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Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand. Chances are you’ve heard of these names. What about Michael Stuhlbarg and Richard Kind? Yeah, not so much.
Prolific directors Joel and Ethan Coen’s latest movie, Burn After Reading (starring the aforementioned Pitt, Clooney and McDormand, among others), isn’t even in theaters yet and they’re already about to start filming their next, the 1967 period comedy A Serious Man. This time, instead of employing a star-studded cast filled with Oscar nominees with pearly-white teeth and permanent real estate in supermarket tabloids, the Coen brothers have cast unknown actors Michael Stuhlbarg and Richard Kind as the two principle leads.
To say both of Stuhlbarg and Kind’s résumés leave a bit to be desired is a bit of an understatement. Stuhlbarg is apparently more of a theatre guy, having been nominated for a Tony for 2005’s The Pillowman. Kind is best known for roles on the sitcoms Spin City, Mad About You and Curb Your Enthusiasm (that is, unless you count his crucial role as “Marketing Person” in Christopher Guest’s For Your Consideration).
In
the black comedy, Stuhlbarg will play a man whose marriage and life
start to crumble because his dimwitted brother (Kind) won’t move out of
the house, sounding mildly like a variation of this year’s Step Brothers.
All curious casting aside, the Coens are writing and directing, and
given their mostly reliable track record they probably know what
they’re doing. A Serious Man starts filming in Minnesota next month, while Burn After Reading hits theaters Sept. 12.
Related links:
News: Coen's Burn After Reading to open Venice Film Festival
Around the Web: 2 New Character-Centric 'Burn After Reading' Trailers
Richard Kind on IMDB
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Richard Kind's work in Spin City is masterful.
Wasn't Kind also a hypochondriac on Scrubs?
You can bet George Clooney got Richard Kind the role. They're best buds.
PS Richard Kind is so NOT an unknown.
Richard Kind is a fantastic, well known, respected character actor who has been working steadily for years. I think that it's ridiculous to suggest that his resume leaves anything to be desired. In fact, I think he makes a brilliant choice for a Coen brothers movie. They are known for using character actors brilliantly.