WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.520 Welcome to the Deep Dive. We sift through mountains 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:05.200 of information on fascinating people and topics 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:06.980 and basically give you everything you need to 00:00:06.980 --> 00:00:10.060 know fast. Yeah, saving you all those hours of 00:00:10.060 --> 00:00:12.919 digging. And today we're diving deep into an 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:15.960 actor who really is a master of transformation, 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:19.000 Vincent D 'Onofrio. Absolutely. We're looking 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:22.460 at someone whose range is just... It's staggering. 00:00:22.579 --> 00:00:24.699 We've got sources covering pretty much his entire 00:00:24.699 --> 00:00:27.839 life and career. Childhood, his training, acting, 00:00:27.980 --> 00:00:30.199 directing. Right. Even his music and writing, 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:32.439 believe it or not. And his current big roles, 00:00:32.539 --> 00:00:34.179 of course. He doesn't really have a consistent 00:00:34.179 --> 00:00:36.320 persona, does he? Yeah. It's more like a whole 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.219 gallery of different people, some sensitive, 00:00:38.359 --> 00:00:41.920 some deeply unsettling. And he just disappears. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:45.119 The ultimate chameleon. So our mission today 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:48.189 is to unpack. How he does that. What's the common 00:00:48.189 --> 00:00:51.369 thread? What fuels that intense commitment over, 00:00:51.450 --> 00:00:53.909 what, four decades now? And it's an intensity 00:00:53.909 --> 00:00:56.170 that definitely took its toll on him at times, 00:00:56.229 --> 00:00:58.770 physically and maybe mentally too. We need to 00:00:58.770 --> 00:01:01.329 explore that drive. Okay, to give you a feel 00:01:01.329 --> 00:01:02.710 for the kind of transformations we're talking 00:01:02.710 --> 00:01:04.349 about, let's just quickly mention three roles. 00:01:04.590 --> 00:01:06.930 Roles you probably know, but maybe didn't connect 00:01:06.930 --> 00:01:09.769 to the same actor. Good idea. First up, Private 00:01:09.769 --> 00:01:12.769 Leonard Lawrence. You know, Gomer Pyle from Full 00:01:12.769 --> 00:01:15.010 Metal Jacket back in 87. That tragic figure. 00:01:15.069 --> 00:01:17.700 A role that involved this. Just unbelievable 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:20.939 physical change. Yeah. Career -defining stuff. 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:23.099 Then, completely different, you've got Edgar 00:01:23.099 --> 00:01:25.659 the Bug in Men in Black, that creepy, awkward, 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:28.980 hilarious alien in a farmer suit from 97. So 00:01:28.980 --> 00:01:31.480 grotesque, but weirdly funny. He actually won 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:34.120 a Saturn Award for that one. He did. And then, 00:01:34.260 --> 00:01:38.439 for TV, you have these two huge anchors. First, 00:01:38.620 --> 00:01:41.180 Detective Robert Gorin on Law & Order, criminal 00:01:41.180 --> 00:01:44.519 intent, hyper -smart, kind of tortured. He played 00:01:44.519 --> 00:01:46.859 him for, what, over 100 episodes? 141 episodes, 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:49.180 yeah. And then you contrast that with his current 00:01:49.180 --> 00:01:52.340 defining villain role, Wilson Fisk, Kingpin. 00:01:52.459 --> 00:01:54.180 The big bad of the Marvel street level universe 00:01:54.180 --> 00:01:57.340 now. That huge, imposing, but somehow vulnerable 00:01:57.340 --> 00:02:00.859 crime boss. Right. To swing between that quiet, 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:03.760 brainy detective and this powerhouse villain, 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:06.359 that takes incredible control. It really does. 00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:09.259 Okay, so let's get into it. Let's unpack this 00:02:09.259 --> 00:02:11.780 transformation artist. Where did it all start? 00:02:12.020 --> 00:02:13.990 All right, let's lay the groundwork. Vincent 00:02:13.990 --> 00:02:18.210 Philip D 'Onofrio, born June 30th, 1959 in Brooklyn, 00:02:18.389 --> 00:02:20.789 New York. Sources point out his Italian roots, 00:02:21.009 --> 00:02:23.490 ancestors from Naples. And performance was kind 00:02:23.490 --> 00:02:25.530 of in the family background, wasn't it? Even 00:02:25.530 --> 00:02:27.310 if he wasn't aiming for the stage right away. 00:02:27.590 --> 00:02:32.110 Exactly. His dad, Gennaro, or Gene, was an interior 00:02:32.110 --> 00:02:35.270 decorator, but his real passion was amateur theater. 00:02:35.610 --> 00:02:38.889 Spent all his spare time doing it. So D 'Onofrio... 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:41.759 grew up around theater making, not just watching, 00:02:41.819 --> 00:02:43.939 but actually doing stuff backstage. Yeah, building 00:02:43.939 --> 00:02:46.199 sets, handling sound for community theaters. