Being John Malkovich - actors, characters and roles

All actors and their roles in the film "Being John Malkovich"
Being John Malkovich (1999)
Timing: 1:53 (113 min)
Being John Malkovich - TMDB rating
7.416/10
4745
Being John Malkovich - Kinopoisk rating
7.252/10
53777
Being John Malkovich - IMDB rating
7.7/10
369000

Actors and characters

Photo John Cusack #28915Photo John Cusack #28916Photo John Cusack #28917Photo John Cusack #28918

John Cusack

John Cusack
Character Craig Schwartz
Photo Cameron Diaz #15293Photo Cameron Diaz #15294Photo Cameron Diaz #15295Photo Cameron Diaz #15296

Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz
Character Lotte Schwartz
Photo John Malkovich #16899Photo John Malkovich #16900Photo John Malkovich #16901Photo John Malkovich #16902

John Malkovich

John Malkovich
Character John Horatio Malkovich
Photo Catherine Keener #24845Photo Catherine Keener #24846Photo Catherine Keener #24847Photo Catherine Keener #24848

Catherine Keener

Catherine Keener
Character Maxine Lund
Photo Orson Bean #41516Photo Orson Bean #41517Photo Orson Bean #41518

Orson Bean

Orson Bean
Character Dr. Lester
Photo W. Earl Brown #41506Photo W. Earl Brown #41507

W. Earl Brown

W. Earl Brown
Character First J.M. Inc. Customer
Photo Carlos Jacott #4687Photo Carlos Jacott #4688Photo Carlos Jacott #327055

Carlos Jacott

Carlos Jacott
Character Larry the Agent
Photo Willie Garson #41520Photo Willie Garson #41521Photo Willie Garson #41522

Willie Garson

Willie Garson
Character Guy in Restaurant
Photo Byrne Piven #41523
Byrne Piven
Character Captain Mertin
Photo Gregory Sporleder #41525

Gregory Sporleder

Gregory Sporleder
Character Drunk at Bar
Photo Charlie Sheen #31262Photo Charlie Sheen #31263Photo Charlie Sheen #31264Photo Charlie Sheen #31265

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen
Character Charlie
Photo Reggie Hayes #41519
Reggie Hayes
Character Don
Photo K.K. Dodds #21961
K.K. Dodds
Character Wendy
Photo Judith Wetzell #41524

Judith Wetzell

Judith Wetzell
Character Tiny Woman
Photo Octavia Spencer #21808Photo Octavia Spencer #21809Photo Octavia Spencer #21810Photo Octavia Spencer #21811

Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer
Character Woman in Elevator
Photo Ned Bellamy #13969Photo Ned Bellamy #13970

Ned Bellamy

Ned Bellamy
Character Derek Mantini
Photo Eric Weinstein #66947
Eric Weinstein
Character Father at Puppet Show
Madison Lanc
Character Daughter at Puppet Show
Photo Kevin Carroll #41526Photo Kevin Carroll #41527

Kevin Carroll

Kevin Carroll
Character Cab Driver
Photo Gerald Emerick #41528
Gerald Emerick
Character Sad Man in Line
Photo Richard Fancy #41529Photo Richard Fancy #41530

Richard Fancy

Richard Fancy
Character Johnson Heyward
Photo Patti Tippo #41531
Patti Tippo
Character Malkovich's Mother
Daniel Hansen
Character Boy Malkovich
Photo Mariah O
Mariah O'Brien
Character Girl Creeped Out by Malkovich
Kelly Teacher
Character Emily
Bill M. Ryusaki
Character Mr. Hiroshi
Jacqueline Benoît
Character Lester's Friend
William Buck
Character Lester's Friend
Christine D. Coleman
Character Lester's Friend
Jeanne Diehl
Character Lester's Friend
Audrey Gelfund
Character Lester's Friend
Yetta Ginsburg
Character Lester's Friend
Sylvester Jenkins
Character Lester's Friend
Roy C. Johnson
Character Lester's Friend
Eddie J. Low
Character Lester's Friend
Ralph W. Spaulding
Character Lester's Friend
David Wyler
Character Lester's Friend
Flori Wyler
Character Lester's Friend
Kevin Lee
Character Ballet Dancer
Marlowe Bassett
Character Ballet Dancer
Jennifer Canzoneri
Character Ballet Dancer
Kristie Cordle
Character Ballet Dancer
Denise Dabrowski
Character Ballet Dancer
Photo Kristin Condon #41533
Kristin Condon
Character Ballet Dancer
Charlene Grimsley
Character Ballet Dancer
Christine Krejer
Character Ballet Dancer
Erica Long
Character Ballet Dancer
Yvonne Montelius
Character Ballet Dancer
Jessica Neuberger
Character Ballet Dancer
Sara Rifkin
Character Ballet Dancer
Elizabeth Rivera
Character Ballet Dancer
Chelsa Sjostrom
Character Ballet Dancer
Photo Pamela Hayden #28596Photo Pamela Hayden #28597

