Bruce Dern

Bruce Dern's got attitude to spare. He's a deeply devoted actor who spares himself nothing in trying to give a good performance. And he's an odd duck who says what he thinks, no matter whom it might offend. His autobiography is well titled. It's also a great read. I would have loved it at twice its length. For one thing, Dern knows that readers like to know something about the films an actor has made, about the process of making them and the people encountered in the making, and that people show more like details. He doesn't tell enough stories, but the ones he does are rich. I met him once, when we both were working on "Big Love," and I found him not the warmest person I'd ever met, but rather a driven man who seemed always dissatisfied with himself. He comes off very much the same way in the book, though it's clear that the people close to him adore him. I wish I'd had scenes with him, because I've always admired him. I'm very happy to have read his delightful and sometimes outrageous book. show less