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:49.159 His dad ran. He saw how the sausage was made, 00:02:49.300 --> 00:02:51.159 you know, understood the mechanics of creating 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:53.180 that illusion early on. And he moved around a 00:02:53.180 --> 00:02:55.639 bit as a kid. He did. Lived in Hawaii and Colorado 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:57.539 when he was really young. Then his parents divorced 00:02:57.539 --> 00:03:00.080 and the family moved down near Hialeah, Florida. 00:03:00.340 --> 00:03:02.520 And this is where he gets interesting. He's surrounded 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:05.340 by theater, but he describes himself as shy. 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:09.039 Intensely shy, yeah. he said he spent a lot of 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.479 time in my room staying in my head which is fascinating 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:14.800 right this internal world he was building that's 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:17.340 key isn't it if you're naturally shy but drawn 00:03:17.340 --> 00:03:20.639 to performing you kind of need a way in a structure 00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:24.439 and he found one early on with magic you got 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:27.000 it sources mention this early fascination with 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.500 magic sleight of hand learn tricks from cuban 00:03:30.500 --> 00:03:32.719 entertainers who had a little magic shop nearby 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:36.469 magic is all about control technique misdirection 00:03:36.469 --> 00:03:39.270 hiding the mechanics to create an effect it's 00:03:39.270 --> 00:03:41.789 a perfect parallel to method acting really disappearing 00:03:41.789 --> 00:03:44.349 by mastering an internal technique so from that 00:03:44.349 --> 00:03:46.849 self -taught illusion he moves into formal acting 00:03:46.849 --> 00:03:49.729 training after high school right He did some 00:03:49.729 --> 00:03:51.830 community stuff in Colorado, but the serious 00:03:51.830 --> 00:03:53.689 training kicked in back in New York. He went 00:03:53.689 --> 00:03:55.449 deep into method acting. The famous schools? 00:03:55.810 --> 00:03:58.349 Yep. The American Stanislavski Theater, the Actor's 00:03:58.349 --> 00:04:01.069 Studio. Studied with big names like Sonia Moore 00:04:01.069 --> 00:04:03.629 and Sharon Shatton. He was really committing 00:04:03.629 --> 00:04:05.870 to the craft. And this wasn't easy. He was hustling 00:04:05.870 --> 00:04:08.389 to make ends meet while training, right? Doing 00:04:08.389 --> 00:04:10.889 NYU student plays, but also working some pretty 00:04:10.889 --> 00:04:13.550 wild jobs. Oh, yeah. This part's great. Delivery 00:04:13.550 --> 00:04:15.909 guy, sure. Bouncer at the Hard Rock Cafe, okay. 00:04:15.990 --> 00:04:19.089 But then... Bodyguard work. Seriously? For who? 00:04:19.269 --> 00:04:21.870 Sources confirm it. Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin 00:04:21.870 --> 00:04:26.189 and Yul Brynner. Wow. So he's got this physical 00:04:26.189 --> 00:04:30.689 presence guarding literal legends while training 00:04:30.689 --> 00:04:33.430 to sort of vanish emotionally into characters. 00:04:33.730 --> 00:04:35.670 It's that mix, isn't it? Physical capability 00:04:35.670 --> 00:04:38.430 combined with intense internal discipline. That 00:04:38.430 --> 00:04:40.529 really set the stage. And his stage career started 00:04:40.529 --> 00:04:43.449 picking up then. It did. Got his first paid gig 00:04:43.449 --> 00:04:47.129 off Broadway in This Property is Condemned. Then 00:04:47.129 --> 00:04:49.670 Broadway in 84, a play called Open Admissions. 00:04:49.670 --> 00:04:52.589 He was building a solid foundation. OK, before 00:04:52.589 --> 00:04:54.769 we get to the role that completely changed everything 00:04:54.769 --> 00:04:57.050 physically and professionally, let's touch on 00:04:57.050 --> 00:04:58.850 his personal life and some health stuff, because 00:04:58.850 --> 00:05:00.790 that seems really relevant to his whole approach. 00:05:01.009 --> 00:05:04.389 Definitely. So in the late 80s, early 90s, he 00:05:04.389 --> 00:05:07.089 was with actress Greta Scacchi. Right. And they 00:05:07.089 --> 00:05:09.209 have a daughter. Yeah. Layla George, born around 00:05:09.209 --> 00:05:12.129 92. She's an actress, too. And here's a little 00:05:12.129 --> 00:05:14.740 Hollywood connection for you. Layla George was 00:05:14.740 --> 00:05:16.899 married to Sean Penn for a couple of years, 2020 00:05:16.899 --> 00:05:20.120 to 2022. Making D 'Onofrio Sean Penn's former 00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:22.420 father -in -law for a bit, huh? Small world. 00:05:23.339 --> 00:05:27.040 Then, in 97, he married Karen Vanderdonk, a Dutch 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:30.000 model. They had a separation in the early 2000s, 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:31.620 but got back together. And they had kids too. 00:05:31.800 --> 00:05:35.040 Two sons, yeah. Born in 99 and 2008. It seems 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:37.339 like it was a long, somewhat complicated relationship. 