John Malkovich is currently at the center of the awards conversation for his role in Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine.
The actor’s current momentum follows reports that he won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 2026 Venice Film Festival. This return to the awards circuit comes after a 32-year hiatus from major Academy Award contention; his last nomination was in 1994 for his supporting role in the thriller In the Line of Fire.
In Wild Horse Nine, Malkovich plays Chris, an aging CIA agent stationed on Easter Island during the 1973 Chilean coup. The film features an ensemble cast including Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, and Parker Posey. Martin McDonagh’s latest project focuses on the volatile political backdrop of the era.
Malkovich has also reportedly expressed the opinion that the movie business once occupied a high position in global culture that was largely “undeserved.”
While Wild Horse Nine has drawn comparisons to McDonagh’s previous work, such as The Banshees of Inisherin, the historical setting of the Chilean coup and Malkovich’s performance represent a distinct turn for the filmmaker.
