The now almost 60-year-old Guy Pearce has appeared in quite a few films over the years and was recently praised for his performance in The Brutalist, a supporting role that earned him an Oscar nomination. But despite his success, the actor remains highly self-critical—especially when it comes to some of his early works. Memento is one of them, a film beloved by many but one that Pearce himself deeply despises. In an interview with The Times, he stated the following:
"I watched Memento the other day and I'm still depressed. I'm shit in that movie. I'd never thought that before, but I did this Q&A of Memento earlier this month and decided to actually watch the film again. But while it was playing, I realized I hate what I did. And so all this stuff about an exec at Warners being why I've not worked with Chris again? It came crashing down. I know why I didn't work with Chris again—it's because I'm no good in Memento."
Previous speculations that bitter Warner Bros. executives were the reason he never worked with Nolan again are something he now dismisses. Instead, he places the blame entirely on himself.
What do you think of Pearce's performance in Memento—great or terrible?