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:40.370 He filed for divorce relatively recently. In 00:05:40.370 --> 00:05:43.149 June 2023. Okay. And what about the health challenges 00:05:43.149 --> 00:05:44.930 he's mentioned? Those seem really significant. 00:05:45.290 --> 00:05:48.230 They do. Sources confirm he has dyslexia. And 00:05:48.230 --> 00:05:50.509 he also said something really candid back in 00:05:50.509 --> 00:05:53.209 2011. What was that? He reflected that if we 00:05:53.209 --> 00:05:55.470 knew more about conditions like autism back when 00:05:55.470 --> 00:05:57.629 he was a kid, he thinks he might have been diagnosed 00:05:57.629 --> 00:05:59.990 with it. That adds a whole other layer, doesn't 00:05:59.990 --> 00:06:02.750 it? Yeah. That self -described shyness, the dyslexia, 00:06:02.750 --> 00:06:05.730 maybe processing things differently. It makes... 00:06:05.899 --> 00:06:08.720 His dedication to method acting seemed less like 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.680 just a choice and more like... Like a necessary 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:13.980 tool, a way to build a predictable structure 00:06:13.980 --> 00:06:16.579 for himself to navigate the world and especially 00:06:16.579 --> 00:06:19.459 performance. Exactly. Creating these detailed 00:06:19.459 --> 00:06:22.360 internal worlds wasn't just art. Maybe it was 00:06:22.360 --> 00:06:24.540 how he needed to operate to connect and perform 00:06:24.540 --> 00:06:27.339 so powerfully. That meticulous internal construction 00:06:27.339 --> 00:06:29.680 really sets the scene perfectly for the role 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.860 that blew the doors open. Full metal jacket. 00:06:32.880 --> 00:06:36.399 Stanley Kubrick, 1987. You can't just call it 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:38.980 a breakthrough. It was more like an explosion. 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:42.740 Private Leonard Gomer Pyle Lawrence. And getting 00:06:42.740 --> 00:06:45.899 the role itself was a feat of persistence. His 00:06:45.899 --> 00:06:47.959 friend, Matthew Modine, who was already cast, 00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:50.879 told him to send audition tapes to Kubrick over 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:53.639 in England. Kubrick, famously hard to reach. 00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:56.199 Right. D 'Onofrio didn't send one tape, he sent 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:58.699 four. He just kept sending them until Kubrick 00:06:58.699 --> 00:07:00.860 finally said yes. And Kubrick's vision for the 00:07:00.860 --> 00:07:03.220 character changed, didn't it? Which changed everything 00:07:03.220 --> 00:07:06.040 for D 'Onofrio. Massively. Originally, the character 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:08.860 was written as like a skinny, ignorant redneck 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:11.019 type. But Kubrick decided the character's breakdown 00:07:11.019 --> 00:07:13.000 would be way more impactful, more horrifying 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:15.759 if he was physically large, awkward, clumsy. 00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:18.680 So he needed D 'Onofrio to get big. Really big. 00:07:18.779 --> 00:07:20.899 This led to one of the most famous weight gains 00:07:20.899 --> 00:07:23.860 in movie history. D 'Onofrio put on 70 pounds. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:27.839 70. He ballooned up to 280 pounds for the part. 00:07:28.329 --> 00:07:30.350 At the time, that was the record, right? It was. 00:07:30.449 --> 00:07:33.110 More weight than any actor had ever gained for 00:07:33.110 --> 00:07:34.949 a role up to that point. It wasn't just getting 00:07:34.949 --> 00:07:37.449 heavier. It was a complete physical overhaul 00:07:37.449 --> 00:07:41.430 to fit Kubrick's very specific, disturbing vision. 00:07:41.730 --> 00:07:44.709 That level of commitment, especially that early 00:07:44.709 --> 00:07:48.089 in your career, it's almost like self -harm in 00:07:48.089 --> 00:07:50.519 service of the art. and it had real consequences 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:53.519 oh absolutely the physical toll was immediate 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:56.579 and serious while they were filming that brutal 00:07:56.579 --> 00:07:59.519 obstacle course scene he badly injured his left 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:01.959 knee and the extra weight just made it worse 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:04.300 way worse compounded the injury significantly 00:08:04.300 --> 00:08:07.220 it ended up needing surgical reconstruction so 00:08:07.220 --> 00:08:09.899 yeah his commitment literally broke his body 00:08:09.899 --> 00:08:11.720 and getting back to normal wasn't quick either 00:08:11.720 --> 00:08:14.139 took him nine full months after filming ended 00:08:14.139 --> 00:08:16.620 to lose almost all that weight that one role 00:08:16.620 --> 00:08:18.839 just instantly defined him not just talented 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:21.920 but willing to endure extremes most actors wouldn't 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:24.439 even consider It really set the tone for his 00:08:24.439 --> 00:08:26.600 whole career, didn't it? If the part needs a 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:29.300 massive change, internal or external, he'll do 00:08:29.300 --> 00:08:31.519 it, no matter the cost. Totally. He was suddenly 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:33.879 in this category of, like, extreme dedication. 