Haunted Mansion Proves LaKeith Stanfield Is Our New Genre King
This article discusses spoilers for Disney's "Haunted Mansion."
There are several reasons why Disney would attempt a new feature film adaptation of their spooky theme park attraction, "Haunted Mansion." The prospect of channeling "Pirates of the Caribbean" and turning another pop culture institution into a blockbuster hit surely crossed the minds of shareholders. After several failed attempts to get this remake off the ground over the years, the studio must have counted themselves lucky to finally cross paths with a director as obviously passionate about the material as Justin Simien. And, of course, the chance to bring together some of the finest comedic performers currently working — from living legends like Danny DeVito and Jamie Lee Curtis to Tiffany Haddish and Owen Wilson — certainly wasn't anything to sneeze at, either.
In all likelihood, however, few ever prioritized this production as an acting showcase that would allow any of its stars to deliver a truly memorable performance worthy of being included in their personal reels someday ... but, apparently, LaKeith Stanfield never got that memo.
The rapidly rising actor has built up quite an impressive résumé to this point, firmly establishing himself as a talent to be taken seriously ever since he arrived on the scene in 2013's "Short Term 12." In the years since, he's followed up on that potential with roles that would make any veteran character actor green with envy: the fan-favorite oddball Darius in FX's brilliant "Atlanta" series, a haunting supporting turn in Jordan Peele's masterful "Get Out," the lead of Boots Rileys' go-for-broke "Sorry to Bother You," and more. So despite every excuse to treat "Haunted Mansion" as little more than a paycheck gig, Stanfield instead proves to be the highlight of the film that further confirms him as our new genre king.
Standing out in a crowded (Stan)field
"Haunted Mansion" isn't lacking in Easter eggs, star power, world-building, or a dozen other aspects of the ride it had to stuff into just about two hours of runtime. All of that works against the idea of any one actor stealing the show, but LaKeith Stanfield does exactly that. As a grieving widower and former astrophysicist, who once pioneered the development of a spectral camera that (hypothetically) allows one to photograph spirits from beyond the world of the living, Ben Matthias' tragic backstory makes him a natural fit to become involved in the ghostly goings-on at the eponymous mansion. But it's the subtle edge that Stanfield brings to the character that sets him apart from any other performance in the entire movie.
Over the course of the story, he plays Ben as his younger and more vibrant self with the whole world in front of him, an alcoholic wreck unable to cope with the death of his wife, a jaded and cynical skeptic who ventures to the mansion solely out of the promise of money, and, eventually, a more emotionally vulnerable man who finds himself open to the possibility of finding love again. In the middle of it all, Stanfield even gets to make a meal out of a highly-charged monologue, baring his soul with all the pain and grief he's held inside. And despite committing the cardinal sin of telling without showing, this scene hits as unexpectedly hard as it does thanks entirely to the actor's sheer commitment.
Packing all of this into a fun summer blockbuster that has to juggle so much beyond just Ben's emotional arc is a tall task, but that's precisely why you go out and cast someone as charismatic and convincing as Stanfield in the first place.
Taking stock
A movie like "Haunted Mansion," which relies on navigating a tricky balance of very different tones, provides a perfect excuse to talk about range. Some actors are innately gifted at embodying the role of the wacky, larger-than-life side character who adds a wholly distinct flavor to the proceedings. Others are more adept at playing the straight man or woman, approaching such over-the-top mayhem from a much more self-aware perspective that typically gives audiences someone to identify with. LaKeith Stanfield belongs in the rarified territory of actors who can pull off both, having shown zero reservations in jumping from one to the other throughout various genre projects with an ease that puts him among the best and most versatile actors around.
It's fairly incredible to look back at the acting factory that "Short Term 12" turned out to be after putting several big names on the map — Stanfield chief among them. After bursting onto the scene with such a measured and soulful performance as troubled teen Marcus, the actor followed up relatively minor (but memorable) roles in "Selma," "Dope," and "Straight Outta Compton" with his high-water mark performances: "Atlanta," "Get Out," "Sorry to Bother You," and "Judas and the Black Messiah," each of which allowed him to flex different acting muscles and show off whole new strengths. As the enigmatic Darius, he frequently set the tone for the experimental masterclass that "Atlanta" would eventually become. In "Sorry to Bother You," the satirical social commentary that goes to some seriously unpredictable places, and Stanfield is the glue that keeps it all together.
Not just anyone could hop between all of these wildly different genre movies and shows, but adding "Haunted Mansion" under his belt ought to provide a whole new appreciation for one of the more exciting names in Hollywood.