“1883” star Sam Elliott thrives as a dedicated actor, a genuine individual, and just a plain old hard worker.
During an interview with Freddy Beans from Ain’t It Cool News, Elliott went over a plethora of topics. However, one of the most interesting topics he discussed touched on the worst job he ever worked.
Many actors get their start on really cringe-worthy movies and roles then work up from there. However, Elliott actually revealed that the worst job he ever worked revolved around manual labor.
Elliott said that during his youth, he worked in a plywood mill in Eugene, Oregon. You might imagine rough and gruff Sam Elliott embracing the manliness and sawdust sure to come from working in any type of wood mill. However, he actually said it wasn’t the plywood itself he hated.
“There were a couple of nights where a friend and I were cleaning out this pit. It was full of lard and it had all these chips in it.” Elliott further explained during the interview that as they cleaned the pit, he and his friend had to muck through murky, mysterious water and whatnot. “I remember my feet getting cooked in this water,” the actor said. The worst part was that neither Elliott nor his companion had any idea what they were actually wading through.
“I remember the skin peeled off of both of my feet… I was in pain for a long time,” Elliott admitted. What seemed to make the ordeal worst of all was that he was running track while working at that job. Between the chemicals bound to reside in that pool and the sweat from socks and sneakers, it couldn’t have been a pleasant experience.
Nevertheless, Elliott emphasized, “I’m no stranger to manual labor and I’m no stranger to hard work. I’ve had a lot of difficult jobs along the way but it made me the man I am today.” No doubt.
Sam Elliott’s Long Acting Career Hits Peaks and Valleys
As many people do in their jobs and lives overall, Sam Elliott revealed during a 2017 interview that his career does not so much resemble a “Renaissance” as it does a “continuum.” For someone who’s been acting for over 50 years, it makes sense that “The Ranch” actor refuses to acknowledge his career development as a “Renaissance.”
In fact, Renaissance, in the short version, means rebirth. Further, Elliott has honed and refined his acting career to a point where he can pick and choose roles. So it seems relatively inaccurate to call the entirety of his work a “Renaissance.”
Elliott’s affinity for western-style dramas may have encouraged fans of his to follow his career through this certain genre. Perhaps the genre overall is seeing a “rebirth” and that’s where people seem to confuse it with his career overall.
Nevertheless, the actor is seeing all-time success in 2021 as he approaches his latest role in “1883.” For Sam Elliott, Westerns are significant because they relate back to a time with very real problems, where man faces man, nature, and himself, the latter being the most complicated and most realistic.