00:08:34.700 --> 00:08:37.139 So once he recovered physically, the challenge 00:08:37.139 --> 00:08:40.720 was clear. Prove he wasn't just the full metal 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:43.529 jacket guy. You needed to show range. Fast. And 00:08:43.529 --> 00:08:46.490 he did. He immediately started taking diverse 00:08:46.490 --> 00:08:49.269 supporting roles. The same year Full Metal Jacket 00:08:49.269 --> 00:08:52.570 came out, 87, he's Dawson, the mechanic in Adventures 00:08:52.570 --> 00:08:55.149 in Babysitting. Then the next year, 88, he's 00:08:55.149 --> 00:08:58.070 the sweet fiancé in Mystic Pizza. Completely 00:08:58.070 --> 00:09:01.210 different vibe. Charming, supportive. Right. 00:09:01.529 --> 00:09:03.549 Showing he could be present without being this 00:09:03.549 --> 00:09:06.889 looming, tragic figure. Then he did more thoughtful 00:09:06.889 --> 00:09:09.250 roles, like in Robert Altman's The Player in 00:09:09.250 --> 00:09:11.809 92. He played the writer, David Kahan. Yeah. 00:09:12.379 --> 00:09:13.960 He was just popping up everywhere, playing all 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:15.919 sorts of different people. In the 90s and early 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:19.360 2000s, saw him really dive into playing intense 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:21.940 historical figures, roles that needed serious 00:09:21.940 --> 00:09:24.320 prep. Like Robert E. Howard, the guy who created 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:26.080 Conan the Barbarian and The Whole Wide World 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.259 in 96. That was based on a memoir. And that role 00:09:28.259 --> 00:09:30.360 got him noticed, right? Yeah. Awards. It did. 00:09:30.889 --> 00:09:33.210 Best actor at the Seattle Film Festival, Lone 00:09:33.210 --> 00:09:35.909 Star Film Awards. And crucially, he wasn't just 00:09:35.909 --> 00:09:38.850 acting in it. He was a producer, too, showing 00:09:38.850 --> 00:09:41.710 that desire for more creative control. He also 00:09:41.710 --> 00:09:44.429 played Abby Hoffman, the activist in Steal This 00:09:44.429 --> 00:09:48.330 Movie in 2000. Yep. But the historical role that 00:09:48.330 --> 00:09:51.090 had the most interesting fallout leading to later 00:09:51.090 --> 00:09:54.669 work was playing Orson Welles in Tim Burton's 00:09:54.669 --> 00:09:58.860 Ed Wood. That was 94. Ah, yes. The voice incident? 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:00.980 What happened there? Well, he got the part, but 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:03.360 Tim Burton apparently wasn't happy with his vocal 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:06.019 performance as well. D 'Onofrio later said he 00:10:06.019 --> 00:10:08.679 only had about two weeks to prep the voice. So 00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:11.059 what did Burton do? He had D 'Onofrio's voice 00:10:11.059 --> 00:10:13.299 dubbed over by Maurice LaMarche, a well -known 00:10:13.299 --> 00:10:16.269 voice actor. Ouch. That had to sting. Being dubbed 00:10:16.269 --> 00:10:18.590 over. Deeply. That artistic rejection clearly 00:10:18.590 --> 00:10:20.409 stuck with him. It became a major motivation 00:10:20.409 --> 00:10:22.570 for something he did later behind the camera. 00:10:22.710 --> 00:10:24.169 We definitely need to come back to that when 00:10:24.169 --> 00:10:26.009 we talk about his directing. Okay. So besides 00:10:26.009 --> 00:10:28.289 the historical and sensitive roles, he also leaned 00:10:28.289 --> 00:10:32.830 into the totally bizarre sci -fi horror where 00:10:32.830 --> 00:10:35.419 that physical control became a huge asset. Yeah, 00:10:35.539 --> 00:10:37.980 you absolutely have to talk about Edgar the Bug 00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:40.440 in Men in Black. That performance is pure physical 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:42.940 control. He's playing this farmer whose body 00:10:42.940 --> 00:10:46.399 is taken over by this giant, gross alien cockroach. 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:48.700 And it's the way he moves. It's not just clumsy. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:51.720 It looks fundamentally wrong. Like the body doesn't 00:10:51.720 --> 00:10:56.080 fit that jerky insect like walk, the hunched 00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:58.899 posture, the face stretched into these awful 00:10:58.899 --> 00:11:01.519 smiles. It's repulsive, but also kind of hilarious 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:03.580 because the human form is clearly struggling. 