Actor Adam Driver, who recently attended the premiere of his crime drama film Paper Tiger, at the Cannes Film Festival has confessed that he can’t stand to watch himself on the big screen.
The Marriage Story actor told Variety in an interview, "I can’t stand to watch myself. I have a whole system where I wait until everything is starting and I go through these mazes into a room that overlooks all these boats."
"And then I sneak back in and try not to be noisy so I can be there as the lights come up," he added.
Some of Driver's notable works include This Is Where I Leave You, Paterson, Silence, House of Gucci, White Noise, and Ferrari. While he has enjoyed the fruits of his films' success, Driver still hesitates to watch himself on screen.
"I used to have a couple drinks, just to calm down. But I can’t go overboard because sometimes you come back and you don’t match the mood of a movie. Sometimes people are crying, and you’re like, ‘Hey everybody!'," he shared.
However, director James Gray, who is known for films such as We Own The Night, Ad Astra, and Little Odessa revealed that he loved the experience of working with Driver.
The director envisioned him in the character of Gary Pearl, a former police officer. "I wrote this part for him. It’s very uncommon to find an actor who can convey vulnerability and danger. These are the two most valuable commodities for a director. I can only think of one performance in the history of movies where there’s no danger, and it’s great," he said, adding, "And that’s Jeff Bridges as the Dude in ‘Big Lebowski.’ Everything else has kind of an undercurrent of menace."
Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller also star alongside Driver in Paper Tiger. The narrative centers on two brothers chasing the American Dream, only to find themselves caught in a seemingly perfect scheme that spirals into a nightmare. As they grapple with the escalating threats of corruption and violence, they become targets of the Russian “Mafiya,” leading to brutal consequences for their family. Amidst the chaos, their once-unbreakable bond begins to weaken, and the idea of betrayal—previously unimaginable—starts to loom dangerously close.