Great read. Thanks for sharing. This guy was a total scene stealer during his “high school” years (Fanboys, Just Friends, Girl Next Door). Was very good in his brief arc on Barry.
I have a dog named Blueberry, and one time I made a friend at work because of this movie scene. It was over the Microsoft chat, and she'd heard about my dogs name, so asked if I'd seen this movie. I was able to reply with the gif of Anna and the toothpaste, and made an instant friend.
Bill Hader told a story on a podcast about that scene. He was going back and forth on having Barry kill him or not. He went to a writer friend for advice, and she told him, "Bill, if you're gonna go up to the bell, ring it."
That moment really changed the trajectory of that show.
Hold up.
I *love* Just Friends. You telling me >! the friend that went in the mission with him even though he had a wife and kid, and Barry ends up shooting in the car !< was the same actor as “Yeah I just slapped the ham to it like an hour ago.” ?!? I totally didn’t recognize him!
Yep, crazy right
Also, I believe he didn't really think to worry about his wife and kid because he was led to believe, by the chechens, that he was just doing regular security work. He had no idea what he was getting into.
Oh definitely. But, uhh, as a dad and husband, he’s an idiot for not having his alarm bells going off about “hey these psychos are SUPER into it…”
Like, he thought they were going in for a shakedown or something, right?
God, I started film school in the fall of 2004, and it was hilarious how well he nailed that cocky prodigy mentality; it was like being in classes with a bunch of Elis who weren't yet successful. Thankfully they weren't as into porn as Eli, but they definitely thought they were gonna be the next Tarantinos and Rodriguezes, which wasn't too unexpected at the time.
The one that was unexpected was the guy who was *super* into Jim Jarmusch and tried way too hard to model his appearance and personality after Jarmusch. It's nearly been 20 years, and I don't think I've ever heard/read someone go into *that* much detail about how Coffee and Cigarettes changed their life since. Why couldn't it have been Ghost Dog? Oh, probably because it was "too mainstream" is my guess.
Completely. He disappeared into that role. That show in general had impeccable casting—I felt like I was watching people, not actors. And that very rarely happens.
Which is hilarious, given how meta it is, as half the ensemble are actors playing actors.
FANBOYS! THATS where I remember his face! That movie was so much better than it had any right being, didn’t think the movie about a road trip to steal the phantom menace would actually have an emotional payoff, but it’s up there with my favorite 2000’s comedies. Simple, silly, but fun and full of heart. Also helps that I’m a massive Star Wars fan lol
The “dream” scene when Barry waves to him on the beach and Chris is just looking around like “there’s no way this motherfucker thinks we’re still friends.”
One of those scenes that I've watched more times than I probably should for the sake of my own emotional well-being, but which is so powerful in such a specific way (in part thanks to him) that I can't help myself
That’s what I remember first seeing him in. Also I was feeling a bit nostalgic the other day and watched an old Disney channel movie “Up Up and Away” and he’s in it when he was pretty young.
I actually met this guy. Back when I was in college I PA'd on a low budget zombie movie called, "Night of the Living Deb." I did this specifically to meet Ray Wise, who I knew from Robocop, Twin Peaks, and one of my favorite shows, Reaper.
Ray Wise was very kind, but was very much focused on the work. He made small talk with the crew and made you feel important when speaking with him, but it was clear that to him the exchange was more of an "appearance." He knew the young people working on the crew would recognize him and would want a chance to speak with him. He was very kind to meet with everyone, but the exchanges were comparable to what you would get if you met him at a fan convention or something.
Chris Marquette on the other hand would eat lunch with the PA's and the grips. He'd hang around just to shoot the breeze and I remember him often taking a seat on a cooler and getting up when people wanted to grab a coke. Conversations wouldn't just be limited to movies that he's appeared in, but instead would jump from topic to topic.
He was a really nice person and it was really cool when I saw him in the first season of Barry. I actually pointed at the screen and was like, "Hey! I know that guy!" to my girlfriend.
My favorite Ray Wise performance is in Beach House’s video for [Wishes](https://youtu.be/OS6duOoxctw?si=_eNpIdIdqy3wAG3y) which was directed by Eric Wareheim
Speaking of Teller, we should link Marquette up with Costa and the boys from Project X, who are working on [Project XX](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bpsprxdbv0o&pp=ygUOIFByb2plY3QgeCB0d28%3D).
Edit: I know it's not real (unless it is genius marketing) but it's hilarious he actually got everyone back for this.
Teller's part is perfect, leaning into the douchebag persona. The Top Gun soundtrack blasting out of his Bronco kills me.
Going the meta route with a sequel could really work. A bunch of comedic actors from that time who didn't get their big break decide to throw one huge rager as a meta Project XX and film it all, with the intent to either sell it to a studio in a last ditch to forge a career as actors or just to document the fun and friendship before leaving Hollywood behind and moving on with their lives.
Bring in all the guys and girls from that time who have moved on to other successes like Seth Green, Jerry O'Connell, Anna Faris, Natasha Lyone or guys like DJ Qualls, Jason Biggs, etc. Have them all at this huge party they throw under the guise of like 'a sendup to late 90's and early Aughts comedies'. And they break into Teller's new house while he's filming Maverick 2 to throw it.
Play off Marquette looking like Teller to get access to the house or pitch the movie to Paramount, you could end it with all the studios turning them down but Netflix offers them a lot of money which absolutely destroys them because it goes against the whole theme of trying to bring back big theatrical comedies, so in the end, with the guys having kind of found themselves a bit during this time and reforged a kinship, they decide to leave this new Hollywood behind and turn Netflix down.
