Michael Shannon has done his fair share of high-budget films, like Man of Steel, but the actor has not shied away from doing smaller projects either. However, working on a particular project allowed the actor to meet one of the industry greats, something he likened to being a ‘dream’.
A Little White Lie is a cerebral literary thriller film, revolving around Shannon’s character, who is a down-on-his-luck handyman who gets mistaken for a celebrity writer. The film had a box office run of only $22,482 (via Box Office Mojo), but that does not mean the cast was not stuffed with talented artists of the industry, one that Shannon couldn’t believe he was working with: M. Emmet Walsh.
Michael Shannon felt like he was dreaming when working with M. Emmet Walsh
Michael Shannon was positively thrilled when Walsh joined the production of A Little White Lie, which was directed by A Short History of Decay director Michael Maren. Speaking about his admiration for the M. Emmet Walsh, Shannon, via Collider, said:
“That was kind of a dream come true. I’ve been watching him for years, and much like when I got the opportunity to work with Christopher Plummer in Knives Out, it’s just… You know, getting an opportunity to work with someone with decades of experience and someone so firmly etched into the cinema landscape, you know. I couldn’t believe I was sitting on a park bench improvising with M. Emmet Walsh. It’s definitely one of those pinch-me moments. Pinch me, I must be dreaming.”
The Man of Steel alum had watched the actor in multiple projects and was thrilled to be sharing scenes with him for their film. Being able to improvise with Walsh while there are no other entities on the screen might have been a little surreal for Michael Shannon. Shannon has great admiration for Walsh’s work, be it his voice work in films like The Iron Giant, or his on-screen appearance in Bound for Glory or Slap Shot.
M. Emmet Walsh passed away at the age of 88
Walsh passed away due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 88 on Tuesday, 19th March, 2024. The actor had starred in over 119 film projects, and 250 television productions over the course of sixty years in the industry. The actor had a storied career that spanned live-action and animated films, television productions, and the stage.
The actor’s career stands as a testament to his talent and the prestige that the actor brought to productions that he was a part of. While the actor had never received an Oscar or an Emmy for his performance, the late movie critic Roger Ebert developed the Stanton-Walsh rule after the actor which stated “No movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad.”
The actor has received multiple tributes on X, including from Knives Out director Rian Johnson.
