Ep. 72: How Ben Foster Became one of his Generation's Greatest Chameleons

TIFF Long Take

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with one of the industry’s most versatile and compelling actors, Ben Foster. Whether he’s playing a Texas bank robber in 'Hell or High Water', Lance Armstrong in 'The Program', or William S. Burroughs in 'Kill Your Darlings', Foster’s legendary range has earned him a wide variety of eclectic roles over the last decade. He most recently collaborated with filmmaker Debra Granik on 'Leave No Trace', which opens at TIFF Bell Lightbox on July 6.

In this episode, Foster discusses how he prepares for physically and emotionally demanding roles, the challenges of leaving a character behind, and what advice he wishes he’d been given when he was starting out in the business.

He also talks about what he values most in directors, how he’s avoided being typecast, and the secret to playing historical figures well.