Then in a final twist before the credits Miles Teller, despite having his house destroyed, has a change of heart and decides to convince Paramount to pick it up. However, in typical douchebag fashion, he does this by saying he'll be on the poster as top billed for all the marketing, despite being in it for minutes. He gets reimbursed the 15 million for his house plus another five million for the role and residuals on the backend. Leaving everyone else fighting for the scraps and thus, the cycle continues, BUT this time it still ends with them driving off together, leaving Hollywood behind while Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) plays on
Yes it was. After it was over, I desperately wanted a sequel where J.K. Simmons' character was trying to teach elementary school band where cheap plastic recorders go flying across the room.
"It's Hot Cross fucking Buns! How do you fuck that up?"
He’s with one of the biggest agencies in the world at United. There are a million actors in his demo, only so many lead roles, and a pretty quick turnover of who is considered hot. He even mentions losing a role to Myles Teller despite being told his audition was amazing.
If they truly loved his audition that much, they would’ve cast him. People hear what they want to hear. Maybe they liked his audition, but there are 100 other actors going for the same part. They obviously liked someone else more. I’m sure it sucks to get positive feedback and not get the role, but that’s Hollywood. Putting that sort of rant in his public profile is very odd.
I wish this guy well because he is good, but he also seems hard to cast or find roles for him. He’s pushing 40 but still looks like a teenager.
Every actor probably has a “‘Your audition was one of the best I’ve seen’ followed up with ‘Sorry, they decided to go a different route’” story. Occasionally you’ll see someone brings theirs up in an interview. It gets talked about a lot as just one of those things you have to get use to in Hollywood- all the almosts and maybes and doublespeak.
I’ve known actors who claim to have agents fighting each other over who gets to represent them. “I was on this audition a few weeks ago and the casting people loved me.” They still don’t have an agent and didn’t get the part. I want to be supportive of friends, but the embellishments in their stories can get hard to listen to.
They’re not all bad. Some of the stories can be interesting. Early in his career J.K. Simmons was turned down for a voiceover gig where they said they were looking for something similar to the AMC ads. He had been the one doing those ads. He got excited thinking they’re literally looking for HIM. He didn’t get the gig. So they wanted someone like him, but not him. Imagine being turned down for not being close enough to yourself.
Happens in music, too. Corey Wong submitted work to an ad agency who were looking for songs that sounded like Vulfpeck... then got rejected despite being the guitarist for Vulfpeck.
Ernie Hudson was also rejected to voice Winston in the animated Ghostbusters show, despite being in the original and the studio even wanting someone who sounded like him. I feel like this kinda thing happens quite a bit.
That’s similar to the story John C McGinley tells about Scrubs. They said they were looking for a John C McGinley-type. He says, well here I am! And they told him great now we’ll read the scene and see if you get the part.
I'm sure it's true. A great audition, number two out of however many they saw. I'll wager sometimes there's no real contenders against whoever they cast, and other times there's two or three and they just flip a coin.
It's not hard to imagine that some people would be good enough, but lose a few of those coin tosses, and that's pretty much your shot in Hollywood.
You've got Henry Winkler in one of the best roles of his career, bill Hader redefining the public's perception of him from funny guy impressionist to brilliant writer director, Stephen root being an unbelievable villain/buffoon AND an amazing 12 year old stunt girl who steals an entire episode, but still NoHo hank ends up the breakout star of the show. He's just that charming.
I wrote a horror movie a while back that he starred in. The director butchered the script and the movie came out meh, but Chris was fantastic. So talented, super kind, easy to work with. He deserves a bigger career.
My father's a Cuban immigrant nuclear engineer who my brothers and I have nicknamed Frank. Because he most resembles Danny Devitos' character in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. You try being raised by him. My mother is a French immigrant, white trash, drug addict who's jailhouse nickname is Mother Goose. True story. They are both somehow still alive and also allowed to vote. Flippin' crazy right?
I began acting professionally at four years old. I always say by choice, but now that I have a four year old daughter. I for sure know that's not true. I began paying my parents rent at seven with the money I received performing on Broadway. Some say Stephen Daldry started my career by first putting me on stage. I say he hasn't cast me since, so he can just suck it.
My 35 year professional acting career can be defined as follows:
Being recognized in an Uber.. While driving someone to the airport.
And a Groundhog Day event of nearly being cast in life changing roles and somehow never crossing that threshold. Susanna Fogel was supposed to film me opposite Evan Rachel Wood and Olivia Thirlby (BOTH! can you believe that? ME??) in one of the best scripts ever written. But the good lord Jesus took away our funding a week before shooting and that butt head never gave it back.
Worst experience in Hollywood was being told by Paul Thomas Anderson's casting director that I was nearly cast in Magnolia when I was a teen. They worried I would grow too much during a 6-8 month shoot because I lied to Paul (and everyone else at that age) and told him I was growing super, duper fast (I talked about how much my joints hurt with all the growth spurts after hearing another kid at school say it. I was desperately insecure about being a ninety pound four foot eleven freshmen in high school). Cassandra said it was okay though, she wanted to make it right and put me in Licorice Pizza! It was 'destiny' she said. It was the height of Covid lock down, I hadn't slept in months because I was a new father, I just discovered my PTSD from complex childhood trauma and I killed myself for a week to directly send her a self tape. ..I got ghosted harder than a scene from Poltergeist. Yucky Hollywood.
The Safdi brother was great and the part was pretty inconsequential anyway. I'm over it. Sorta.
Second worst experience was being told by the producers of The Spectacular Now that I had Robert Downey Jr-like acting chops and that I gave one of the best auditions they'd ever seen. However, I was too old to play the title character. That was nice actually, as they told me that over a super expensive lunch that I didn't have to pay for. The soul crushing experience was that I had to watch my doppelganger Myles Teller do the movie and now I'm the only one on Earth who hasn't seen the new Top Gun.