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:06.019 That Saturn award makes total sense. Totally 00:11:06.019 --> 00:11:08.580 earned. Then you have Carl Starger in the cell 00:11:08.580 --> 00:11:11.360 in 2000 playing a serial killer opposite J -Lo, 00:11:11.419 --> 00:11:14.059 mostly inside these surreal dreamscapes. That 00:11:14.059 --> 00:11:17.340 was pure psychological horror. quiet, chilling 00:11:17.340 --> 00:11:20.000 menace. He got nominated for Best Villain at 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:22.659 the MTV Movie Awards for that and won a Fangoria 00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:25.340 Chainsaw Award. He can flip from physical comedy 00:11:25.340 --> 00:11:27.679 to just dark terror. And he kept working in big 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:29.600 movies too. Like he was Vic Hoskins in Jurassic 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:31.779 World in 2015. He's kind of a shady security 00:11:31.779 --> 00:11:34.500 guy. Right. And Jack Horn in the remake of The 00:11:34.500 --> 00:11:37.320 Magnificent Seven in 2016. Yeah. The quiet mountain 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:40.039 man tracker. Even in huge ensembles, he brings 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:42.279 this weight and complexity. But I think for a 00:11:42.279 --> 00:11:44.970 whole generation. Maybe two generations. His 00:11:44.970 --> 00:11:47.889 face and that intense method became synonymous 00:11:47.889 --> 00:11:50.610 with television. Two massive, long -running roles. 00:11:50.909 --> 00:11:53.809 Absolutely. We have to spend real time on Detective 00:11:53.809 --> 00:11:57.110 Robert Gorin. Law and order. Criminal intent. 00:11:57.429 --> 00:12:01.309 He was Gorin from 2001 to 2011. 141 episodes. 00:12:01.590 --> 00:12:04.509 That character was him for a decade in the public 00:12:04.509 --> 00:12:07.850 eye. Gorin was such a perfect fit for D 'Onofrio's 00:12:07.850 --> 00:12:10.429 specific kind of intensity, wasn't he? Not a 00:12:10.429 --> 00:12:13.059 tough street cop. but this super smart, incredibly 00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:15.820 observant guy. Totally cerebral. His whole method 00:12:15.820 --> 00:12:17.840 was about soaking up details and making these 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:20.039 incredible intuitive leaps. Almost like that 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:21.860 autism connection you mentioned earlier, that 00:12:21.860 --> 00:12:24.460 ability to see patterns others miss. And his 00:12:24.460 --> 00:12:28.340 physicality as Gorin was so distinct. That hunched 00:12:28.340 --> 00:12:30.860 way he'd examine things, how he'd lean into suspects, 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:33.720 was unsettling. Yeah, if we think back to that 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:36.120 shy kid needing structure, Gorin is like the 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:39.019 ultimate constructed persona. His weird mannerisms, 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:40.899 the way he'd almost physically grapple with... 00:12:40.909 --> 00:12:43.870 clues and nofrio built this character who used 00:12:43.870 --> 00:12:46.350 his brain like a physical force but keeping that 00:12:46.350 --> 00:12:49.470 level of intensity up for a network tv show schedule 00:12:49.470 --> 00:12:52.269 yeah that sounds exhausting it proved to be almost 00:12:52.269 --> 00:12:55.149 impossible Those Law & Order shows have brutal 00:12:55.149 --> 00:12:58.269 schedules, like 14 -hour days, week after week. 00:12:58.450 --> 00:13:01.129 He was trying to bring deep method work to a 00:13:01.129 --> 00:13:03.690 factory production line. And it led to actual 00:13:03.690 --> 00:13:06.509 physical problems. Sources confirm it. Back in 00:13:06.509 --> 00:13:09.830 2004, he actually collapsed twice. Once on set, 00:13:09.950 --> 00:13:13.200 once at home, just sheer exhaustion. Wow. That 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:15.899 wasn't just being tired. That was his body giving 00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:18.519 out from maintaining Goran's mental state constantly. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.440 It really speaks to how immersed he was. He wasn't 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:23.700 just saying the lines. He was living that high 00:13:23.700 --> 00:13:26.399 -stress internal world. And that probably played 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:28.460 into the changes on the show later. Seems likely. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:32.139 His departure was announced in 2009. Jeff Goldblum 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:35.039 came in. But the ratings dipped noticeably. People 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:37.639 miss Goran's unique energy. Exactly. So they 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:39.720 brought him and Katherine Irby back for the final 00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:42.779 season, season 10, to wrap it up properly. And 00:13:42.779 --> 00:13:44.620 he had fun with the character's fame too, right? 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:47.320 Didn't he do SNL? Yeah, a funny cameo as Goran 00:13:47.320 --> 00:13:50.460 in a presidential election sketch in 2008, complete 00:13:50.460 --> 00:13:53.620 with the iconic Dundio in sound effect. It showed 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:56.220 Goran had become this recognizable cultural figure. 