode of House airs tomorrow night on Global and Fox. Clearly, Hugh Laurie's portrayal of Dr. House resonates.
In a lovably jerky kind of way.