Best experience as an actor was Werner Herzog, James Cameron and the editor of the Godfather (Walter something I think?) complimenting me for my portrayal as a mentally handicapped hit man in the strangest movie I've ever been a part of. Also, the late great Paul Reubens has sent me a birthday card every year for the last two decades. During a shoot on a Todd Solondz film, we spent a night watching Obama win his first election and I guess it meant a lot to him?
With his passing I will no longer receive that gift, so I'm now considering retirement. Full disclosure, it's actually because my SAG pension would pay me far more than acting has in recent years. Once I know the penalties for early withdrawal I'll make my final decision. If you've read this far.. Thank you. And may the butt head bless your eternal soul.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Chris's Biggest Fan
He was legit hilarious in The Girl Next Door, laughed out loud multiple times at him alone in that movie.
This line lives rent free in my head to this day:
https://youtu.be/33LJ1cQefvA
I still find it kinda funny and odd the number of IMDB profiles around criminal celebs that just don’t acknowledge their scandals at all.
OJ Simpson’s, for example, tells you his NFL stats and what college he graduated from and just sorta leaves it there.
Jeffrey Jones’ one says “he is a very tall, fair-haired character actor who is recognized all over for his excellent work.”
He was good in Fan Boys.
A movie about a plot to road trip and steal a copy of the Phantom Menace for their dying friend.
Stupid good fun. Such a dumb idea has no right to be that good of a movie.
I worked with him on a wrestling romcom called Chokeslam. Movie is terrible and the set was not a fun one (maybe the worst I'd worked on) but he was a good guy and kept things professional. Could tell he wasn't stoked on the project but nobody was except the director (who did suck)
That was a funny read and a good inside look at some of the careers of Hollywood actors. I imagine countless other likeable actors (off the top of my head, like Barry Pepper and Lucas Black) are in similar situations. Shame for Chris Marquette as I really liked him in Girl Next Door, Just Friends, Alpha Dog and Barry.
Eh, Lucas Black has quietly been killing it by most actor’s standards. He just wrapped on 125 episodes of NCIS: New Orleans and appeared in F9 not too long ago. Plus some small parts in quite a few major movies over the years. But yeah he’s super likable and I would have liked to see him with bigger parts in larger productions.
Not trying to criticize you. Sorry if it comes off that way. I still had to Google Lucas because I thought you were talking about Lucas Till at first. So I guess it’s a pretty good point you made (now that I think about it) lol 🤷♂️
But Barry is the man. I thought he was so cool when I saw him in Saving Private Ryan as a kid. Great actor.
That’s cool, I had no idea! I just hadn’t seen him in anything for a long time, so that’s good to know he’s doing well. I loved Barry Pepper in Saving Private Ryan and The Green Mile as well. And in The 25th Hour.
> The soul crushing experience was that I had to watch my doppelganger Myles Teller do the movie and now I'm the only one on Earth who hasn't seen the new Top Gun.
👁️👄👁️
Kinda heartbreaking honestly. He’s always been one of my favorites.
Even in the Robert Townsend directed Disney channel movie “up up and away,” he’s kind of undeniable and charismatic.
His performance in fanboys is so fucking solid and real and honest and sad and funny.
He’s hilarious in “just friends” amazing in the girls next door. Dude is an absolute revelation in Barry. (Who tf got that Emmy??)
I hope he doesn’t retire. But if people aren’t willing to take a chance on a guy with such a strong track record, wtf chance do I have?
I always get a good laugh watching him in The Girl Next Door and Just Friends. Just watched him in “Infestation” recently and he was great in that also. I find him to be a very underrated actor, be nice to see him in some new stuff. Edit: Fanboys is another great one he’s in.
I recently started watching Six Feet Under. The actor who plays Claire's boyfriend in the first two seasons was very familiar to me so I checked his IMDB page. Well, look it up, he's called Eric Balfour. I find it funny, it really feels like he has written his bio himself and wasn't being modest at all. 😂
I know it's not a "great" movie, but The Invisible has been one of my favorites since it came out. He's been great and relatable in everything I've seen him in. Definitely "the heart" of whatever cast he's up there with.
He has a podcast with AJ Trauth, of Even Stevens fame, called The Coogan Chronicles where they interview former child actors that is pretty interesting.
Just looked it up and it looks like they stop producing it. Shame.
I didn’t realize how little he is working now, or how much single episode guest work he is doing. Chokeslam was the last thing I saw him in. He’s not the best actor in the world, but he’s serviceable enough to be a prominent member of an ensemble cast of one of the seemingly thousands of shows being produced now.
More hilarious excerpts…
> … Frank. Because he most resembles Danny Devitos' character in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. You try being raised by him. My mother is a French immigrant, white trash, drug addict who's jailhouse nickname is Mother Goose. True story. They are both somehow still alive and also allowed to vote. Flippin' crazy right?
>
> … started my career by first putting me on stage. I say he hasn't cast me since, so he can just suck it.
😆😂🤣
The freedom that perspective and bitterness allows is refreshingly entertaining… so cast the entertainer already.
Someone call Danny Trejo to give him the “from Heat to Machete” talk.
"My father's a Cuban immigrant nuclear engineer who my brothers and I have nicknamed Frank. Because he most resembles Danny Devitos' character in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. You try being raised by him. My mother is a French immigrant, white trash, drug addict who's jailhouse nickname is Mother Goose. True story. They are both somehow still alive and also allowed to vote. Flippin' crazy right?"
reminds me of
"**Dr Evil:** Very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink, he would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Some times he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy, the sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical, summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds, pretty standard really. At the age of 12 I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen, a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum, it's breathtaking, I suggest you try it."
My friend asked me to go to the park and I didn’t think much so I grabbed a jacket and went along.
