He was a game show host, a game show contestant, a grieving father, and a mad scientist gone rogue. We are, of course, talking aboutJason Schwartzman. When movie goers think of the biggest box office stars of the past year, the mind instantly goes to names likeZoe Saldaña,Tom Cruise,Keanu Reeves, andPaul Rudd. But, while they may have appeared in the movies that drew in the most cash at the movie theaters, they are far behind the most watched actor — at least,according to Letterboxd. When Letterboxd announcedMargot Robbiewas the most watched female actor of 2023, it was no surprise. She did, after all, star in the biggest box office movie of the year. But, it was none other thanJason Schwartzman who was named the most watched male actor of 2023 on Letterboxd, and if you’re scratching your head, you’re not alone. He may not dress in spandex suits orhand out body blocks a-la Keanu Reeves, but he has got enough star power to steal the shine from any movie set he walks onto.
Jason Schwartzman acted in four major films of the past year;Asteroid City,Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,Quiz Lady, andThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. That is a massive undertaking, with one of the films going on to becomethe biggest box office movies of 2023. The fact that he did so under the radar is even more mystifying, but the finesse he contributed to several ofthe best movies of 2023is undeniable. As more audiences returned to the movie theaters in 2023 and embraced the movie-going experience, Schwartzman was a big part of that experience. Ranging from critically acclaimed independent films to massive superhero franchises, this year exemplifies just what makes Schwartzman one of Hollywood’s greatest secret weapons, and an ever-changing chameleon. In 2023, he did it all, from working with his constant collaborator, directorWes Anderson, to doing the unexpected by appearing inThe Hunger Gamesfranchise.If there’s anything we should know now about Schwartzman, it is to expect the unexpected.
Jason Schwartzman Joined Mega Franchises Like ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Spider-Man’ in 2023
Though mainly known as an independent cinema kind of man, working in low-budget flicks with cult followings,Schwartzman has transitioned into the mainstream. Leaping across the screen voicing a mad scientist inSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Schwartzman showcased his formidable voice in a boisterous performance only he could pull off. Somehow, as a universe threatening mastermind full of black holes that threaten the continuance of time and space, Schwartzman can still make a villain likable and funny. His sputtering, flabbergasting debacles with Spider-Man whoosh into Brooklyn like a breath of fresh air, asMarvel villains typically suck the life out of a room. A movie is only as good as its villain, and the Spot is easily one of the best cartoon bad guys in recent memory. Schwartzman takes a character that could have been a flat, scary villain, and instead brings a chaotic, charismatic energy to an incompetent super villain. Coming in sixth place at the box office behind the likes ofBarbieandThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, Schwartzman’s 2023 run was nothing short of iconic, andSpider-Manis just one of two massive box office smashes he appeared in.
Stanley Tuccipranced in sparkling shoes so Jason Schwartzman could strut in three-piece suits inThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. A prequel toThe Hunger Gamesseries starringJennifer Lawrence, the franchise struck gold with its casting of Schwartzman as a flamboyant, pre-Caesar Flickerman game show host. The film tells the origin story of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), growing up starving in the capitol as he becomes part of the first class of mentors to the various fighters in the 10th annual Hunger Games. Snow then makes the mistake of falling in love with the girl he’s mentoring, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), and he stops at nothing to keep her alive while making sure to put on a good show for the masses.
The film was deemed a global success, garneringover 300 million dollars at the box office. Mainly marketed as an unlikely romance and thrilling action film, the ad campaigns focused on the star power between co-stars Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler. Many fans were then pleasantly surprised to see Schwartzman swagger across the screen with his signature awkward charm and massive mustache as the first host of The Hunger Games, Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman. Tossing up coins, bamboozling monologues, and money-making close-ups,Schwartzman more than fills the bedazzling shoes Tucci first stepped into over 10 years ago.
