Asking Doug Jones His Favorite Character Is Like Asking Him To Pick His 'Favorite Child'
Doug Jones is one of those actors who's a lot more influential than many people might realize. Sure, many casual movie-watchers might not recognize him, but any of my fellow sickos out there can name several films he's appeared in off the top of their heads. An Oscar-winning film about the power of love in the face of prejudice? He's done it. A "Star Trek" series where he captains a Starfleet ship? Yup. A horror box office bomb about an urban folk legend about trains and gold coins? You bet that our good friend Doug's done that too.
With such an extensive and varied list of roles under his belt, you might wonder if there are any of them in particular that Jones holds close to his heart. After all, some of his films and TV shows are certainly better or more memorable than others, as are the characters he played therein. Interestingly, however, the exact opposite is actually true, so far as the actor's feelings about his onscreen counterparts are concerned. In an interview with Geek Network posted in May 2022, Jones revealed that he found it impossible to pick a favorite role or character of his, for one very charming reason:
"To pick a favorite character would be like picking a favorite child. I have invested so much of myself into all of them, and connected to them with a love that helps me play them with all the gusto they deserve, even the evil ones."
Finding importance in every character
You don't have to like every character he has ever played, but you can't deny that what makes Doug Jones such an electric performer is that he takes on such vastly different and intense roles — roles that, more often than not, require Jones to spend hour after hour in the makeup chair getting prosthetics attached to his face (along with, much of the time, the rest of his body). No two performances of his are exactly alike, be it in terms of their character designs or simply characterizations. The vastness of personalities and purposes across his roles is what makes him such a compelling actor. As it turns out, that variety is also why it's near-impossible for him to pick a favorite:
"They all stand out for different reasons for me. I love the quiet heroism of the Silver Surfer [from 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer'], the romance of the Amphibian Man from 'The Shape Of Water,' the ambiguous mentoring of the Faun from 'Pan's Labyrinth,' the calming intelligence of Abe Sapien from 'Hellboy,' the endearing goofiness of Billy from 'Hocus Pocus' and hilarious comedy of Baron Afanas from 'What We Do In The Shadow,' the heart and diplomacy of Saru from 'Star Trek: Discovery,' and so on and so on."
If that doesn't speak to how thoughtful of an actor Jones is, what does? Indeed, if there's any performer truly deserving of being called an acting chameleon, it's Doug Jones, a man who's played aliens, fantasy creatures, aquatic superheroes, ghosts, kangaroo-people (yes really), and much, much more. May his reign as the modern Lon Chaney only continue for many years to come.