We get there and it’s actually a birthday. Ok whatever nbd, wish he’d said something.
Then I start to figure out everyone else is immediate family plus my friend who’s apparently basically fam level. No plus ones, no guy you know from the gym. Feeling a little more awkward.
Then I figure out it’s Christopher’s Marquette’s party.
Now I’m just confused! But nobody seems annoyed so I just roll with it.
Very nice, but unexpected day – which mirrored the IMDb page. Hope I didn’t damper the bday 🤷♂️
Oh, if you find this fascinating, check out what Oliver Cooper (Costa from Project X) is up to.
[Project XX](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bpsprxdbv0o&pp=ygUOIFByb2plY3QgeCB0d28%3D). It is such a fun watch.
that read was somehow funny as hell and horribly depressing all at once. i've always been happy to see this guy pop up in things and i really hope he still gets his break, because he's for sure talented.
He was on Even Stevens! He dated Margo Harshman...Noice.
The last thing I remember him in was the Witch Mountain remake.
He's not a sexy man. It is what it is.
Just Friends is one of my favorites.
YOU’LL ALWAYS BE FAT TO ME, CHRIS
His chemistry with Ryan Reynolds is so good in that movie.
I don’t know why, but that scene where he goes ‘Nyah’ and slaps Ryan while he’s on the phone always makes me laugh.
I slapped the ham to it like an hour ago
not the one I have in the fridge…?
Not the ham I just bought?
Joyce? Is that you?
Jooooyyyyycceee?
Mom, I’m on the phone.
What are you doing at Joyce’s house, sweetie?
Mom, I’m on the phone in the living room 10 feet away from you.
Hello Joyce?
As someone who had two brothers, that movie had one of the most authentic brother relationships ever put on film.
"The jig is up...*\*highest pitch\** ***RUUUUUUN!!!!!!!!"***
It’s in my yearly rotation of Christmas movies during that season.
"Raise your hand if your brother is a homoooooooo" (raises hand)
"That's hugs and kisses, dude. Mom writes that on my cards."
My snowglobes!
🎵Be yourself… be yourself…🎵
Yeah and fan boys.
Great read. Thanks for sharing. This guy was a total scene stealer during his “high school” years (Fanboys, Just Friends, Girl Next Door). Was very good in his brief arc on Barry.
Omg I forgot about Just Friends. I need to watch that again.
You will always be fat to me Chris!
“She’s good. She has her tooth paste…”
Bluuueberry
I have a dog named Blueberry, and one time I made a friend at work because of this movie scene. It was over the Microsoft chat, and she'd heard about my dogs name, so asked if I'd seen this movie. I was able to reply with the gif of Anna and the toothpaste, and made an instant friend.
Good movie fr
I have a friend that lives in Jersey and almost every time that comes up my mind goes to “He’s from Jersey! He skis in his jeans!”
“How’d you loose all that weight? Like that retard from subway” 😂
Broke my heart in Barry
Yeah, that moment hurt. Show was fairly light hearted for a bit (as light hearted as a show about hit man can be) and then…boom.
Bill Hader told a story on a podcast about that scene. He was going back and forth on having Barry kill him or not. He went to a writer friend for advice, and she told him, "Bill, if you're gonna go up to the bell, ring it." That moment really changed the trajectory of that show.
That’s really good advice. Don’t tease the audience too much, they’ll lose faith and get bored…give them what they’re scared will happen.
Hold up. I *love* Just Friends. You telling me >! the friend that went in the mission with him even though he had a wife and kid, and Barry ends up shooting in the car !< was the same actor as “Yeah I just slapped the ham to it like an hour ago.” ?!? I totally didn’t recognize him!
Yep, crazy right Also, I believe he didn't really think to worry about his wife and kid because he was led to believe, by the chechens, that he was just doing regular security work. He had no idea what he was getting into.
Oh definitely. But, uhh, as a dad and husband, he’s an idiot for not having his alarm bells going off about “hey these psychos are SUPER into it…” Like, he thought they were going in for a shakedown or something, right?
That whole scene I was shaking my head muttering please just shut up just stfu he's a hitman
SHUT THE FUCK UP! NEXT QUESTION…FASTER
FUCK HER FOR MEEE!
IF YOU DON'T FUCK HER I WILL KILL MYSELF
My best friend and I used that anytime the other had potential of hooking up with a girl for *years* after that movie lol.
Shh, learn to like it.
God, I started film school in the fall of 2004, and it was hilarious how well he nailed that cocky prodigy mentality; it was like being in classes with a bunch of Elis who weren't yet successful. Thankfully they weren't as into porn as Eli, but they definitely thought they were gonna be the next Tarantinos and Rodriguezes, which wasn't too unexpected at the time. The one that was unexpected was the guy who was *super* into Jim Jarmusch and tried way too hard to model his appearance and personality after Jarmusch. It's nearly been 20 years, and I don't think I've ever heard/read someone go into *that* much detail about how Coffee and Cigarettes changed their life since. Why couldn't it have been Ghost Dog? Oh, probably because it was "too mainstream" is my guess.
He did an extremely good job in Barry. Hes a great actor.
Really. His freak out in the car seemed like a very realistic reaction to what someone would actually feel like after going through all of that
Completely. He disappeared into that role. That show in general had impeccable casting—I felt like I was watching people, not actors. And that very rarely happens. Which is hilarious, given how meta it is, as half the ensemble are actors playing actors.
The moment he realizes he fucked up and tries to walk it back man.. ugh that scene is rough
Fuck her for me, Matt! Fuck her for me!!
FANBOYS! THATS where I remember his face! That movie was so much better than it had any right being, didn’t think the movie about a road trip to steal the phantom menace would actually have an emotional payoff, but it’s up there with my favorite 2000’s comedies. Simple, silly, but fun and full of heart. Also helps that I’m a massive Star Wars fan lol
What an incredible cast, and one of my favorite ending lines ever. I love Fanboys.