00:13:56.600 --> 00:13:59.080 Okay, so if Goran was his procedural anchor, 00:13:59.419 --> 00:14:04.279 Wilson Fisk, Kingpin, is his huge current anchor 00:14:04.279 --> 00:14:06.899 in the whole superhero world. This is the role 00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:09.220 defining him for a new generation. Definitely. 00:14:09.820 --> 00:14:12.100 He first showed up as Fisk in Marvel's Daredevil 00:14:12.100 --> 00:14:15.179 series back in 2015, and right away it was different. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:18.980 How so? He wasn't just a typical comic book bad 00:14:18.980 --> 00:14:21.340 guy. Not at all. D 'Onofrio played him as this 00:14:21.340 --> 00:14:24.600 deeply damaged man -child. Someone twisted by 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:27.179 trauma into this terrifying, calculated monster, 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:29.500 but with this core of vulnerability that could 00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:31.820 just explode into rage. That performance was 00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:34.419 instantly iconic. What makes it work so well? 00:14:34.580 --> 00:14:37.360 It's the stillness. He's this huge, physically 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:40.039 imposing guy, but often his power comes from 00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:43.240 being quiet. He speaks in this soft, almost hesitant 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:45.639 whisper sometimes. Which makes it even more terrifying. 00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:48.240 Exactly. It forces you to lean in, makes the 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:51.019 moments of violence even more shocking. He contrasts 00:14:51.019 --> 00:14:53.240 the physical size with this contained, simmering 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:55.700 emotion. It's all internal calculation. And Marvel 00:14:55.700 --> 00:14:57.580 clearly loved it because Fisk keeps showing up 00:14:57.580 --> 00:15:00.100 everywhere now. Yeah, that portrayal was so strong, 00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:02.299 he's become central to their street -level stories. 00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:05.940 He came back in Hawkeye in 2021, got a Critics' 00:15:05.940 --> 00:15:08.419 Choice Super Award nomination for Best Villain 00:15:08.419 --> 00:15:12.019 for that. Then Echo in 2024. And the big one 00:15:12.019 --> 00:15:16.080 coming up is Daredevil. Born again in 2025, he 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:19.100 is Kingpin now. It's fascinating, too, because 00:15:19.100 --> 00:15:21.399 while he's playing this iconic fictional villain, 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.740 he's also playing a real -life historical gangster 00:15:24.740 --> 00:15:28.080 at the same time. Right. Vincent the Chin, Gigante, 00:15:28.179 --> 00:15:30.940 and Godfather of Harlem. Since 2019. So he's 00:15:30.940 --> 00:15:33.200 switching between the real -life mob boss, the 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:35.879 super smart TV detective, and the comic book 00:15:35.879 --> 00:15:38.200 kingpin. What's the common thread there? It always 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:40.639 seems to come back to finding the internal wound, 00:15:40.779 --> 00:15:42.799 the driving force of the character, whether they're 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:45.139 real or imagined. That intense commitment to 00:15:45.139 --> 00:15:48.330 the inner life. Okay, so... With that much intensity 00:15:48.330 --> 00:15:50.649 going into his acting, where does all the other 00:15:50.649 --> 00:15:52.450 creative energy go? Especially since we know 00:15:52.450 --> 00:15:54.250 he started out building sets and stuff. Great 00:15:54.250 --> 00:15:56.669 question. It goes behind the camera and into 00:15:56.669 --> 00:15:59.409 some pretty unexpected places. He's a genuine 00:15:59.409 --> 00:16:02.110 multitasker then. Director, producer? Director, 00:16:02.210 --> 00:16:04.649 producer, writer, even musician. We mentioned 00:16:04.649 --> 00:16:07.029 he produced The Whole Wide World back in 96. 00:16:07.250 --> 00:16:09.409 But the directing project that really tells us 00:16:09.409 --> 00:16:12.149 something about his psychology is that Orson 00:16:12.149 --> 00:16:14.750 Welles short film, right? Yeah. Five minutes, 00:16:14.850 --> 00:16:18.450 Mr. Wells. Yes. From 2005. This film exists purely 00:16:18.450 --> 00:16:20.909 because he was so bothered by having his voice 00:16:20.909 --> 00:16:23.570 dubbed in Ed Wood all those years earlier. He 00:16:23.570 --> 00:16:25.210 made a whole film just to prove he could do the 00:16:25.210 --> 00:16:28.190 Wells voice. Pretty much. He wrote it, produced 00:16:28.190 --> 00:16:31.110 it, directed it, and starred as Wells, specifically 00:16:31.110 --> 00:16:33.529 showing Wells prepping for the third man. It 00:16:33.529 --> 00:16:36.259 was his way of saying, see? I can do this. It's 00:16:36.259 --> 00:16:39.019 pure artistic vindication and amazing insight 00:16:39.019 --> 00:16:41.100 into his drive. That's incredible dedication 00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:44.360 to settling a score, artistically speaking. What 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:46.480 else has he directed? He directed a feature called 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:48.860 Don't Go in the Woods in 2010, which was, get 00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:52.120 this, a musical slasher film. A musical? Slasher? 