Jason Schwartzman Returns as Wes Anderson’s Leading Man in ‘Asteroid City’
25 years ago, Jason Schwartzman was introduced to the big screen sporting braces, pimples, and an unbreakable spirit as 17-year-old Max Fischer in Wes Anderson’s breakthrough coming-of-age film,Rushmore.Rushmoreis Anderson’s most underappreciated gemand no other director could have introduced Schwartzman to the world of film better, with his quirky demeanor and intoxicating rapport with Anderson’s words. A quarter of a century later, and the spark between an artist and his muse is still very much alive.Though he may not always play the leading man, whenever Anderson is concerned, Schwartzman will always command attention.
Asteroid Citymarked Anderson’s highly anticipated follow-up to the divisive movie,The French Dispatch, and while critics tended to enjoy the flick, it was not able to reach a broad audience. Schwartzman stars as Augie Steenbeck, a widower and war photo journalist traveling to the desert town of Asteroid City with his children in tow. Set in the ’50s, Steenbeck and his fellow townies witness UFO and other paranormal sightings, leading them to question the meaning of life and their purpose on earth.Schwartzman never shines quite as brightly as he does as when he appears in an Anderson film, and has undeniable chemistry with co-starScarlett Johansson. Schwartzman leads the cast by delivering a career-defining performance as a grieving man and father, challenging ideas of masculinity in an oppressive, American-dream tainted past.
Asteroid City
Following a writer on his world famous fictional play about a grieving father who travels with his tech-obsessed family to small rural Asteroid City to compete in a junior stargazing event, only to have his world view disrupted forever.
Asteroid Cityis available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S.
Watch on Prime Video
In ‘Quiz Lady’ and Beyond, Schwartzman Conquered Cinema in 2023
As if appearing inThe Hunger GamesandSpider-Manfranchises alongside Wes Anderson’s long-awaited return to the big screen wasn’t enough, Schwartzman topped the sundae off by appearing in theAwkafinaandSandra Ohbuddy-comedy film,Quiz Lady. Trading the game show host’s microphone for the buzzer instead, Schwartzman once again gladly becomes the unlikely villain in a charming comedy about sisterhood and perseverance. In the Hulu original film, Awkwafina stars as the reclusive Anne Yumm, living her days for the night, so she can watch theJeopardy-inspired show,Can’t Stop the Quiz.
When her chaotic older sister Jenny (Oh) returns home after their mother skips town to outrun her debts to a dangerous gang, the crew members retaliate by stealing Anne’s beloved dog. In order to make enough money to reimburse the gang and get the dog back, the sisters go on a cross-country trip to enter Anne as a contestant onCan’t Stop the Quizand are successful in their mission. Her greatest enemy becomes an over-greased, spray-tanned, veneer wearing Jason Schwartzman as the game’s star champion, Ron Heacock.Quiz Ladyis a comedy flick with a stacked cast, and Schwartzman is a heavyweight comedian hitting homerun after homerun alongside all-stars like Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, and none other thanWill Ferrell. Comedy fits Schwartzman like a glove, andthe clumsy, endearing quirks he brings to Ron Heacock, who uses mansplaining like a lifeline, are what made every comedy-infused role he performed in 2023 so singular.
Even when he’s the bad guy, you can’t help but love him. His irresistible charm, thanks to natural comedic chops, brought some much-needed laughs and smiles to the various films Schwartzman starred in throughout 2023. A singular talent that refused to be boxed into one singular genre or character type, the movies this year were better for it. And there is no sign of slowing down, as there is a lot more on the horizon for Schwartzman. Next, he will appear in theupcoming science-fiction epic, Megalopolis, directed by his grandfather,Francis Ford Coppola. He will also return as the Spot once more in the third movie of the Spider-Verse trilogy,Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. We can only hope that 2024 will be as exciting as 2023. Whether he’s leading or supporting, Schwartzman has not only stolen the show this past year, but our hearts.
A gameshow-obsessed woman and her estranged sister work together to help cover their mother’s gambling debts.
