Spotlight - Vince Vaughn

Is there more to this comedy king than quick quips and gorgeous girls?<br/>

Feature by Miles Johnson | 15 Jul 2006
Vince Vaughn has recently been receiving plenty of publicity for his on/off relationship with a post-Brad Pitt Jennifer Aniston, but unlike many of his contemporaries, his rise to National Enquirer material was not a quick one. Winning his first paid work on a car advertisement in 1991, a fresh-faced Vaughn packed his bags and left his native Minneapolis for Hollywood only to be faced with rejections and poverty. However, on the set of 1993's 'Rudy' (his first credited film role), Vaughn made a friend who would change his life and career. Jon Favreau, busy writing a script about times as an unemployed actor, was so impressed with Vaughn that he added a character, Trent, specifically for him to play. The resulting film was 'Swingers', which became a cult success. Steven Spielberg cast him in his 'Jurassic Park' sequel and the subsequent exposure finally saw Vaughn able to compete for bigger and better roles.

With the arrival en masse of comedy actors such as Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller (who Vaughn has co-starred with more than any other actor) the so-called "Frat Pack" - referencing 2003's 'Old School' - was born. 'Dodgeball', 'Starsky & Hutch' and 'Wedding Crashers' all embodied this form of jock humour and earned massive success at the US box office, cementing Vaughn's status as a guaranteed money-spinner. Now, with his role alongside Aniston in the massive US hit 'The Break Up', he has escaped from under the shadow of Stiller as a leading man in his own right. Equally promising are the impressive forays he has taken out of his comedy comfort zone, most notably in last year's 'Thumbsucker' as a straight-laced teacher. It's interesting to see Vaughn's clear comic talents used to a more dramatic end, and the news that he is currently at work on Sean Penn's latest directorial offering is curious to say the least; Penn is famed for many things, but a keen sense of humour is not one of them. However, with the sequel to 'Old School' being set for a 2007 release it may still be a while before Vince Vaughn will be emoting in epic historical dramas. Yet what is clear is that, with his attachment to queen bee Aniston, Vaughn has now found the thing that has eluded him thus far: off-screen celebrity status. It remains to be seen whether this will be a blessing or curse.
The Break Up is released on July 21.