Sometimes, when I eat an apple, I like to pretend I’m Kevin Costner. Well, not Kevin Costner as such, but his character Frank Farmer in The Bodyguard. Let me explain. There’s this one scene in which Frank is slicing a Golden Delicious and carefully places each piece into his mouth with the knife. When he chews the apple, he does it with his mouth open, likes it’s an effort. (He also then gets into a fight while enjoying his fruit but more on that later). The way he eats it has always stuck with me; it’s memorable. In short, it’s great – for want of a better phrase – ‘eating-acting’.
'Eating-acting’ is not when the focus of the scene is that a character is eating something. It’s not Paul Newman and his 50 eggs in Cool Hand Luke, or Julia Roberts savouring a bowl of spaghetti in Eat, Prey, Love, or even Robin Williams et al eating imaginary food in Hook. It’s when a character merely happens to be eating while something else is going on; the food is never actually referenced, it’s not the focus. It’s someone telling a story while they polish off a burger, or trying to seduce someone at dinner while throwing lobster in their mouth.
But it is deliberate, and in my opinion, a subtle art. When someone is really good at ‘eating-acting’ the way they bite and chew can suggest their character’s mood or class or personality. And their method will stick with you.
Here are some of the best ‘eating acting’ scenes in film. If you, er, get what I mean.
Pulp Fiction
There are plenty of ‘eating-acting’ scenes to pick from in Quentin Tarantino’s epic crime movie. And although John Travolta does a great job of being smacked out and charming while eating a steak with Uma Thurman at Jack Rabbit Slims, take a look at this masterclass in the art of ‘eating-acting’ as Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson debate what defines an act of God over pancakes and fries.
When Harry Met Sally
In the famous diner scene Meg Ryan gets all the props for faking an orgasm and even the mother of director Rob Reiner is well-remembered for her “I’ll have what she’s having” line. But just take a look at Billy Crystal’s masterful ‘eating-acting’ as he chows down on a “number three” and explains how he gets rid of women the morning after sex.
Ocean's Eleven
Nachos, lollipops, candy floss, hamburgers, ice cream, nuts, prawn cocktail. Brad Pitt must have really piled on the pounds while playing Rusty, as he eats in just about every scene he appears in. Yes, it’s a nice character quirk but let’s also appreciate Brad’s wonderful ‘eating-acting’ throughout. Without referencing it, he goes to town on a dozen different foods all while planning a heist. In fact, Brad might be the greatest eating-actor of all time ( Moneyball is another exhibit of his unique talent). He is forever snacking in films.
Goodfellas
A lot of ‘eating-acting’ goes down in Goodfellas but what better scene can illustrate this than when Joe Pesci visits his mother (played by Martin Scorsese’s own mum) for dinner and takes along Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta? Pesci in particular shines as he tries to convince his mother he’s a good boy while eating with his mouth open. Never mind that there’s a man locked in the boot of his car. Skip to 1.00.
Pretty Woman
The messy way Julia Roberts picks apart a croissant while she quizzes Richard Gere about his business perfectly illustrates her character’s lack of sophistication. Her shocked "a billion dollars?" with a mouthful of pastry is pitch-perfect 'eating-acting'.
Blue Is The Warmest Colour
There is a lot of eating in this romantic drama and therefore some serious ‘eating-acting’. Food plays a significant role too; the lower class Adele always makes humble spaghetti dishes, while Emma’s family serve sophisticated foods such as oysters. But just look at the way Adele eats that spag bol: she is greedy and impatient with it, providing the perfect allegory for her own desires.
Saturday Night Fever
John Travolta again! In what might be the most famous pizza eating scene ever, Saturday Night Fever opens with Travolta double decking two slices from Lenny’s and quickly demolishing them as he struts down the street. This guy has places to be.
The Bodyguard
The way Frank (Kevin Costner) eats his apple says a lot about his character: it’s strict, precise, and a little bit dangerous. And the knife obviously comes in handy for fending off Tony, who is jealous of Frank’s arrival at Rachel Marron HQ. The fact that Frank continues to eat his apple while fighting only showcases his superior skillset. Note: apples are a popular choice for stars to showcase their ‘eating-acting’.
2046
The films of Hong Kongese director Wong Kar-Wei tend to have a lot of ‘eating-acting’ in because he often uses food to signify lust (check out the dining scenes from In The Mood For Love). Here, two lonely people share dinner on Christmas eve in 2046 and just look at her despondent approach to her soup as they chat. Skip to 1:20 for the slurping to begin.
Along Came Polly
Being one of the greatest actors of all time, it's no surprise that Philip Seymour Hoffman excelled at 'eating-acting' too. Skip to 1.55 to watch him negotiate a tricky slice of pizza as he reminds the uptight Ben Stiller that he shouldn't eat spicy food.
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