He hasn’t done very many historical costume movies or TV shows, and mores the pity! Guy Pearce is cute and a decent actor. He looks darn good in a cravat and period garb. His breakout role was as one of the drag queens in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), not historical, but very costumey. Pearce’s “trademark” is playing smart but arrogant characters, which is pretty hot. According to IMDB, he said: “I see myself as a cat. I grew up with such an affinity to cats. I adore the way that they think and operate.” That’s really hot! Someone call his agent and hook him up with more frock flicks, please!
Errol Flynn in My Forgotten Man (1993)
He does resemble the swashbuckler in the only pic I can find of this apparently awful biopic.
Adam / Felicia in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Not historical, but you knew I was going to include it because this is FAAAABULOUS!
Ed Exley in L.A. Confidential (1997)
Now that’s a bit more serious.
Fernand Mondego in The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Swoony!
Alexander Hartdegen in The Time Machine (2002)
As a 19th-c. inventor making steampunk look good.
Andy Warhol in Factory Girl (2006)
In an Edie Sedgwick biopic.
Harry Houdini in Death Defying Acts (2007)
Turning the magician’s life into a schmaltzy love story with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
King Edward VIII in The King’s Speech (2010)
So suave!
F. Scott Fitzgerald in Genius (2016)
So sporty!
Sir William Cecil in Mary, Queen of Scots (2018)
Coming soon…
What’s your favorite of Guy Pearce’s (sadly few!) historical costume movie roles?
Love Guy Pearce! Is it wrong to mention his sharp-dressed role as a terrifying 1920s prohibition detective in “Lawless”? He’s sadistic, he’s a murderer, but he wears it well!
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and L. A. Confidential.
I’m trying very hard to not look at MOS as I feel it’s going to be a trainwreck. Wrong history, wrong casting, wrong Jewellery and makeup.
I would have loved to see photos of Pearce from “Mildred Pierce” and “Lawless”. I noticed that most of his period roles are from movies set in the early to mid 20th century.
Would you count “Ravenous” as a historical? Mexican-American War period but also more horror than history. Regardless, I’m counting it as my favorite Guy Pearce historical.
Side note: To this day I want the fabulous blue lipstick from P,QotD.
ooh, I wish I could see the Errol Flynn biopic. How interesting to finally have an Australian playing the Australian Flynn. I saw Death Defying Acts which was terrible but I do adore him in L.A. Confidential and Mildred Pierce
Reading the above, I’m reminded of two things. First is that I put Priscilla on my “To Watch” list.
The second, upon seeing “The Time Machine,” is that the book was also and episode of “Wishbone.” I don’t know how many people here saw “Wishbone” when it was on TV, and I doubt their PBS budget allowed for period accurate costumes. That said, a dog starring in a costume drama series makes for an adorable “Tangential But Interesting” post which only exists in my head <3
“Wishbone” was one of my most favourite shows growing up. Dogs and literature, what’s not to adore? I happen to own the Wishbone as Robin Hood stuffie, and I sing the theme song to my dogs all the time.
I will stop fangirling over this old show now…
I loved Wishbone! My first introduction to many classic works I now love, and to watching period dramas in general!
I used to watch him on Snowy River: The McGregor Saga, a lovely little Australian western, where Hugh Jackman also got his start. It’s hard to find in the States now, though — I wound up buying the entire set from Australia and now I can’t play them since my region free player broke. :P
As an Australian, I might say that this was his first costume role- unless he did something before or between ‘Neighbours’ & this. I loved watching the ‘Man From Snowy River’ series; it might have been one of the first costume dramas I ever watched (not including Hercules, Xena, Beast Master & Sinbad- for obvious reasons!)- a lot of great actors were in it.
I also remember the tagline for it: There was more than one Wild West! So it’s very apropos that you consider it a western.
‘Spot the Australian’ was a game I loved playing, back when I was younger, & super excited to see Australians in international movies.
There were 3 Australians in LA Confidential; keep in mind we Australians steal the good stuff from NZ jokes – Guy (fresh off of ‘Priscilla’), Russell Crowe (not long after ‘Romper Stomper’) & a baby-faced Simon Baker (future star of ‘the Mentalist’- he was credited as Simon Baker Denny for a few of his early roles, possibly including his brunette turn in ‘The Affair of the Necklace’ & possibly ‘Ride with the Devil’- with Jim Cavizel, Jeffrey Wright, Skeet Ulrich, Tobey Maguire & the loathed JRM- though he was well-cast for the awful character he plays). I heard that they largely wanted to cast unknowns or lesser knowns, so as to not distract from the characters & the story.
What the flick is his garment in MQoS supposed to be? A plastron front with plain polished white metal buttons? In the 16th century??? In whose universe???
Gu Pearce was at his bet in LA Confidential