Billy Crudup's 'Jay Kelly' magic: the method behind the scene-stealing

For an unforgettable eight minutes in "Jay Kelly," Billy Crudup steps far outside his usual acting territory, crafting a moment that dominates the screen and leaves a lasting impression. This scene may also change the way audiences look at even the simplest of menus.

In Noah Baumbachs dramedy, now streaming on Netflix, George Clooney portrays Jay Kelly, a globally celebrated film star, while Crudup plays Timothy, a child therapist and former classmate who once outshone everyone in drama school. When the characters reunite early in the movie, Jay is thrilled to reconnect with his old friend, and they head to a bar together. Jay encourages Timothy, saying, "I could watch you do anything," prompting him to approach the menu with the intensity of their past Method acting exercises. The result is a scene filled with over-the-top emotion, as Timothy delivers lines like "A wedge of iceberg lettuce and shrimp cocktail" with both hilarity and heartfelt tears.

The film explores the tension between former friends, culminating in Timothy confronting Jay about the past: "I can't stand you. You kind of stole my life," he admits. This confession sparks a parking-lot fight that sends Jay on a journey of self-reflection, including flashbacks to his younger days when he landed roles that Timothy once desired.

Crudup describes the thrill of challenging such an iconic character: "Having the audacity as a character to turn on somebody like Jay Kelly, that was super fun. That just gets you fired up."

After a decade-long desire to work with Clooney, Crudup relished the chance to be directed by Baumbach. The scene required him to draw out intense emotions in a way that would impress a legendary actor and propel the narrative. Because "Jay Kelly" examines the nature of performance and authenticity, Baumbach wanted to show how actors navigate genuine emotional experiences while maintaining control over their craft.

Although Crudup is not a strict Method actor, he incorporated aspects of the technique, particularly sense memory, to access difficult personal emotions. This allowed him to bring depth to a scene where the menu becomes a conduit for Timothys internal turmoil. Crudup recalls: "After we did it 20 or 30 times or so, the biochemistry is not operating in the same way anymore. I started to tell a story and I could see George just holding on me like, 'Oh God, how far is Billy going to go with this?'"

The collaboration between Baumbach and Crudup involved adjustments to suit his approach: "Billy kept saying, 'Maybe we change some of the dialogue so I could find my way into it,' and of course he did brilliantly," Baumbach says.

Crudup reflects on the intensity of the scene, calling it "a very different way than I work and quite awkward in many respects. But it does have to do with retraumatizing yourself. It was fun and all, but I don't see myself doing that again."

Author: Olivia Parker