Michael Keaton Says He ‘Sucked’ in ‘Dumbo’ and It’s the ‘One Movie’ Where He Let Tim Burton Down: ‘It Bugs Me to This Day. I Was Clueless’
variety.comZack Sharf Digital News Director Michael Keaton recently shared to The New York Times a bit of regret over his performance in Tim Burton‘s 2019 live-action “Dumbo” film.
The Oscar nominee played a greedy amusement park owner in the film opposite a cast that included Colin Farrell, Eva Green and Danny DeVito. “Dumbo” earned mixed reviews from critics and was seen as a financial disappointment for Disney with just over $350 million at the worldwide box office. “I love working with Tim so much, but I don’t think we ever really analyzed why we work pretty well together; we just do,” Keaton told The Times. “I think I let him down on one movie, but that’s just me, and it bugs me to this day.
I was clueless on ‘Dumbo.’ I sucked in ‘Dumbo.'” Burton joined Keaton in The Times interview and butted in to say: “I don’t even know what you’re talking about, but whatever.” Critics were divided over Keaton’s villainous turn in the movie.
Variety’s Owen Gleiberman wrote in his review that “Keaton’s performance as the dastardly Vandevere is disappointingly thin; he’s a bad guy with a sandpaper voice but no layers.” Keaton’s disappointment in “Dumbo” mirrors that of Burton, who has been quite honest in the years since the film’s 2019 theatrical release about how making a Disney tentpole of that size was not the most enjoyable experience.
Read more on variety.com
