Cary Elwes goes for roles that he is a 'little bit scared of'
Cary Elwes leans more towards roles that seem a "little bit" scary to him.
Cary Elwes goes for roles that make him feel scared.
The 63-year-old star loves showing off his acting skillset by playing characters in a variety of genres, including horror, comedy and war films.
Cary told the Saturday Guardian: "[If I come across] something I'm a little bit scared of, then that's usually the thing I gravitate towards."
Horror franchise Saw, 1996 action-adventure Twister and the 1989 war drama Glory are just some of the many movie credits the performer has to his name, and Cary credits "dreaming big" as a child for making it in Hollywood.
He explained: "Even when I was a kid, from the moment I discovered television, I wanted to be in the entertainment industry. And I just manifested it. I really believe in that.
"I read a bunch of autobiographies of my favourite actors, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Richard Burton, Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole.
"I was absolutely focused on doing everything I could to get in the business."
Cary moved from London to the USA at the age of 18 in 1981 and studied acting at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.
Soon after graduating, he auditioned for the 1984 romance-drama, Another Country, and Cary ultimately landed the role of James Harcourt, the love interest of the protagonist, Guy Bennett (Rupert Everett).
Cary recalled: "So I got it from my first audition, which I don't recommend because after that, I thought it was too easy."
The star is best known for playing heartthrob Westley in the 1987 family-comedy, The Princess Bride - of which the late Rob Reiner-directed movie bombed at the box office.
Cary was unemployed for a year afterwards, and although he received job offers in other fantasy films, he rejected them because he did not want to be typecast as the romantic lead.
The Dead Man's Wire cast member explained: "So even though The Princess Bride was not a success at this point, casting directors wanted to pigeonhole me [as the romantic lead], and I didn't want that. I wanted to play character roles."
That wish came true after he met Al Pacino, 85, in a New York restaurant, and The Godfather legend put Cary in touch with the city's Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, where he studied with Al's friend and mentor, Charlie Laughton.
Cary recalled: "He asked me if I was working, and I said no.
"He said, 'You need to exercise your [acting] muscles,' and told me to go back to school and train.
"I auditioned, I got in and ended up working with Al's mentor, and it changed my life."
