What is the secret to film-making magic? Often, it is when an actor plays against type to make a role come alive. Think of the goofball comedy maestro Adam Sandler winning plaudits for a darker, straighter turn in Punch-Drunk Love.
Or the glamorous Charlize Theron garnering an Academy Award for her role as hard-bitten serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster.
Playing against type can be powerful in politics as well. It forces politicians’ sharpest critics to look differently at leaders they distrust.
COVID-19 is providing political leaders with opportunities to play new roles and many are excelling in the spotlight. Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s performance has earned accolades from critics who couldn’t find a nice word to say about the man