Why Didn't Aaron Eckhart Become A Bigger Star?

He's actually a pretty good actor and always puts in a solid performance.

I assume in those situations, he must be difficult on set.

Not quite enough presence and charisma.

Too soft

He is allegedly “difficult.”

He's a very generic actor. His range is very limited. He usually plays what could be called "Handsome Blonde Guy." And I've heard he is not very likable, so that may had hindered his career, too. I think he's done pretty well, though. He's worked steadily, even though he never became a major star.

[on working with Nicole Kidman on Rabbit Hole (2010)]: "She was irritated with me and I was irritated with her. But that's the way movie-making is. For one day, are we not allowed? For half a day even? It's so surprising to me when people are surprised that movie making is sometimes tense and uncomfortable because inherently it's going to be.

You're around tens of people or hundreds of people working on things that are imaginary and that come from the soul. You could be dealing with subject matter like prostitution, death, drugs, blah, blah, blah. How could you expect that not to be uncomfortable?"

JCM should chime in. I think he’s a bit of a diva.

I get him confused with Thomas Jane

Admits he's difficult.

i think he had a drinking problem....

Republican? Might be. (To be fair, his comments are from January, before the BLM protests.)

“As I get older, I feel a responsibility to make films that the whole family can see together; that have a moral centre. That’s what I like about this movie – he’s a cop who’s been through some bad times and needs to redeem himself. He gave his own life for the life of another. And I don’t think there’s a higher calling.”

The police have had a lot of bad press recently – were you aware of them when filming?

“Oh yeah. That’s really the whole theme of the film. Today, you’re more likely to have a videographer than a good samaritan. Everybody’s so concerned about filming the police that they forget that they can help them, get out of their way and let them do their job. Obviously, there are different angles on that. But in general, the police find it very difficult to do their job with a camera in their face because it’s going to go on YouTube, it’s going to go viral – and you’re going to have millions of people see it, like their family and friends.”

(2011 quote, on quitting drinking) I couldn't be happier with that decision. I recommend it to anybody. I did not go to AA...I haven't had a drink for seven or eight years. I've changed my lifestyle. I don't go out. That's not just because of drinking, it's because of getting older. I've outgrown it, plus all my friends are married and have kids. I'm very interested in my health and I want to live the rest of my life very healthily. I feel 100 per cent in command of myself, so, when I get up, I never have to ask, 'where have I been? What have I said?'

Good for him. Has he stayed.... not drinking?

Because he has no leading man charisma.

He’s hot, but has a very generic look. I agree with R8 that he looks a lot like Thomas Jane.

Hmmm.

He's Mormon.

No feets pic ?

Don't make me choose!

I'll never understand why his character in In the Company of Men isn't considered one of the great movie villains.

REALLY OLD SPOILER It took me multiple viewings before I realized that the other man (played by Matt Malloy) was the target of his anger, rather than the woman. She was only a pawn.

Agree with the other posters. He's a good actor, but he doesn't have loads of charisma or a larger-than-life personality

He's in the Gregg Kinnear category where they both had some great roles and then fell out of favor. Topher Grace is another one in that vein--did a great turn in In Good Company, and then not much.

Eckhart is great in Thank You For Smoking

Had him. And he's never had any complaints about me.

Golly.

R21, you beat me by half a minute! I was just about to reference Thank You for Smoking--such a great film. In the Company of Men was fantastic too. Anyone who hasn't seen these two hasn't seen Eckhart at his best.

I thought I read somewhere (maybe here on DL) that he mocked homeless people on a talk show when he was discussing how he researched a role by observing them?

Some people don't want to be huge stars.

He has never been a presenter at the Oscars

Is he that B-list of an actor?

He was interviewed on the Howard Stern Show years ago. Total asshole. So much so that I was laughing throughout. Actually complained about not having an Oscar and whining about how it wasn’t fair.

I don't want to be a movie star.

Does she sound like a dolphin, or a whale?

Fucking love In The Company Of Men. What a cunt he plays.

I loved him in Roger Dodger. Great actor, imho.

That was Campbell Scott.

Many leading men are dicks. They get excused for it if they are bankable. I’m going to go with addiction issues alcoholism being the most politically correct choice but there may have been another.

He is, and always has been, fucking hot. So he must be an asshole to have gone nowhere so slowly.

He reminds me a bit of Jon Hamm.

