From NBC’s smash hit drama The Blacklist to Marvel’s upcoming film Avengers 2: Age of Ultron, James Spader is one top of the world. The actor has a knack for playing oddball characters. From the eccentric part time owner of Dunder Mifflin on The Office, to the somewhat ethically questionable lead on Boston Legal, Spader has a way about him the can creep you and charm your pants off at the same time. That is probably why he is the perfect casting choice for the criminal mastermind Red Reddington on The Blacklist and the maniacal machine Ulton in Avengers 2. Spaders work in Ultron has been compared to Loki actor Tom Hiddleston from Avengers 1. Now the actor has opened up about his oddball tendencies.
James Spader his admitted his oddball ways to The L.A. Times, when he bookend an interview on the subject, telling the reporter:
"Maybe it's that I like reading something on the page that allows you to fill in the blanks as an actor. Or maybe it's something I have an understanding for...I just always am drawn to that, even on the street. It never quite gets weird enough for me. And when I look at all my friends, they're weird.Maybe I have to cop to that. Maybe I'm just that."
Avengers director Joss Whedon loves the oddball in Spader. Earlier in the year Whedon spoke with Empire about Spader’s performance in the film:
"I'm having a blast with Ultron. He's not a creature of logic--he's a robot who's genuinely disturbed. We're finding out what makes him menacing and at the same time endearing and funny and strange and unexpected, and everything a robot never is."
He even seemingly favors Spader over Tom Hiddleston, adding:
"I fiercely dislike the idea of just throwing in more people for the sake of doing that. But last time I had all of Earth's Mightiest Heroes versus one British character actor, and I needed more conflict."
