Paul Newman on the One Actor He Couldn’t Match

Paul Newman’s rise through the ranks of Hollywood was marked by a mix of talent, charisma, and what he liked to call ‘Newman’s Luck’. Despite his string of acclaimed roles and a career that spanned decades, Newman often downplayed his achievements, putting much of it down to being in the right place at the right time. He started out on stage in the late 1940s and, by the mid-1960s, had become a household name. Still, he never lost sight of how fortune played its part.

One of the biggest turning points for Newman came after the tragic death of James Dean. The two weren’t close mates, but they were often up for the same roles and moved in similar circles. Dean’s passing left a gap that Newman was able to step into, landing the lead in a live adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s The Battler. Dean had also been the first pick for the main role in Somebody Up There Likes Me, a film that proved crucial for Newman’s career and helped him move past the disappointment of The Silver Chalice. While it’s impossible to say where things would’ve ended up if Dean had lived, there’s no denying that Newman’s path was shaped by these events.

Brando’s Unmatched Presence

During the 1950s, another name was making waves: Marlon Brando. Like Newman, Brando was often mentioned in the same breath as Dean, and the two were regularly considered for similar parts. Brando, though, quickly set himself apart. With his method acting background and a raw, natural style, he brought something new to the screen that audiences hadn’t seen before. He and Newman were close in age and both had that rugged look, but their approaches couldn’t have been more different.

Newman was well aware of the comparisons, but he never saw himself as being in the same league. He recognised that Brando had a unique intensity, a kind of energy that was impossible to fake. Reflecting on Brando’s strengths, Newman once said to Oriana Fallaci,

“It’s his ability to burn like a volcano that is about to explode. It’s being Brando and only Brando, which is to say the best actor that we have in the US, and to remain Brando.”

Different Styles, Same Stage

For Newman, acting was about becoming the character, whether it was a cowboy, a surgeon, or a gigolo. He explained,

“I’m not always myself. If I play a cowboy, I’m a cowboy. If I play a surgeon, I’m a surgeon. And if I play a gigolo, I’m a gigolo. When people watch Brando instead, they watch Brando playing the cowboy, the surgeon, the gigolo. As for our physical resemblance: there’s nothing I can do about it. I can just let my beard grow.”

He did try growing a beard once, but his wife, Joanne Woodward, wasn’t a fan.

Newman’s self-awareness and dry humour set him apart in an industry full of egos. He never shied away from acknowledging the quirks of fate that shaped his journey, nor did he pretend to be something he wasn’t. For him, it was enough to do the work, enjoy the ride, and tip his hat to those he reckoned were the best in the business.