James Spader has been in the film industry for quite some time now. And while he has made a name for himself for mostly portraying eccentric characters, it is his role in The Blacklist that fans best know him for. An incredibly talented actor, his run with the American crime thriller ended last year with the show’s tenth and final season.
Now over $30 million rich, the actor once revealed why he chose to star in The Blacklist. While some might say the series was interesting enough for any actor to take on the role, Spader’s decision might have been influenced by his financial spending.
James Spader on Why He Said Yes to The Blacklist
James Spader has shined on the big and small screen in numerous roles. From portraying an Egyptologist to an alcoholic or a sadomasochistic boss, the majority of his roles can be described by the word eccentric. Yet, that has not deterred him from taking on more such challenging and complex roles and giving an exceptionally convincing performance each time.
In the last few years, the $30 million rich (via Celebrity Net Worth‘s de) star has gone on to play Raymond “Red” Reddington in the NBC series The Blacklist. And for a decade he continued playing the titular and most wanted FBI fugitive in the series. While the series has brought him immense fame, particularly for his character’s idiosyncrasies, the actor’s decision to be in the series seems to be more of a financial decision.
In an old interview with The Guardian, the Marvel star had remarked how he is not pretty good at managing his finances.
“I have a history. I am not very responsible economically. I have a history working on films for years and years, and by the time I was starting the next film I was starting from zero again. Television is the best earner. So the idea of knowing that the bills are going to be paid…”
And so knowing that the show had chances of running for a long time, Spader was quick to accept the role. While he might not be good at finances, Spader seems to be pretty good at figuring out what a good show is, for The Blacklist successfully ran for 10 whole years.
James Spader States He is Not Good at Being an Actor
James Spader might have an incredibly diverse filmography and several accolades to his name, yet he thinks he is not a good actor. True that he is not the average actor in Hollywood, thanks to his many peculiar roles, many would agree that Spader is indeed one of the finest actors of his generation.
And so while many would be confused upon knowing that the 3 times Emmy-nominated actor does not consider himself a good actor, Spader’s definition of a good actor is something entirely different. While talking to The Guardian, the Marvel star stated,
“There are some actors who are very good at developing things. Who have… ‘things in the pipeline’. I am abysmal at that kind of thing, loathe it, and am a terrible planner. Unless I’m showing up on the set and acting I prefer to have nothing to do with the actual business of being an actor.”
While his exceptional performances speak volumes about his talent and dedication to his craft, Spader’s lack of future planning is what irks him the most. With The Blacklist now over, fans can’t wait to see more of the actor’s work in the years to come.
The Blacklist can be streamed on Netflix.