R35, me too. Aaron Eckhart is as handsome as John Hamm. Like a cartoon pilot, in the words of Liz Lemon.

Thomas Jane isn’t as handsome as either. But he’s sexier.

Perhaps he didn't present enough hole.

I think Aaron is a better actor. I think he's better looking than mr. Jane.

i thought he was like an armie with a huge trust fund safety net.

Thomas fucked men for a sandwich, or something.

His casting in Possession was interesting. I studied English literature and there were zero hot Marlboro Men teaching the courses. A Mark Ruffalo type would have been more realistic. But at east Aaron’s acting was good.

He's a mormon

R41 that's funny because if you read any novel with a lit professor as the protagonist, you would think they were the hottest men on the planet. With every nubile 20 year old throwing themselves at them.

Non practicing r42.

Thomas Jane is more handsome

I think Eckhart is more attractive but had no idea he had a reputation for being difficult until now.

I heard he's like the character he played in "In the Company of Men. " In other words, a prick.

Nice of you to show up on DL, Mr. Jane!

R45 = Thomas jane

Like Patrick Wilson he’s great looking and a decent actor, but he lacks charisma.

Thanks, R32.

Thomas Jane? If anything, Thomas James resembles James Purfoy. Aaron Eckhart reminds me of the actor who played Sawyer on LOST. What happened to him btw?

I love men with cleft chins. So sexy.

R51 Yellowstone.

I get him mixed up with Bill Paxton. He's similar to a living Bill Paxton.

He didn't have "it"!

Perhaps Eckhart never wanted "it". Many actors do treat acting as simply a profession that pays the bills, not necessarily to stroke their monumental egos.

R54 Living? Bill Paxton died?

Yes, Paxton died several years ago.

Yes, Paxton died several years ago.

I'd love to watch Jane and Eckhart fuck. It would be so sexily confusing.

He's like a nicer and less difficult version of Matthew Fox.

Matthew Fox is slightly hotter than him, though. But Aaron is slightly hotter than Jon Hamm and Thomas Jane, who are both slightly hotter than Greg Kinnear.

I thought he was good in Erin Brockovich. And I remember he had a recurring role in the last few episodes of the TV sitcom "Frasier." He played a marine biologist or some such scientist.

Handsome guy, talented actor, but not willing to gay it up onscreen and expand his... range.

Wasn’t he rumored to hit women too?

Verificatia of sizemeat?

Never became a big star because 1) he is a terrible actor 2) he has zero charisma.

Drinking issues, difficult on set and and probably doesn’t put out. Hot though, and talented.

Only interested in pussy so don't give a shit if he disappears completely, next!

Rabbit Hole was a stinker. He gained weight for the Neil LaBute follow-up Your Friends and Neighbors but Jason Patric stole that movie.

He’s bland. No charisma

I find him very very hot. And with a very masculine energy too often missing in the big stars. I bet he's a hard, rough fuck.

I'm guessing it's because he isn't talented or charismatic enough to compensate for being the raging bag of shit he is rumored to be.

My friend who worked on Rabbit Hole liked and enjoyed working with Nicole, was bowled over by Miss Wiest's professionalism, and thought Eckhart a pill.

R25 He admitted to attending grief support meeting and lying about having a dead child for his role in Rabbit Hole.

I always thought he was Jewish.

[quote]and thought Eckhart a pill.

Can work with me any day.

Is he really a "confirmed heterosexual" - when was the last time he was linked to a woman?

Questionable anal hygiene.

^ Ha ha

[quote]Is he really a "confirmed heterosexual" - when was the last time he was linked to a woman?

Nearly 20 years ago, a client of mine who worked in film production gossiped to me me that Aaron is gay. He said it in such a way as to make me think it was an open secret in the industry. I always believed this was true, but am now questioning it, since nobody here has mentioned any such rumors.

From Wikipedia: [quote]Eckhart met actress Emily Cline during the filming of In the Company of Men and they became engaged, but they separated in 1998. He has always been reluctant to speak about his relationships in interviews. Eckhart dated songwriter and member of SHeDAISY, Kristyn Osborn, from 2006 to 2007. He appeared in the group's video for their song "I'm Taking the Wheel".

Don't care what his sexuality is. He is boring as fuck and has zero charisma. Each to their own but his presence in a film puts me off watching it.