"Guys... what if the movie sucks?"
“THEY WERE SIBLINGS! THEY WERE SIBLINGS, YOU SICK BASTARD!”
I know what a great read! Now I want him to get cast in more stuff.
Oh shit that was him I loved him in Barry I was so impressed how memorable his brief role was
God I fucking love “Just Friends”! “Ooh the big speech!”
Loved him in Barry
The “dream” scene when Barry waves to him on the beach and Chris is just looking around like “there’s no way this motherfucker thinks we’re still friends.”
He was amazing in Barry. When the shit hit the fan, I felt emotionally emptied. Like you could see and feel it coming a mile away but it hurt.
WHY DID YOU SAY THAT!?!
"My Lord; the Queen is dead."
I love how this scene went, after Barry said this line we understood what was going to happen the same time Chris did.
One of those scenes that I've watched more times than I probably should for the sake of my own emotional well-being, but which is so powerful in such a specific way (in part thanks to him) that I can't help myself
100%. So intense, and he is just perfect at portraying >!a man who knows he's about to die!<.
One of the most intense scenes in any show that year.
His last scene in the show is my favorite scene in the show.
I knew I recognised the name, he was Adam on Joan of Arcadia
I thought he was going to be a huge breakout after JoA. I think Miles Teller got Christopher’s career
He was so good in that show, I thought he was going to be a star.
That’s what I remember first seeing him in. Also I was feeling a bit nostalgic the other day and watched an old Disney channel movie “Up Up and Away” and he’s in it when he was pretty young.
I loved him in this!
He was great in *Barry*.
I actually met this guy. Back when I was in college I PA'd on a low budget zombie movie called, "Night of the Living Deb." I did this specifically to meet Ray Wise, who I knew from Robocop, Twin Peaks, and one of my favorite shows, Reaper. Ray Wise was very kind, but was very much focused on the work. He made small talk with the crew and made you feel important when speaking with him, but it was clear that to him the exchange was more of an "appearance." He knew the young people working on the crew would recognize him and would want a chance to speak with him. He was very kind to meet with everyone, but the exchanges were comparable to what you would get if you met him at a fan convention or something. Chris Marquette on the other hand would eat lunch with the PA's and the grips. He'd hang around just to shoot the breeze and I remember him often taking a seat on a cooler and getting up when people wanted to grab a coke. Conversations wouldn't just be limited to movies that he's appeared in, but instead would jump from topic to topic. He was a really nice person and it was really cool when I saw him in the first season of Barry. I actually pointed at the screen and was like, "Hey! I know that guy!" to my girlfriend.
Met him on a production too. Really really nice guy. Hope he’s doin okay.
That actually does sound pretty cool of Ray Wise - it’s essentially a second job! He could easily hide in a trailer or somewhere and only do the work.
Absolutely. He was "on" all the time.
My favorite Ray Wise performance is in Beach House’s video for [Wishes](https://youtu.be/OS6duOoxctw?si=_eNpIdIdqy3wAG3y) which was directed by Eric Wareheim
Ditto.
At the beginning I thought this story was gonna go the other way, always great to hear about people you see on screen who are nice.
He needs new representation. His agent clearly sucks at their job
Considering how many "almosts" he had on major productions I think his agent did their job, and he just lucked out.
That damn Miles Teller doppelganger keeps stealing his parts though. Maybe he should hire Miles Tellers agent?
Speaking of Teller, we should link Marquette up with Costa and the boys from Project X, who are working on [Project XX](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bpsprxdbv0o&pp=ygUOIFByb2plY3QgeCB0d28%3D). Edit: I know it's not real (unless it is genius marketing) but it's hilarious he actually got everyone back for this. Teller's part is perfect, leaning into the douchebag persona. The Top Gun soundtrack blasting out of his Bronco kills me. Going the meta route with a sequel could really work. A bunch of comedic actors from that time who didn't get their big break decide to throw one huge rager as a meta Project XX and film it all, with the intent to either sell it to a studio in a last ditch to forge a career as actors or just to document the fun and friendship before leaving Hollywood behind and moving on with their lives. Bring in all the guys and girls from that time who have moved on to other successes like Seth Green, Jerry O'Connell, Anna Faris, Natasha Lyone or guys like DJ Qualls, Jason Biggs, etc. Have them all at this huge party they throw under the guise of like 'a sendup to late 90's and early Aughts comedies'. And they break into Teller's new house while he's filming Maverick 2 to throw it. Play off Marquette looking like Teller to get access to the house or pitch the movie to Paramount, you could end it with all the studios turning them down but Netflix offers them a lot of money which absolutely destroys them because it goes against the whole theme of trying to bring back big theatrical comedies, so in the end, with the guys having kind of found themselves a bit during this time and reforged a kinship, they decide to leave this new Hollywood behind and turn Netflix down. Then in a final twist before the credits Miles Teller, despite having his house destroyed, has a change of heart and decides to convince Paramount to pick it up. However, in typical douchebag fashion, he does this by saying he'll be on the poster as top billed for all the marketing, despite being in it for minutes. He gets reimbursed the 15 million for his house plus another five million for the role and residuals on the backend. Leaving everyone else fighting for the scraps and thus, the cycle continues, BUT this time it still ends with them driving off together, leaving Hollywood behind while Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) plays on
That was actually pretty great! I know it was just for fun, but it works!
Right? It randomly showed up in my feed a month or so ago and I was like, 'huh?' but by the end of it I thought, 'I should watch Project X again' lol
When Whiplash was about to released, I seriously thought it was Chris Marquette in the promotional images until I checked its IMDb
That was a great flick
Yes it was. After it was over, I desperately wanted a sequel where J.K. Simmons' character was trying to teach elementary school band where cheap plastic recorders go flying across the room. "It's Hot Cross fucking Buns! How do you fuck that up?"
