Unlike most actors bucking to play the lead roles, Molina found comfort and inspiration in the low comic roles like Bottom or The Fool in "King Lear." In fact, he drew his greatest influence from British comedian Tommy Cooper, whom Molina impersonated during a production. Two years later, he became a member of the famed Royal Shakespeare Company. He performed with the National Youth Theatre company in London from 1969-1971, then later joined a children's theatre company touring the English countryside with a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1975). Growing up in a working class neighborhood in Notting Hill, Molina decided to become an actor at nine years old after seeing "Spartacus" (1960) on the big screen. With his impressive range, it was clear to audiences that there were few roles Molina was not willing or able to play.īorn on in London, England, Molina was raised by his parents, both of whom fled their native countries - Spain for his father Italy for his mother - because of World War II, winding up in London where they met and worked at a fancy hotel in the famed Mayfair district. Octopus in the blockbuster sequel "Spider-Man 2" (2004) - he also made an enormous impression in quieter roles such as the pleasure-seeking artist Diego Rivera in "Frida" (2002) or a gay man whose life is thrown into turmoil when he's fired from his job in "Love Is Strange" (2014). Though often tapped to play villains - most notably as Dr. From there, his mixed heritage allowed Molina to play just about any nationality in a variety of roles - from a Russian sailor in "Letter to Brezhnev" (1985) to an Iranian in Western clothing in "Not Without My Daughter" (1991) to a Cuban refugee in "The Perez Family" (1995) and a Greek-American lawyer in "Before and After" (1996). But it was his success on the big screen - starting with a small, but memorable role as a turncoat guide covered in spiders in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981) - that spurred Molina to success. After climbing the traditional ladder of British theatrical aspiration, moving from the repertory circuit to the Royal Shakespeare Company, Molina created a stir as The Maniac in "Accidental Death of an Anarchist" (1979).
He said: "You might have better catering somewhere along the line, but essentially I think it’s the same gig.Ever since his emergence from the British stage, actor Alfred Molina carved out a prominent career as a chameleon-like character actor who occasionally emerged in leading man roles.
What's more, Alfred doesn't actually see much difference between superhero movies and non-superhero films. "Whatever the accountants may say, or whatever the economics of it, there’s a kind of inequality with that." Do films really have to cost $300 million? Do those films have to have $150 million spent on them in order to get an audience? The problem is the inequitable distribution of available funds for making movies. He explained: "Ultimately, the making of those movies isn’t the problem. The actor also rejects the idea that superhero films are destroying cinema. And that is a great gift."Īlfred is convinced that the film industry is "a very broad church and there’s room for any kind of denomination". You’re not trading on anything that has to do with you. He told The Independent: "You’re not trading on your looks, you’re not trading on your personality. And over the years, he's come to embrace his niche within the industry.
I was always a bit gangly when I was young, I wasn’t athletic."Īlfred has been described as a "character actor" throughout his career. I’ve always been a good ten pounds overweight. The 69-year-old actor has starred in a host of well-known movies during his career - including 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' - and Alfred is glad that he's never had to depend on his looks in order to achieve success. Alfred Molina has embraced his status as a "character actor".
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