Hello Tomorrow! is the Apple TV+ newly released sci-fi comedy-drama that follows a team of roaming salespeople seeking to sell timeshares on the moon in a retro-futuristic universe. Leading the cast full of stars is Billy Crudup, the actor with an acting career that spans over three decades.
Cinephiles may be familiar with Crudup’s works throughout the years, appearing in many projects such as Almost Famous, Watchmen, The Good Shepherd, and more. As a result, fans should add some of his titles to their watchlist before checking out his latest show.
10 'The Morning Show' (2019 - )
Inspired by the 2013 book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV by Brian Stelter, The Morning Show is an Apple TV+ show that explores the personalities and work environment of a network-broadcast morning news program after the beloved male co-anchor, Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell), is fired following claims of sexual misbehavior.
Crudup plays the scheming station head, Cory Ellison, who recognized Bradley Jackson's (Reese Witherspoon) talent as the new co-host who takes Kessler's place. The Morning Show is a witty, provocative, and depressing polemic against workplace sexual harassment. Crudup shines with ease as he successfully owns and gives the character his own identity amidst a cast full of talented performers.
9 'Almost Famous' (2000)
Almost Famous follows a 15-year-old aspiring rock journalist, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), whose first assignment for The Rolling Stone is to join the Stillwater band on tour and document the journey. He gets to see all the things that happen behind the scenes, including the bad ones.
Crudup portrayed the band's lead guitarist Russell Hammond, which garnered him a few nominations. Almost Famous is an amusing, joyful, emotional, and heartbreaking movie that is both universal and personal simultaneously. It will also please many music aficionados for its accurate depiction of the life of a rock band.
8 'Snitch' (1998)
Snitch or Monument Ave. focuses on petty criminal Bobby O'Grady (Denis Leary), who struggles because of Charlestown's code of silence. As two of his close family members are shot dead by their boss, his loyalty and self-preservation instincts are put to the test. Crudup portrayed Teddy, one of O’Grady’s cousins.
Snitch is a gritty, realistic look at a tight-knit, historic Irish community in Boston's working-class Charlestown area that encapsulates the weariness, sorrow, and futility of the subgenre of childhood friends who grow up and continue to live with guns and drugs. Crudup's brief appearances don't prevent him from showcasing his brilliance, which is evident whenever he does.
7 'Without Limits' (1998)
Without Limits covers the famous runner Steve Prefontaine's (Crudup) life from his early years in Oregon to the University of Oregon, where he worked with great coach Bill Bowerman (Donald Sutherland), subsequently to the Olympics in Munich, and his early death at the age of 24 in an accident.
Crudup and Sutherland both give excellent performances in support of a deft, committed, and beautifully rendered movie. Moreover, the film provides a wealth of intriguing insights into the drama, and artistry of athletic competition. Without Limits is also a compelling investigation of the competitive spirit, the significance of American sports legends, and the influence of money on amateur athletics.
6 'Jesus’ Son' (1999)
Jesus' Son, based on Denis Johnson's critically acclaimed collection of short tales, follows the life of a young man named FH (Crudup) as he swerves through life while frequently under the influence of alcohol and drugs and works toward healing and atonement.
Jesus’ Son can seamlessly transition from one episode to the next; viewers barely notice that time has passed between them. It also displays the hidden humor in the lives of depressing, battered, broken, and pitiful people. Additionally, Crudup is flawlessly cast as a man who believes he has healing abilities and aspires to do good, but his efforts continually fail.
5 'Big Fish' (2003)
Big Fish follows William Bloom (Crudup) as he travels to visit his ill father (Albert Finney). The two don't get along very well since William believes his father has never shared the truth about his life; instead, he embellishes the events. William then decides to look into his father's stories and gets a better understanding of the man and his love of storytelling.
The movie is a great example of Tim Burton’s talent and cinematic vision, with the sentiment behind the story being beautiful and endearing. Big Fish is still regarded as one of the best, most heartfelt, and most intimate films about a father and son that really brought to the screen Burton's most private and deepest confidences.
4 'Watchmen' (2009)
Based on the DC Comic limited series of the same name, Watchmen takes place in 1985, at the height of the Cold War, in an alternate history. It follows a group of primarily retired American superheroes who investigate the killing of one of their own before learning of a deadly and intricate conspiracy, while the complicated nature of the situation tests their moral boundaries.
Crudup portrayed Doctor Manhattan, the only member of the group that owns a genuine superpower. Viewers who are unfamiliar with the work may be entirely perplexed, but this is a daring and unrelenting reinterpretation of one of the genre's sacred cows that hold up to repeated viewings. The fact that Zack Snyder did a terrific job of staying loyal to the original material is also beyond dispute.
3 'The Stanford Prison Experiment' (2015)
Based on a real-life experiment, The Stanford Prison Experiment revolves around the titular one of 1971, which was carried out at Stanford University under the direction of psychology professor Philip Zimbardo, played by Crudup. In this experiment, students either acted as prisoners or correctional officers.
The Stanford Prison Experiment is a frightening, powerful, and completely unforgettable reminder that reality is almost always wilder and more captivating than fiction. Anyone interested in criminal justice, social justice, or simply the psychology of roles should watch this film. Crudup succeeds as Zimbardo, subtly slipping into the role of the nasty prison director with such ease.
2 'Too Big to Fail' (2011)
Based on the 2009 non-fiction book Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System—and Themselves by Andrew Ross Sorkin, Too Big to Fail covers the 2008 financial crisis, concentrating on the steps taken to limit the issues from August 2008 to October 13, 2008, by U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson (William Hurt) and Chairman of the Federal Reserve System Ben Bernanke (Paul Giamatti).
Crudup plays Timothy Geithner, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Too Big to Fail was a great documentary with strong acting, a sharp script, and the typical HBO sheen. Moreover, the movie succinctly and lucidly explains a terrifying event in recent history without taking a side in what occurred.
1 'Rudderless' (2014)
Rudderless centers on a box containing the lyrics and demo tapes from a recently deceased son discovered by a heartbroken father (Crudup) who is on a downward spiral. He then creates a band in the hopes of finding catharsis after being astonished to learn of his son’s hidden skill.
The film offers a character study of how shame and sadness can turn individuals who are left behind upside down. Every time Crudup's Sam picks up his guitar in the film, the viewers can't help but feel touched and related in some ways since it is performance-driven and unwaveringly emotional.