00:16:52.179 --> 00:16:54.539 Seriously? With his own music? Yep. Talk about 00:16:54.539 --> 00:16:56.759 genre bending. Apparently shot super fast, like 00:16:56.759 --> 00:16:59.519 13 days, tiny budget. Shows a real willingness 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:02.279 to experiment. He also directed a more straightforward 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:05.660 Western called The Kid in 2019, starring alongside 00:17:05.660 --> 00:17:08.660 Dane DeHaan. Okay, musical slashers are weird. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.559 But his actual music career gets even stranger, 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:15.400 doesn't it? Oh, buckle up for George Geronimo 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:18.220 Gherky. George Geronimo Gherky? Who's that? That 00:17:18.220 --> 00:17:21.460 was Junofrio's comedic country singer Alter Ego. 00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:24.640 He actually performed as Gherky in New York clubs 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:27.819 like Joe's Pub around 2009 -2010. While he was 00:17:27.819 --> 00:17:31.759 playing the intense Detective Gorin on TV. Quite 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:34.380 a contrast. Exactly. A total release valve, maybe. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.779 What's really interesting, though, is that the 00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:38.559 money raised from those gherky concerts went 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.559 to something called the Utah Meth Cops Project. 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:43.619 So even his weird country altar ego tied back 00:17:43.619 --> 00:17:45.700 into his support for law enforcement. It did, 00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:48.299 connecting the bizarre art project to his civic 00:17:48.299 --> 00:17:51.220 side. He also did some avant -garde spoken word 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:54.480 stuff later in 2014 with a musician named Dana 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:57.180 Lynn. One single was called I'm a Hamster. I'm 00:17:57.180 --> 00:17:59.599 a Hamster. OK. That tracks with the creator of 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:01.440 Goran somehow. Doesn't it? And he's a writer, 00:18:01.500 --> 00:18:04.779 too. Published a children's book in 2023, Pigs 00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:07.779 Can't Look Up. Based on a tweet. Yeah, apparently 00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:09.940 based on a viral tweet he made about pigs and 00:18:09.940 --> 00:18:12.240 kindness. He just seems to have this constant 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:15.619 need to create in whatever form. And voice acting, 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:19.460 too. For video games. Right. He voiced the villain 00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:22.859 Duke Luca Abel in the game Dishonored 2 in 2016. 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:25.920 And the sources note he really drew on his acting 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:28.400 background, thinking about political manipulation 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:31.579 to make the Duke's speeches sound authentic and 00:18:31.579 --> 00:18:34.579 corrupt. He brings the same level of detail everywhere. 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:37.640 It all points to this relentless creative drive 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:40.779 that isn't just about acting. It spills over 00:18:40.779 --> 00:18:43.500 into everything, including his advocacy work. 00:18:43.769 --> 00:18:45.910 Absolutely. That commitment is just as strong 00:18:45.910 --> 00:18:47.970 in his civic life, which has been a really consistent 00:18:47.970 --> 00:18:49.890 part of his career, especially later on. Like 00:18:49.890 --> 00:18:52.410 founding a film festival. Yeah. Way back in 98, 00:18:52.670 --> 00:18:55.650 he, his dad and his sister Elizabeth started 00:18:55.650 --> 00:18:57.849 the River Run International Film Festival in 00:18:57.849 --> 00:18:59.970 North Carolina. It's still going strong, focusing 00:18:59.970 --> 00:19:02.430 on independent film, keeps him connected to that 00:19:02.430 --> 00:19:04.829 community. But his biggest public service role 00:19:04.829 --> 00:19:07.950 seems linked to law enforcement, maybe stemming 00:19:07.950 --> 00:19:10.180 from all those years as Gorin. Definitely seems 00:19:10.180 --> 00:19:12.819 connected. Since 2010, he's been the official 00:19:12.819 --> 00:19:15.079 spokesperson for the National Law Enforcement 00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:18.440 Officers Memorial Fund and Museum. That's a long 00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:21.579 -term