I’ve had a theory for awhile now that Channing Tatum has some untapped talent that has yet to be shown. He has been frequently cast as a male heart-throb which is a role that Hollywood felt suited him in the public’s eye, but lately some of his versatility as an actor has become apparent. His comedic side was shown in the hilarious film “21 Jump Street,” and although it was a more than familiar role for him, he was given praise from the critics for his role in “Magic Mike.” Now in the upcoming film, “Foxcatcher,” Tatum will probably play his most dramatic role yet and he claims that it will be his most difficult challenge as an actor.
It’s going to be the hardest acting challenge I’ve had to date,” Tatum said of the movie, which is set to begin shooting this month. “It’s a bit of a weird science experiment to put these guys up on the screen because no one really understands what happened or why it happened.
The film is based on the true story of two Olympic wrestling gold medalists, Mark and David Schultz, and their complicated relationship with their Olympic sponsor, John du Pont. In 1996, John du Pont shot and killed Mark Schultz for no apparent reason which will introduce an interesting element into the character development of the film. Tatum will play the victim, Mark Schultz, joined by Mark Ruffalo as his brother David and Steve Carell as du Pont.
I think that this will be the role that shows us the level of Tatum’s talents. I’m not putting him in the Oscar worthy category but I do think that he’s more than just a “face” actor. Many actors started out as being typecast and it usually was that one particular role that changed their career. Could this be that role for Channing Tatum?
