Entertainment_Weekly_Issue_1456_March_10_2017

TV

60 EW.COM MARCH 10, 2017

Despite a wildly diverse career, John Lithgow brings a similar

quality to every role he’s ever played: authenticity. You always

believe him—whether he’s a panicked airline passenger, a cold-

blooded serial killer, or even Winston Churchill. The 71-year-old

suggests that one reason for his longtime success is he never takes

his next job for granted. “I live in constant fear that suddenly no

one will notice me at all,” he says. Below, Lithgow—who next

appears on NBC’s mockumentary seriesTrial & Error (debuts

March 14, 10 p.m.)—gives a tour of some of his most memorable

performances.—James Hibberd

ROLE CALL

JOHN LITHGOW

1

TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE 1983

Lithgow played a terrified flier

in George Miller’s segment of the

anthology thriller.

“I’m a theater actor used to playing

to the back row, and it took me a

while to get used to movies, where

directors were always telling me

to ‘take it down.’ But George was

constantly saying, ‘More! More!

I want to feel like your face is going

to crack!’ It was the first time I felt

confident to bring my theatrics

to film.” To this day, Lithgow says,

whenever he flies, somebody

will mention the film—especially if

they hit turbulence. “I’m sort of

a flight attendant’s patron saint.”

2

FOOTLOOSE 1984

The actor had a tough time relating

to the lectern-thumping preacher

in a town that forbids dancing, so he

sought some direction from a real-

life minister—and lied to get it!

when he was pitched a ludicrous-

sounding NBC sitcom about

a family of aliens. The show ran for

139 episodes.

“My last rule was ‘Never do

episodic television.’ And I thought,

‘HowamIgoingtosayno

and get out of here as quickly and

as graciously as I can?’ But five

minutes later, I was ready to do

this series.”

“I disingenuously pretended

that I needed spiritual guidance,

and I actually found the minister

very moving. I needed that to

play this part—to just hear out

somebody speaking in all sincerity

about something you ordinarily

would not connect with.”

3

CLIFFHANGER 1993

Amid a streak of villainous perfor-

mances, Lithgow played a killer

criminal mastermind opposite Syl-

vester Stallone’s heroic park ranger.

“This had one of the few flat-out

fistfights I’ve ever had in a movie

and it was with Sylvester Stallone—

that’s like being allowed to play

tennis with Djokovic. He always

wanted me to hit him even harder.”

4

3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN

1996–2001

Weary of playing bad guys,

Lithgow was looking for a change

5

SHREK 2001

Lithgow agreed to voice the ruthless

Lord Farquaad in the groundbreaking

animated film—not realizing the

movie would take four years to make.

“Chris Farley was the original Shrek

and he passed away, rest his soul,

so they brought in Mike Myers and

he recorded the whole thing. And

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