It’s not always a blessing to have movie-star good looks, at least according to Josh Lucas. The actor, known for his role in Apple’s “Palm Royale,” recently opened up about how his striking appearance has often been more of a hindrance than a help in his Hollywood career.
Lucas revealed in a conversation with Chloë Sevigny for Vanity Fair that his good looks frequently led to him being typecast or outright dismissed. “I was thoroughly dismissed for it, frankly,” Lucas shared. He explained that he was often pigeonholed as an “LA TV guy” or a “pretty boy,” making it difficult for him to break through in more serious roles. “I couldn’t break through that door,” he said, adding that he was often seen as just the “Sweet Home Alabama guy.”
In an effort to combat this typecasting, Lucas took on numerous independent film roles, many of which went unnoticed. “I did a thousand independent movies that nobody saw,” he admitted. He even tried to emulate actors like Sean Penn in these roles, hoping to be taken more seriously. However, this strategy may have inadvertently harmed his career.
Lucas finds it amusing that his role in “Palm Royale” has led people to see a different side of him. “It’s funny to now go to [Palm Royale] and have people be like, ‘Oh, you’re funny!'” he said. He expressed a deep yearning to return to roles that are both interesting and challenging from an acting standpoint. “It’s actually the place I think is the most interesting and rewarding and difficult from an acting standpoint,” he noted.
In “Palm Royale,” Lucas plays Douglas Darby Dellacorte-Simmons, the black sheep of a high-society family and the supposed heir to grand dame Norma Dellacorte, played by Carol Burnett. This role has allowed him to showcase his versatility and comedic talent, something he has longed to do for years.
In addition to his role in “Palm Royale,” Lucas is also set to reprise his role as a young John Dutton in the hit series “Yellowstone.” The show has returned to production, and the second half of season 5 is set to premiere on Paramount Network in November. Lucas shared that he had reached out to the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, expressing his enjoyment of working on the series. Sheridan assured him that they would be back, much to Lucas’s delight.
Lucas’s experience highlights the often-overlooked challenges that come with being conventionally attractive in Hollywood. While good looks can open doors, they can also lead to typecasting and dismissal, making it difficult for actors to showcase their full range of talents. For Lucas, the journey has been a long and challenging one, but his recent roles suggest that he is finally breaking free from the constraints of his appearance.
As Lucas continues to take on diverse and challenging roles, it will be interesting to see how his career evolves. For now, he seems to be enjoying the opportunity to show a different side of himself, both in “Palm Royale” and “Yellowstone.” His story serves as a reminder that even in an industry that often values appearance above all else, talent and perseverance can ultimately shine through.