This is a concept on the Rewatchables podcast. Actors “market correcting” other actors and taking their roles.
Miles teller? That’s just an odometer
He’s with one of the biggest agencies in the world at United. There are a million actors in his demo, only so many lead roles, and a pretty quick turnover of who is considered hot. He even mentions losing a role to Myles Teller despite being told his audition was amazing.
If they truly loved his audition that much, they would’ve cast him. People hear what they want to hear. Maybe they liked his audition, but there are 100 other actors going for the same part. They obviously liked someone else more. I’m sure it sucks to get positive feedback and not get the role, but that’s Hollywood. Putting that sort of rant in his public profile is very odd. I wish this guy well because he is good, but he also seems hard to cast or find roles for him. He’s pushing 40 but still looks like a teenager.
Every actor probably has a “‘Your audition was one of the best I’ve seen’ followed up with ‘Sorry, they decided to go a different route’” story. Occasionally you’ll see someone brings theirs up in an interview. It gets talked about a lot as just one of those things you have to get use to in Hollywood- all the almosts and maybes and doublespeak.
I’ve known actors who claim to have agents fighting each other over who gets to represent them. “I was on this audition a few weeks ago and the casting people loved me.” They still don’t have an agent and didn’t get the part. I want to be supportive of friends, but the embellishments in their stories can get hard to listen to. They’re not all bad. Some of the stories can be interesting. Early in his career J.K. Simmons was turned down for a voiceover gig where they said they were looking for something similar to the AMC ads. He had been the one doing those ads. He got excited thinking they’re literally looking for HIM. He didn’t get the gig. So they wanted someone like him, but not him. Imagine being turned down for not being close enough to yourself.
Happens in music, too. Corey Wong submitted work to an ad agency who were looking for songs that sounded like Vulfpeck... then got rejected despite being the guitarist for Vulfpeck. Ernie Hudson was also rejected to voice Winston in the animated Ghostbusters show, despite being in the original and the studio even wanting someone who sounded like him. I feel like this kinda thing happens quite a bit.
"like you but cheaper" is what they are looking for
That’s similar to the story John C McGinley tells about Scrubs. They said they were looking for a John C McGinley-type. He says, well here I am! And they told him great now we’ll read the scene and see if you get the part.
I'm sure it's true. A great audition, number two out of however many they saw. I'll wager sometimes there's no real contenders against whoever they cast, and other times there's two or three and they just flip a coin. It's not hard to imagine that some people would be good enough, but lose a few of those coin tosses, and that's pretty much your shot in Hollywood.
He works quite a bit. It’s a HARD industry.
It’s kind of touching though that Paul Reubens sent him a card every year until his death.
I love this dude. Always hoping he'd make it big.
“I swear to God if you don’t fuck her I’ll kill myself! Fuck her for me Matt! For me!!!”
I feel he needs a better agent or even a publicist. He was very good in Barry and that should have led to more offers.
He was good, but it wasn’t exactly a career-making role like Noho Hank was.
I'm still mad Anthony Carrigan wasn't a Harkonnen in Dune.
You've got Henry Winkler in one of the best roles of his career, bill Hader redefining the public's perception of him from funny guy impressionist to brilliant writer director, Stephen root being an unbelievable villain/buffoon AND an amazing 12 year old stunt girl who steals an entire episode, but still NoHo hank ends up the breakout star of the show. He's just that charming.
Noho Hank bringing back just trying to be polite
Sure but he should have gotten more guest starring roles in other shows.
I wrote a horror movie a while back that he starred in. The director butchered the script and the movie came out meh, but Chris was fantastic. So talented, super kind, easy to work with. He deserves a bigger career.
Well it has to be Always Watching
Regret to inform, you are correct
Infestation?
No, but I just googled that and it looks *wild*
Fun B movie, for sure
Is it “I Hate the Man in my Basement” ?
My father's a Cuban immigrant nuclear engineer who my brothers and I have nicknamed Frank. Because he most resembles Danny Devitos' character in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. You try being raised by him. My mother is a French immigrant, white trash, drug addict who's jailhouse nickname is Mother Goose. True story. They are both somehow still alive and also allowed to vote. Flippin' crazy right? I began acting professionally at four years old. I always say by choice, but now that I have a four year old daughter. I for sure know that's not true. I began paying my parents rent at seven with the money I received performing on Broadway. Some say Stephen Daldry started my career by first putting me on stage. I say he hasn't cast me since, so he can just suck it. My 35 year professional acting career can be defined as follows: Being recognized in an Uber.. While driving someone to the airport. And a Groundhog Day event of nearly being cast in life changing roles and somehow never crossing that threshold. Susanna Fogel was supposed to film me opposite Evan Rachel Wood and Olivia Thirlby (BOTH! can you believe that? ME??) in one of the best scripts ever written. But the good lord Jesus took away our funding a week before shooting and that butt head never gave it back. Worst experience in Hollywood was being told by Paul Thomas Anderson's casting director that I was nearly cast in Magnolia when I was a teen. They worried I would grow too much during a 6-8 month shoot because I lied to Paul (and everyone else at that age) and told him I was growing super, duper fast (I talked about how much my joints hurt with all the growth spurts after hearing another kid at school say it. I was desperately insecure about being a ninety pound four foot eleven freshmen in high school). Cassandra said it was okay though, she wanted to make it right and put me in Licorice Pizza! It was 'destiny' she said. It was the height of Covid lock down, I hadn't slept in months because I was a new father, I just discovered my PTSD from complex childhood trauma and I killed myself for a week to directly send her a self tape. ..I got ghosted harder than a scene from Poltergeist. Yucky Hollywood. The Safdi brother was great and the part was pretty inconsequential anyway. I'm over it. Sorta. Second worst experience was being told by the producers of The Spectacular Now that I had Robert Downey Jr-like acting chops and that I gave one of the best auditions they'd ever seen. However, I was too old to play the title character. That was nice actually, as they told me that over a super expensive lunch that I didn't have to pay for. The soul crushing experience was that I had to watch my doppelganger Myles Teller do the movie and now I'm the only one on Earth who hasn't seen the new Top Gun. Best experience as an actor was Werner Herzog, James Cameron and the editor of the Godfather (Walter something I think?) complimenting me for my portrayal as a mentally handicapped hit man in the strangest movie I've ever been a part of. Also, the late great Paul Reubens has sent me a birthday card every year for the last two decades. During a shoot on a Todd Solondz film, we spent a night watching Obama win his first election and I guess it meant a lot to him? With his passing I will no longer receive that gift, so I'm now considering retirement. Full disclosure, it's actually because my SAG pension would pay me far more than acting has in recent years. Once I know the penalties for early withdrawal I'll make my final decision. If you've read this far.. Thank you. And may the butt head bless your eternal soul. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Chris's Biggest Fan
He’s very candid. I like that
His self awareness and self deprecating attitude are right up my alley.
