W. Earl Brown makes an enforcer’s loyalty count, and can be just as useful in an unruly comedy. We rate his changes of voice and bearing, and wish casting directors were less inclined to ask him to repeat himself.
Fi1m perspective
W. Earl Brown looks at home among the enforcers, but the loyalty of Dan Dority in Deadwood (2004–2006) matters as much as the toughness. He changes voice and physical manner to fit the character rather than asking every part to accommodate the same recognisable personality. We rate that willingness to disappear into an ensemble. It can also make his work easy to take for granted, particularly when casting directors keep asking for a version of something he has already done.
Scream (1996) followed earlier supporting work with director Wes Craven and cast him as Kenny. The film makes a useful introduction to Brown because its supporting cast has a job beyond supplying possible victims: these people have to earn our concern. They do, even while the script occasionally holds up a fright to explain the rules of horror. We recommend the film warmly, and Brown belongs to the ensemble that keeps its cleverness from making the danger feel trivial.
There's Something About Mary (1998) gave him his comic breakthrough as Warren Jensen, the brother of Cameron Diaz’s Mary. We laughed helplessly at the film because the sharp comic performances make its bad manners work. Warren is a useful corrective to the idea that Brown’s natural place is always among the heavies; his eccentric comedy deserves attention too. Our affection for the film has limits: Mary needs more attention, and two hours could have used firmer cutting.
David Milch’s Deadwood gave him the sustained work of Dan Dority across three seasons, along with a writing credit. He went further with Bloodworth (2010), writing and producing the film as well as playing Brady Bloodworth. He has nevertheless faced typecasting after both Warren and Dan, which makes us wary of mistaking repeated casting for an actor’s limitations. Start with Scream; approach There's Something About Mary with a tolerance for bad manners and a slightly generous evening.
Biography
W. Earl Brown is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, musician and songwriter. He was born on 7 September 1963 in Kentucky and trained at Murray State University and DePaul University Theatre School.
He is best known for playing Dan Dority in the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006), a role he reprised in the 2019 television film; he also wrote one episode of the series. Other film credits include Scream (1996), There's Something About Mary (1998), Being John Malkovich (1999) and The Master (2012). On television he has appeared in The Mandalorian (2019), American Horror Story (2011) and Preacher (2016–2017).
Brown received a Writers Guild of America nomination for his work on Deadwood and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for ensemble cast performance.
