David Thomson: does death at a young age – as was the case for Heath Ledger and James Dean for example – spare actors the risk of becoming typecast or enduring a long, slow, career decline?
In career terms early death may be a mercy for a young actor. James Dean died with three performances in the bag that might have come to seem his most important. Marlon Brando made his best films at the beginning. This wasn’t just the particular films he had: it was his appetite, his energy and innocence. As time went by, Brando fell out of love with himself and with acting.
Dying seems like a hell of a way to avoid becoming typecast though.
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