Actor Profile: Michael Fassbender

This is the first edition, first time I'm doing an actor profile on here. I know I pay a lot of attention to directors but I do like to give actors their due when they deserve it. In this particular case, the actor I'm talking about is Michael Fassbender. Art house audiences are most likely already familiar with Michael Fassbender. He's starred in such films as Hunger and Fish Tank, both of which are excellent films (more on that later). His most high profile role to date has been Inglourious Basterds and while Christoph Waltz pretty much stole his thunder in that film, Fassbender was just as good.

This year he has a few roles that are even more high profile. First, he'll be starring as the younger version of Magneto in X-Men: First Class. Later this year, he'll star as Carl Jung in David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method." He also already wrapped up filming "Shame," the second film by helmer Steven R. McQueen (more on his first film later). Michael Fassbender is practically an A-list actor already, you just don't realize it or know it yet. He's definitely an actor with perhaps the greatest amount of potential in Hollywood today and what I appreciate about him is his willingness to stay with the lower profile roles while not being afraid to try the more mainstream affair.

What makes Michael Fassbender so watchable? Is it the fact that he's so cool, calm, suave, and charming in "Inglourious Basterds" that he would make even George Clooney blush? Or is it his fearless, menacing, heartbreaking performance in "Hunger" that was the film that really caught my eye in regards to him. The truth is that he can do it all, pretty much. He can play the suave sophisticate if he wants to, he can play the more emotionally complex roles as well, he can go dark, he can be funny, he can be sexy, and he can be downright creepy... sometimes in the same film (watch Fish Tank). The reason why I felt the need to take the time and write about him is because he's one of the few actors out there today that I'm looking forward to seeing his new films regardless of who's making it. Ordinarily, I would not care about X-Men First Class, I find James McAvoy to be a very bland actor who usually plays those do-gooder type roles. Whereas, Michael Fassbender is the guy who can play a do-gooder but will always leave you to wonder if he really is a do-gooder. That's the type of actor I like to watch.

So be on the lookout for Michael Fassbender. He's already a great actor. He will win an Oscar within the next ten years (if they know what's good for them) and he will be on everyone's favorite list by the end of the year. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and watch Hunger and Fish Tank which are two brilliant British films featuring him. You won't be disappointed. Slightly disturbed, but not disappointed.