commitment. It is. He narrated a documentary 00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:24.480 called Heroes Behind the Badge in 2012 and a 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:27.299 sequel with proceeds going to the memorial in 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:30.539 D .C. It feels like genuine, sustained support, 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:32.750 not just a celebrity endorsement. And he got 00:19:32.750 --> 00:19:34.970 involved with specific causes, too, like that 00:19:34.970 --> 00:19:37.869 Utah project. Right. The Utah Methcox Project 00:19:37.869 --> 00:19:41.910 from around 2009 to 2012. He hosted events, acted 00:19:41.910 --> 00:19:44.630 as spokesperson, raising money for detox programs 00:19:44.630 --> 00:19:47.410 specifically for officers dealing with the fallout 00:19:47.410 --> 00:19:49.609 of that crisis. He also took a public stance 00:19:49.609 --> 00:19:52.410 on gun control. He did. In 2011, he was in an 00:19:52.410 --> 00:19:54.549 ad for the Citizens Crime Commission of New York 00:19:54.549 --> 00:19:57.490 City, calling for a ban on large capacity ammo 00:19:57.490 --> 00:20:00.190 magazines. He uses his platform for issues he 00:20:00.190 --> 00:20:01.890 cares about. And through all this, he... He still 00:20:01.890 --> 00:20:05.069 goes back to the stage, back to theater. Consistently. 00:20:05.130 --> 00:20:08.329 In 2012, 2013, he did an off -Broadway play called 00:20:08.329 --> 00:20:11.730 Clive with Brooks Ashmanskas and Zoe Kazan. It 00:20:11.730 --> 00:20:13.329 was directed by Ethan Hawke, who he's worked 00:20:13.329 --> 00:20:15.289 with a lot. He always returns to that foundation, 00:20:15.410 --> 00:20:17.589 that source of his technique. Okay, so wrapping 00:20:17.589 --> 00:20:20.089 this all up, we followed Vincent D 'Onofrio from 00:20:20.089 --> 00:20:22.630 being this shy kid in Brooklyn, finding refuge 00:20:22.630 --> 00:20:25.569 in magic and method acting. Through that absolutely 00:20:25.569 --> 00:20:28.390 body -breaking role for Kubrick. To becoming 00:20:28.390 --> 00:20:30.890 one of the most versatile, intense, and sometimes 00:20:30.890 --> 00:20:33.710 downright scary character actors out there today. 00:20:33.930 --> 00:20:36.170 Yeah, our deep dive really shows an artist whose 00:20:36.170 --> 00:20:38.930 whole identity is built on total immersion and 00:20:38.930 --> 00:20:41.589 maybe a deep need for structure. That ability 00:20:41.589 --> 00:20:44.390 to meticulously build a character physically, 00:20:44.670 --> 00:20:47.069 vocally, emotionally seems rooted in his own 00:20:47.069 --> 00:20:49.500 way of processing the world. It allows him to 00:20:49.500 --> 00:20:52.220 bridge that gap, that shyness, and create these 00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:54.519 unforgettable people. Whether it's the sensitive 00:20:54.519 --> 00:20:57.279 writer Howard, the creepy Edgar Bug, or that 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:00.970 terrifyingly wounded monster Kingpin. He builds 00:21:00.970 --> 00:21:03.769 their entire internal reality. He's such a contradiction, 00:21:03.970 --> 00:21:06.069 isn't he? Nearly wrecks himself for one role, 00:21:06.210 --> 00:21:09.430 then finds the stamina for 141 episodes of TV 00:21:09.430 --> 00:21:12.430 intensity, then blows off steam playing a joke 00:21:12.430 --> 00:21:15.289 country singer and making indie films. And directing 00:21:15.289 --> 00:21:17.849 a film specifically to prove a point about a 00:21:17.849 --> 00:21:19.890 voice performance from 10 years earlier? Yeah. 00:21:19.950 --> 00:21:22.089 It all comes from the same intense dedication. 00:21:22.369 --> 00:21:25.549 Exactly. So here's something final for you, the 00:21:25.549 --> 00:21:28.089 listener, to think about. Consider how those 00:21:28.089 --> 00:21:30.289 early challenges D 'Onofrio talked about, the 00:21:30.289 --> 00:21:33.089 shyness, the magic, the dyslexia, weren't maybe 00:21:33.089 --> 00:21:35.529 obstacles to his acting, but actually the engine 00:21:35.529 --> 00:21:39.470 driving his specific, punishingly intense method 00:21:39.470 --> 00:21:42.490 approach. Maybe his power comes precisely because 00:21:42.490 --> 00:21:45.609 he has to meticulously construct connection rather 00:21:45.609 --> 00:21:48.869 than just relying on easy charisma. Right. And 00:21:48.869 --> 00:21:50.809 if you want to see that obsessive commitment 00:21:50.809 --> 00:21:52.990 in action, maybe check out that short video. 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:56.480 film he made five minutes mr wells it's a fascinating 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.680 glimpse of an artist needing to publicly correct 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:02.640 the record to perfect his craft long after most 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:04.859 people would have moved on it really is the mark 00:22:04.859 --> 00:22:07.160 of a true master of transformation absolutely 00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:09.519 well thank you for joining us on this deep dive 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.119 into the incredible intense career of vincent 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:13.400 d 'onofrio we'll catch you next time