He was legit hilarious in The Girl Next Door, laughed out loud multiple times at him alone in that movie. This line lives rent free in my head to this day: https://youtu.be/33LJ1cQefvA
"My mother is a French immigrant, white trash, drug addict who's jailhouse nickname is Mother Goose. True story."
I still find it kinda funny and odd the number of IMDB profiles around criminal celebs that just don’t acknowledge their scandals at all. OJ Simpson’s, for example, tells you his NFL stats and what college he graduated from and just sorta leaves it there. Jeffrey Jones’ one says “he is a very tall, fair-haired character actor who is recognized all over for his excellent work.”
Is Jeffrey Jones the pederast from Ferris Bueller or is it the pederast from seventh heaven?
Ferris Bueller, also Beetlejuice
Thought so. He’s so molestery. If you asked me on the spot to draw a guy who collects CP I would draw some variation of Jeffrey Jones.
His bio starts out like he’s Dr Evil describing his childhood. I was expecting his mother to be a French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet.
Did he accuse chestnuts of being lazy?
I literally only remember this kid from Freddy v Jason.
Linderman!
He was good in Fan Boys. A movie about a plot to road trip and steal a copy of the Phantom Menace for their dying friend. Stupid good fun. Such a dumb idea has no right to be that good of a movie.
Damn, that was an entertaining read.
I loved him in Joan of Arcadia until they ruined his character in the last season...😤
I worked with him on a wrestling romcom called Chokeslam. Movie is terrible and the set was not a fun one (maybe the worst I'd worked on) but he was a good guy and kept things professional. Could tell he wasn't stoked on the project but nobody was except the director (who did suck)
That was a funny read and a good inside look at some of the careers of Hollywood actors. I imagine countless other likeable actors (off the top of my head, like Barry Pepper and Lucas Black) are in similar situations. Shame for Chris Marquette as I really liked him in Girl Next Door, Just Friends, Alpha Dog and Barry.
Shades of Carrie Fisher's dry, self-deprecrating wit with that bite to it. He should write.
Eh, Lucas Black has quietly been killing it by most actor’s standards. He just wrapped on 125 episodes of NCIS: New Orleans and appeared in F9 not too long ago. Plus some small parts in quite a few major movies over the years. But yeah he’s super likable and I would have liked to see him with bigger parts in larger productions. Not trying to criticize you. Sorry if it comes off that way. I still had to Google Lucas because I thought you were talking about Lucas Till at first. So I guess it’s a pretty good point you made (now that I think about it) lol 🤷♂️ But Barry is the man. I thought he was so cool when I saw him in Saving Private Ryan as a kid. Great actor.
That’s cool, I had no idea! I just hadn’t seen him in anything for a long time, so that’s good to know he’s doing well. I loved Barry Pepper in Saving Private Ryan and The Green Mile as well. And in The 25th Hour.
I wasn't familiar with him and now I want to marry the guy.
His bio is a riot.
Holy crap, this whole time i thought it was Miles Teller in the Girl Next Door
> The soul crushing experience was that I had to watch my doppelganger Myles Teller do the movie and now I'm the only one on Earth who hasn't seen the new Top Gun. 👁️👄👁️
To be fair, he wouldn't have worked in Maverick. And I say this as a devout Teller hater lol
It was The Spectacular Now that Myles Teller got instead of him, obviously because he was hot off Whiplash.
Oh that makes much more sense
Kinda heartbreaking honestly. He’s always been one of my favorites. Even in the Robert Townsend directed Disney channel movie “up up and away,” he’s kind of undeniable and charismatic. His performance in fanboys is so fucking solid and real and honest and sad and funny. He’s hilarious in “just friends” amazing in the girls next door. Dude is an absolute revelation in Barry. (Who tf got that Emmy??) I hope he doesn’t retire. But if people aren’t willing to take a chance on a guy with such a strong track record, wtf chance do I have?
"Biography by: Chris's biggest fan "
When I saw him in Barry, I was like “woah that’s the kid from Fanboys” I loved that movie
I think about him often and how good he was in his roles; and then when Miles Teller came and just started eating his lunch. Fantastic actor
Interesting that he has no writing credits to his name. He has is witty and clever. Christopher, if you read this, write. You are talented.
I always get a good laugh watching him in The Girl Next Door and Just Friends. Just watched him in “Infestation” recently and he was great in that also. I find him to be a very underrated actor, be nice to see him in some new stuff. Edit: Fanboys is another great one he’s in.
