He began his career in theatre as an actor and then as a director. He made his Broadway debut in ‘Death of a Salesman’, and that role earned him an Emmy Award when the play was adapted for the screen. His film debut was more than successful - his role in ‘Places in the Heart’ earned him his first Academy Award nomination. He had notable roles in the films ‘Empire of the Sun’ by Steven Spielberg, ‘The Glass Menagerie’ by Paul Newman, Bertolucci's ‘The Sheltering Sky’. The role of the cruel Vicomte in Stephen Frears' ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ brought him popularity and attention from the general public, and the role of the psychotic killer in ‘In the Line of Fire’ earned him another Oscar nomination as well as a Golden Globe nomination.
He showed a great sense of humor when he accepted the role in the cult film ‘Being John Malkovich’ starring himself. Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman said that the script had been originally conceived exclusively with Malkovich in the lead role, because of the specific enigmatic energy this actor possesses. Indeed, Malkovich became famous for his unique appearance and mesmerizing acting performance, most often in the role of the icy gaze villain. However, he did not avoid comedy, therefore he will be remembered for his roles in the action comedy ‘RED’ and the film ‘Burn After Reading’ by the Coen brothers. Although he has made over 70 roles throughout his rich career, Malkovich is still active in Hollywood, and we have recently watched him in Netflix's ‘Bird Box’ and ‘Velvet Buzzsaw’.
In addition to acting and directing, Malkovich has produced several independent films that have become cult hits over time - including ‘Juno’ and ‘Ghost World’. He also wrote the screenplay for the short film ‘100 Years’, directed by Robert Rodriguez, which was then sealed and scheduled to be shown on November 18, 2115. Malkovich is a true Renaissance figure, because besides film, he is also into music and fashion design.
