Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2024: Adam Pearson in A Different Man

Adam Pearson did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination, for portraying Oswald in A Different Man.

A Different Man follows Edward (Sebastian Stan) a man and actor with neurofibromatosis who undertakes an experimental procedure which removes the condition from his face and he recreates himself as Guy, a successful real estate agent. Only to return to acting to attempt to star in a play based on his own life by his former neighbor Ingrid (Renate Reinsve) without ever revealing himself as Edward. This is all upended when Adam Pearson arrives as Oswald, a man also with neurofibromatosis which Pearson has in real life. Pearson, having formerly appeared in Under the Skin in one of the potential victims of the alien, played by Scarlet Johannsson, where fittingly I suppose Pearson played more so the shy retiring man that Edward is at the beginning of this film, however Pearson here is the exact opposite. Pearson storms into the film with his refined English accent and seemingly rather gentle yet entirely firm way of taking over a space. Pearson appears as Oswald who passes by to state his interest in the part while also excusing himself of potentially possibly playing it as he sees Edward in the role. Pearson due to his condition largely has to carry his performance through his voice, though he certainly has a strong physical presence as well, but his voice alone does so much of the work to begin with. And within his voice there is such an obvious contrast to how we saw Stan’s portrayal of Edward when he still had the condition who spoke so quietly and meekly, where Pearson speaks with such ease with this certain rapid fire quality to it. Pearson speaks without doubt, without hesitation, without concern and with the utmost confidence about his words and more importantly himself. It needs to be said that Pearson is absolutely hilarious in the particular blend that he manages to achieve because as much as you might forgive a man with his condition for even be pompous, the specific element is the “apparent” modesty in his words, even though every word he says is so matter of fact in the breezy charm and assurance of one’s self. The more we see Oswald the more he seems to be just this guy who has a perfect existence where his condition doesn’t even seem to phase him except his general awareness of it as something that doesn’t bother him. The key to this is Pearson’s ability to make it all look so easy within his own performance, where even the way he walks and appears within a scene has such an ease about himself. He’s not looking down and away trying not to be seen, he has no second thoughts and is willing to be seen by anyone or anything as he’s so confident in himself. 

What Pearson becomes is this strange tormentor to Stan’s Edward, however the most curious of tormentors because to quote Mike Milligan, he’s so polite about it. And part of what makes Pearson’s performance so great is the enigmatic quality to his charisma in the role where you, like Edward, can’t quite be certain at precisely understanding what his “game” is exactly, which brilliantly is one of the most frustrating things because maybe there is no game. Pearson’s power much of the time is in that breezy consistency of the guy who is just so on top of the world where he can casually sing karaoke in front of everyone like he’s a casual lounge singer where there’s no concern as he is his own star. He can just be super charming by his casual flirtation with a random woman yet be wholly endearing when he says he’ll call her even though she doubts that, and Pearson is still charming as ever as every word he says seems completely attentive, supportive and just with genuine interest for that person. A personal favorite of mine is when he just appears randomly in the park to Edward and proclaims “Yoga in the park” as the most natural reason for his sudden appearance. But as much as Oswald seems to be so confident about everything, he somehow seems that much more perfect by also being self-effacing at the same time. Such as when everyone praises his English accent, Oswald in his still very outgoing way says his accent back in England is that “he’s just a bloke”. Pearson’s delivery is a humorous charm offensive at the same time. When even doubting his yoga, Pearson doesn’t infuse it with any genuine doubt, rather just a reasonable doubt to not make Oswald pompous, though he ends up being so perfect by almost fashioning this ideal self-doubt for the sake of appropriate modesty. All of this is far too much yet Pearson wields it in a way that is far too much but in a way that is just so immensely entertaining and entirely convincing. Pearson’s performance however keeps within it that way you can’t completely get a bead on him if he is truly exactly what he says he is, even though he seems to be, even as everything he does pesters Edward in some way, whether or not this intentional. Which goes to an extreme as Oswald takes Edward’s lead role, though insisting first that Edward still gets a part then allowing the part to be removed for the sake of the piece, he gets together with Ingrid who Edward was with before, all of it seeming just what happens and how can you possible blame the oh so innocent Oswald? Afterall Pearson makes him just so charming even when he is telling Edward why he needs to be replaced, bringing a certain warmth, a care but also a directness in trying to make Edward understand the “steal”. Edward even physically attacks Oswald, to which Oswald throws him into a the set in self-defense severely injuring Edward, though Pearson seems wholly genuine as all Oswald can be is mortified at his own strength, a weirdly apologetic while also self-promoting statement that Pearson makes entirely natural. Though to be fair to Oswald, he then proceeds to take care of the temporarily paralyzed Edward, however even this seems psychological torture as Oswald seems to flaunt the ideal life that Edward wanted as all Edward can do is watch. Even after Edward violently attacks his physical trainer, for insulting Oswald, spending years in jail and the first thing Oswald does is just be his ever friendly self and Pearson as endearing as ever in the seeming warmth as he excitedly embraces the released Edward. Though I do love the final bit of Oswald and Ingrid joining a possible sex cult, as perhaps a sign of even cracks within the idea of paradise, however as usual still in the end Oswald gets the last word saying how Edward “hasn’t changed a bit”. That line as delivered by Pearson is an ideal expression of is Oswald admiring Edward or is it a dig? And that’s part of the greatness of this performance is Pearson’s ambiguity he achieves while also being so confident, charismatic and forward with his performance. As he lets you doubt Oswald’s intentions even as Oswald seemingly is pure, even if everything seems designed to make Edward suffer by comparison. There’s a moment relatively early on in their interactions where Oswald surprises Edward at a bar, where Edward is entertaining his work friends, and there’s a moment where he whispers his apology, however that apology maybe is the truth of Oswald, or not, as Pearson seems sincere yet there’s something too knowing too persistent about it all, that does make one ponder if that apology was just step one in his plan to kill Edward with kindness. Pearson’s performance is such a uniquely astonishing turn, truly one of a kind and much like Oswald himself, that isn’t referring to his condition. Rather it is the success of the turn to be so distinctly larger than life, approachable, charming, humble, hilarious, yet earnest, so likeable yet at the same time sinister within the perspective we are offered through Edward. And the best part is, Pearson makes it all look so easy here, he comes in and just captivates every second he’s onscreen, making Oswald such a fascinating, funny but also importantly unknowable figure despite never being vague.