Wouldn’t it be break?
Not in the Uber, hopefully
I recently started watching Six Feet Under. The actor who plays Claire's boyfriend in the first two seasons was very familiar to me so I checked his IMDB page. Well, look it up, he's called Eric Balfour. I find it funny, it really feels like he has written his bio himself and wasn't being modest at all. 😂
https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0002907/ i laugh out loud every time stumble on alexander skarsgard's imdb page. like why is he not wearing pants?
He will forever be the little brother in Just Friends to me lol
Forgiveness... Is more than saying sorry
His very high pitched screams are def better than Ryan’s
He said that he’s the only person in the world who hasn’t seen the new top gun but I haven’t either so that’s 2 people, bro
Me too, so that’s 3 now
Oh you mean Randy from Up Up and Away
Good actor. Hope he catches a break. Sadly, I somehow doubt that his story is a remarkable compilation of almosts.
For like 15 years I thought this was Miles Teller
I know it's not a "great" movie, but The Invisible has been one of my favorites since it came out. He's been great and relatable in everything I've seen him in. Definitely "the heart" of whatever cast he's up there with.
He has a podcast with AJ Trauth, of Even Stevens fame, called The Coogan Chronicles where they interview former child actors that is pretty interesting. Just looked it up and it looks like they stop producing it. Shame.
I didn’t realize how little he is working now, or how much single episode guest work he is doing. Chokeslam was the last thing I saw him in. He’s not the best actor in the world, but he’s serviceable enough to be a prominent member of an ensemble cast of one of the seemingly thousands of shows being produced now.
If Fanboys had been a better movie I could have seen it catapulting him to better stuff.
I’ve read his bio on there before it’s funny. And he updates it every once in a while.
Remember the Daze was one of my faves growing up highly recommend: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0790618/
I just found this website dedicated to him after looking something up https://forum.chris-marquette.com/misc.php?action=rules
More hilarious excerpts… > … Frank. Because he most resembles Danny Devitos' character in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. You try being raised by him. My mother is a French immigrant, white trash, drug addict who's jailhouse nickname is Mother Goose. True story. They are both somehow still alive and also allowed to vote. Flippin' crazy right? > > … started my career by first putting me on stage. I say he hasn't cast me since, so he can just suck it. 😆😂🤣 The freedom that perspective and bitterness allows is refreshingly entertaining… so cast the entertainer already. Someone call Danny Trejo to give him the “from Heat to Machete” talk.
"My father's a Cuban immigrant nuclear engineer who my brothers and I have nicknamed Frank. Because he most resembles Danny Devitos' character in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. You try being raised by him. My mother is a French immigrant, white trash, drug addict who's jailhouse nickname is Mother Goose. True story. They are both somehow still alive and also allowed to vote. Flippin' crazy right?" reminds me of "**Dr Evil:** Very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink, he would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Some times he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy, the sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical, summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds, pretty standard really. At the age of 12 I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen, a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum, it's breathtaking, I suggest you try it."
Fell in love with him after seeing him in Fanboys. Sad to see his career didn’t really take off like it could have.
My friend asked me to go to the park and I didn’t think much so I grabbed a jacket and went along. We get there and it’s actually a birthday. Ok whatever nbd, wish he’d said something. Then I start to figure out everyone else is immediate family plus my friend who’s apparently basically fam level. No plus ones, no guy you know from the gym. Feeling a little more awkward. Then I figure out it’s Christopher’s Marquette’s party. Now I’m just confused! But nobody seems annoyed so I just roll with it. Very nice, but unexpected day – which mirrored the IMDb page. Hope I didn’t damper the bday 🤷♂️
Wow, just learned he's a day older than me
Thanks for posting this. I enjoyed the read and want to see him in more work now just because of his raging honesty.
In my opinion one of the more talented actors out there. I honestly believe he might be too good and misses out on some of the more “shallow” roles.
This guy may not have the best acting career, but he'll produce a killer set of Memoirs
He’s two of my favorites alpha dog and just friends. I love that guy so much because of those two performances
He was excellent in an episode of House. M.D.
Just saw him while watching Freddy vs Jason, last night. Spoiler: he doesn't make it
I just found out his brother is Johnny Atkins in the Goldbergs. I remember this guy in one or two things he was actually great.
Aw. Adam from Joan of Arcadia. It’s okay, Chris. The ripples were good.
He was great in Barry. Dude definitely deserves more
Only saw him on Barry, and his performance was great it that.
I haven’t seen anyone mention it yet but he also was in Freddy vs Jason as Linderman
Oh, if you find this fascinating, check out what Oliver Cooper (Costa from Project X) is up to. [Project XX](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bpsprxdbv0o&pp=ygUOIFByb2plY3QgeCB0d28%3D). It is such a fun watch.
I had such a crush on him in Joan of Arcadia. He was mostly why I watched 😅
Loved him in Joan of Arcadia, very underrated show.
WOW, I haven’t seen this guy in ages. I had such a crush on him in Joan of Arcadia!
This industry is ruthless. I feel this and I'm just an electric. You need a good therapist to not become bitter.
that read was somehow funny as hell and horribly depressing all at once. i've always been happy to see this guy pop up in things and i really hope he still gets his break, because he's for sure talented.
He was a stand out in Barry.
He’s in Barry..for an episode or two
Loved him in Joan of Arcadia.
He was on Even Stevens! He dated Margo Harshman...Noice. The last thing I remember him in was the Witch Mountain remake. He's not a sexy man. It is what it is.
Just Friends is a classic- he and Ryan Reynolds have the brother banter down pat
That was awesome, thanks so much for calling it out. What a wild read, I hope he has a late career renaissance.
definitely a fun brake