Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” world premiered at the Venice Film Festival this past summer to positive reviews. The film marks the great return of Mann, director of “Heat,” “Collateral” and “The Insider.”
“Ferrari” stars Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the prestigious formula one team. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mann was asked about his friendship with Driver. He describes Driver as an actor with "strength and artistic integrity, coupled with a pretty fierce artistic ambition.” There’s ton of praise from Mann for his actor.
I’ve zeroed in one particular quote. Mann believes that Driver is of the calibre of the New Hollywood actors of the 1970s ..
I think it’s apt to compare him to De Niro and Pacino […] I think it’s about approach and commitment to the moment, having no hesitations or qualms about really reaching for the high E on the violin or walking on a tightrope without a net underneath. [Pacino] does that. So, it’s artistic ambition, which is different than career ambition. [It's] the kind of artistic ambition that drives one to try to achieve something and overcomes hesitation and fear. So, there's no fear.
Back in 2019, a certain Martin Scorsese happened to describe Driver as “the greatest actor of his generation.” Scorsese pointed out Driver’s “remarkable screen presence.”
It has no doubt been a meteoric rise for Driver in Hollywood, at least ever since he entered the public consciousness as one of the standout characters on Lena Dunham’s hit HBO show “Girls”. His movie career went into overdrive not too long after the show’s end in 2017.
Driver has had a tendency to choose his film projects based on the director involved — he has worked with Martin Scorsese, Joel Coen, Noah Baumbach, Jim Jarmusch, Clint Eastwood, Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Michael Mann, Leos Carax, Francis Ford Coppola Ridley Scott and Terry Gilliam.
How did this happen? Well, for starters, Driver is no slouch to acting — he graduated from Julliard, one of the most prestigious acting schools in the world. And yet, despite having delivered many strong performances these past 10 years, is there an actual performance of his that deserves time-capsule status? I can’t think of any. Driver is a commendable actor that tends to deliver the goods, but where’s his “Raging Bull” or “There Will Be Blood”? Maybe it’ll come soon.
In the meantime, there have been reports that Driver will star in Mann’s “Heat 2”. The director does confirm in the EW interview that he is indeed in discussions with Driver for a role in the sequel.
Bassim Tariq was the first one in the chair. The "Mogul Mowgli" director spent two years building out the Mahershala Ali vehicle before exiting in 2022, and he's now letting the air out on this one.