John Malkovich on Fashion & Making of Being John Malkovich 🎬

John Malkovich is an award-winning American film star, theatre actor and director.

After ten years in Chicago as an original member of the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Malkovich made his Broadway debut in 1984 as Biff in Death of a Salesman. He appeared in many highly acclaimed films throughout the 1980s and 1990s, gaining widespread attention and admiration in his compelling performance as Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons. In 1999, he starred as a surreal version of himself in Spike Jonze’s brilliant directorial debut Being John Malkovich which became an international sensation.

Malkovich directed The Dancer Upstairs which was released in 2002. He won the Milton Schulman Award for the best director in 2016, after a multi-year run of his adaptation of the play Good Canary. He also wrote and directed three short films in collaboration with Bella Freud - Strap Hanging, Lady Behave, and Hideous Man. In 2002, John launched his own fashion brand Mr Mudd, with its debut menswear line “Uncle Kimono”. He has been repeatedly recognised as one of the greatest actors of his generation, and continues to maintain an idiosyncratic artistic output across film, theatre, television, and fashion.

In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and John Malkovich discuss his grandfathers obsession with Lassie, the inspiration behind the name of his fashion brand Mr Mudd, and the making of Being John Malkovich.

0:00 - 0:20 Intro
0:21 - 2:15 What are you wearing today?
2:16 - 8:30 John’s obsession with clothes
8:31 - 13:03 Lack of embarrassment about dressing
13:04 - 21:53 John’s father and childhood
21:54 - 23:25 Why John studied theatre at college
23:56 - 24:55 Burn This at Hampstead Theatre
24:56 - 28:25 Michelle Pfeiffer and dating co-stars
28:26 - 42:54 John and Bella’s three film collaborations
42:55 - 45:54 John’s draftsmanship and fashion design
45:55 - 48:10 Mr Mudd
48:11 - 52:18 Clothes that make John feel good
52:19 - 1:03:14 Being John Malkovich
1:03:15 - 1:05:27 On the craft of acting
1:05:28 - 1:07:37 If you fancy someone…
1:07:38 - 1:10:32 Packing