Pamela Hayden

Pamela Hayden
Character Featured Character Voice (voice)
Jayne Hess
Character Featured Character Voice (voice)
Michelle Madden
Character Featured Character Voice (voice)
Greg O'Neill
Character Featured Character Voice (voice)
Photo Neil Ross #34047

Neil Ross

Neil Ross
Character Featured Character Voice (voice)
Bill Wittman
Character Featured Character Voice (voice)
Photo David Fincher #9247Photo David Fincher #9248Photo David Fincher #9249Photo David Fincher #9250

David Fincher

David Fincher
Character Christopher Bing (uncredited)
Photo Sean Penn #41534Photo Sean Penn #41535Photo Sean Penn #41536Photo Sean Penn #41537

Sean Penn

Sean Penn
Character Sean Penn (uncredited)
Photo Brad Pitt #14451Photo Brad Pitt #14452Photo Brad Pitt #14453Photo Brad Pitt #14454

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt
Character Brad Pitt (uncredited)
Photo James Murray #41539
James Murray
Character Student Puppeteer (uncredited)

What's left behind the scenes

  • In the film, John Malkovich's full name is John Horatio Malkovich. In reality, his name is John Gavin Malkovich.
  • Charlie Kaufman's screenplay could not find a producer willing to finance such a risky project since 1994. Kaufman was offered to rewrite the script into something more commercial, like 'Being Tom Cruise,' based on Malkovich's lack of popularity. However, the screenwriter was attracted precisely by Malkovich's figure as one of the most enigmatic actors in America; moreover, Kaufman even dared to play on the very fact of Malkovich's unpopularity.
  • The director's father-in-law, Francis Ford Coppola, helped with the creation of the film; he personally convinced Malkovich to participate in the filming.
  • John Malkovich was repeatedly asked about participating in the project, but the actor refused each time. Malkovich stated that he would be better off as a producer of the film and would assist director Spike Jonze in every way. A couple of years later, he finally agreed to act for Jonze.
  • According to John Malkovich, he approached his character 'John Malkovich' as he would any fictional hero, and the only authentic element of the image he created on screen was the actor's wardrobe.
  • John Cusack asked his agent to find him the 'most outrageous' script. Having read the script, he instructed his agent to sign him up for the casting, after which he was cast as Craig Schwartz.
  • Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman sent the script to Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola liked the script and showed it to his nephew – Spike Jonze. Jonze was so delighted that he directly contacted Kaufman with an offer to direct a film based on the script.
  • Spike Jonze initially didn't want to film the scene where John Malkovich is hit in the head by a half-empty beer can thrown from a passing car, but he gave his approval, and the scene was filmed on the first take, hitting the actor directly in the head.
  • Kevin Bacon was originally cast as John Malkovich's friend in the initial script, but Malkovich recommended replacing him with Charlie Sheen.
  • Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman later recounted that when he presented the script to John Malkovich's representatives, they mistook him for a stalker – based on an incorrect address they provided him with – perceiving his inquiries as obsessive attention and harassment (stalking is understood as intrusive attention and pursuit, potentially violating personal boundaries and even posing a threat to the pursued person's life).
  • To prepare for his role, John Cusack took several lessons from professional puppeteers.
  • Charlie Sheen was in rehab when he learned that up-and-coming director Spike Jonze wanted to cast him in his debut film. Sheen agreed to the role without even reading the script.
  • In the first version of the script, Dr. Lester, played by Orson Bean, and his friends did not use the portal in Malkovich's head to prolong their own lives, but with the aim of seizing power over the whole world.
  • Charlie Kaufman's screenplay couldn't find a producer willing to finance such a risky project since 1994. Kaufman was offered to rewrite the screenplay into something more commercial, like "Being John Malkovich," due to Malkovich's lack of popularity. However, Kaufman was drawn to Malkovich's figure as one of America's most enigmatic actors, and he wasn't even afraid to play on the fact of Malkovich's relative obscurity.
  • John Cusack asked his agent to find him the "most outrageous" screenplay, read the one found, and told his agent to sign him up for a casting, after which he was cast as Craig Schwartz.
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