If you’ve ever seen a Wes Anderson film, chances are you’re familiar with Jason Schwartzman. Since getting his start in the film Rushmore, the actor has appeared in a number of the director’s films, in both roles big and small, and is set to appear in Anderson’s upcoming Asteroid City. Schwartzman has a tendency to pick fun projects, tending to stylistic cinema; aside from Anderson films, he’s starred in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Fargo, and most recently, Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse. While he’s proven to be multi-talented — in addition to acting, he’s a screenwriter and musician, playing drums in Phantom Planet and releasing three solo albums as Coconut Records — he’s most known for his acting career.
Hailing from the Coppola family, Schwartzman comes from a long line of actors and entertainers (his relatives include uncle Francis Ford Coppola, mom Talia Shire, and cousins Nicolas Cage and filmmaker Sofia Coppola), but has found a way to differentiate himself through the quirky, sweet, and sometimes dangerous characters he plays. In honor of his recent turn in Spider-Man, here’s a list of 10 of his best movies and TV shows so far.
10. Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox Story (2007)
Admittedly, Schwartzman is barely in this film, but his cameo makes for the best part of the movie. The film stars John C. Reilly as the fictional musician Dewey Cox as he makes a name for himself during a time known for great musicians. In the music mockumentary, Schwartzman plays Ringo Starr in an uncredited scene in which Dewey Cox meets the Beatles while visiting India. The entire scene is hilarious (just listen to Paul Rudd as John Lennon and tell me you didn’t laugh) and Schwartzman makes for a funny Starr impression with his accent and peace sign. This movie is definitely not for everyone, but this scene, starring Jack Black, Paul Rudd, and Justin Long as the remaining Beatles, warrants it a mention on this list.
9. Bored to Death (2009-2011)
Fans still believe this HBO series was cancelled too soon, but thankfully we can still enjoy re-watching Bored to Death on Max and Hulu. While Schwartzman’s TV filmography isn’t as extensive as his film credits, the actor does just as well on episodic shows as he does on the big screen. The show follows Schwartzman as Jonathan Ames, a down-on-his-luck writer who becomes a freelance private investigator. He is soon joined by his best friend, comic book artist Ray Hueston (Zach Galifianakis), and the editor of the magazine Jonathan writes for, George Cristopher (Ted Danson), as a makeshift crime-fighting trio. This is a stoner comedy like no other, and writer Jonathan Ames proves that writing self-insert fanfic can be both fun and lucrative. It’s just a shame it was cancelled too soon.
8. Listen Up Philip (2014)
Listen Up Philip is one of the roles where Schwartzman uses his charm as a weapon, playing an insufferable, but successful young writer who has started to believe his own hype. Philip’s literary acclaim has gotten to his head, and he has become a narcissistic menace who treats most people in his life poorly — including his long-time girlfriend (played by Elizabeth Moss) — but for some reason, we can’t tear our eyes away. When a famed author Philip looks up to (Jonathan Pryce) invites him to vacation at his summer home, Philip takes him up on the offer. Both authors are irritating and seem to find being unpleasant a liberating pastime, while finding themselves quietly miserable in their personal lives. As dim as it sounds, the film is actually a surprisingly upbeat and refreshing film that pays homage to neurotic classics like The Graduate and Annie Hall (as much as I’m loathe to call a Woody Allen film a classic) and, while his character’s annoying, Schwartzman’s brilliant performance makes this film not only watchable, but enjoyable.
7. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
Darjeeling Limited, directed by Wes Anderson, tells a story of three brothers (Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Adrien Brody) who reconnect on a trip throughout India. The brothers have grown estranged and have not seen each other since their father’s funeral a year prior, who they are still mourning. Falling back into their childhood dynamic, the three brothers get to know each other as adults while simultaneously reconnecting with their estranged mother. This is a touching, funny, and beautifully shot film about the dynamics between siblings and healing from toxic family history. Besides starring in the film, Schwartzman wrote the script alongside his cousin Roman Cappola and Anderson, and the film is one of his best.
6. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Schwartzman does not play a major role in The Grand Budapest Hotel, but I’d be remiss to not include the film on this list. Considered by many to be Wes Anderson’s greatest film (so far), the movie follows the adventures of hotel concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) and his lobby boy, trusted companion, and protege, Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) at the famed Grand Budapest Hotel. The beautifully shot film becomes a story of romance and murder, when Gustave finds himself the prime suspect after one of his elderly lovers dies mysteriously. Anderson seemingly called in every actor he’s worked with to be in this ensemble film, including Schwartzman, who plays the hotel’s concierge in 1968. He might not do much, but he looks great in a purple suit.
5. Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Based on a true story, Saving Mr. Banks is a depiction of Walt Disney’s journey to convince author P. L. Travers to sell him the rights to make the film adaptation of Mary Poppins, after making a promise to his daughters two decades prior. After Disney invites Travers to sunny Los Angeles, the author proves unrelenting when it comes to her vision for the characters from her novel. This is a lovely film about finding the magic in real life and overcoming harsh realities through creativity, and both Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson shine as the film’s main characters. Schwartzman plays a supporting role as songwriter Richard M. Sherman, and he’s brilliant in the film’s musical scenes.
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Anderson takes on animation with Fantastic Mr. Fox, a comedy starring George Clooney as the titular Mr. Fox, a famed thief who has given up his profession at the request of his lovely wife Felicity, played by Meryl Streep. Even against such acting heavyweights, Schwartzman manages to stand out as the couple’s son Ash, and is likely the most dynamic character in the entire film, as he becomes more self-realized throughout. Jealous of his cousin, Kristofferson Silverfox, Ash becomes his rival when the two are forced to live together but eventually, the pair begin to appreciate each other. This is a fun heist movie and definitely worth a watch.
3. Fargo (2014- present)
Schwartzman stars as Josto Fadda in the fourth season of the anthology crime comedy Fargo. The Fadda family is a crime syndicate that controls the Kansas City, Missouri criminal world, and the unassuming Josto is the current head of the Italian gang; things get complicated when a rival syndicate, headed by Chris Rock as Loy Cannon, made up of African-Americans fleeing the Jim Crow South, start fighting for power in the area. Despite the heavy themes in this season, there’s plenty of comedy, including a notable scene where Schwartzman bites into snow out of frustration — definitely a career highlight for the noted actor.
2. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Schwartzman continues his penchant for stylistic films made by renowned filmmakers with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, where he plays Ramona Flowers’ seventh and final evil ex-boyfriend, Gideon. The film’s unique style — a mashup of genres, including musical numbers and action with video game-like effects — has made this a cult classic among fans and the plot isn’t half bad either; Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a 22-year-old bassist in the unsuccessful local band, Sex Bob-omb, who becomes infatuated with the colorful-haired Ramona Flowers after seeing her at a party. Pilgrim is honestly kind of an asshole; he has a string of poorly-ended relationships and is dating a high school student (yikes) who he fails to break up with before pursuing Ramona. Luckily for him, Ramona kind of sucks too, and has a string of ex-boyfriends (and one girlfriend, played by the delightful Mae Whitman) who Pilgrim must defeat in combat to win her love. The film has an all-star cast, including Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Brie Larson, and Chris Evans, and is a quirky good time, partially thanks to Schwartzman’s stand-out performance in a rare villainous role.
1. Rushmore (1998)
Of course, the number one spot has to go to the film that launched the careers of both Schwartzman and Wes Anderson, Rushmore. In his film debut, and 18-year-old Schwartzman stars as Max Fischer, a student on scholarship at the prestigious Rushmore Academy, who is simultaneously both an over-achiever and an academic slacker. After failing the majority of his coursework, Headmaster Nelson Guggenheim puts Max on what he calls “sudden death academic probation,” which means Max will be expelled from the academy if he fails one more class. Max, who excels in extracurricular activities in the hopes of making a name for himself, soon befriends the disillusioned father of this classmates, Herman Blume (played by Bill Murray) and attempts to woo a teacher at the academy, despite their obvious age difference. Schwartzman gives one of his best and most varied performances in this film, playing a student who is sweet, charming, pretentious, manipulative, and vengeful all at the same time. Over two decades into his acting career, Rushmore remains one of Schwartzman’s most impressive works.
