Cary Elwes Reflects on His Journey Filming a New Movie After Losing His Home to a Fire

Cary Elwes on Sept. 2, 2005.
Credit:

Ernesto Ruscio/Getty

Key Details

• Cary Elwes filmed his new movie Dead Man’s Wire early last year, shortly after losing his home in the California wildfires.
• Elwes remarked that immersing himself in the role provided an essential distraction: “The minute I took the makeup off and the wardrobe, all I could think of is how traumatizing that whole event was. So it actually felt good to be somebody else.”
• Dead Man’s Wire is currently in select theaters and will expand to more markets on Friday, January 16.

Cary Elwes anticipated hearing “As you wish” — a nod to his iconic line from The Princess Bride.

When the actor learned that his brother Cassian, a producer, was involved with Gus Van Sant, director of Oscar-nominated Good Will Hunting, he expressed a desire to meet Van Sant: “I said, ‘Cass, you got to let me meet with Gus,’” Elwes recounted.

Despite their close bond, Cassian initially declined, not wanting to create an awkward situation for his former client.

Elwes persisted, responding, “He’s not going to quit the movie because you asked if your brother could meet with him. If he says no, I’ll accept that, and we’ll move on.”

A week later, Elwes learned of Van Sant’s interest: “I spoke to Gus, and it turns out he’s a big fan of your work.”

Cary Elwes on Jan. 7, 20206.

Monica Schipper/Getty

Elwes, now 63, first captivated audiences as Westley in The Princess Bride, a role that established him as a beloved figure in film.

“I hit the jackpot with that movie,” he reflected, acknowledging his versatility across genres, including comedy in Robin Hood: Men in Tights, horror with Saw, and sci-fi in Stranger Things (2019).

“I’m the living embodiment of everything I dreamt about as a 6-year-old,” he stated, celebrating the reality of his career. “You have no idea how much I’ve manifested this.”

In Dead Man’s Wire, Elwes portrays Det. Michael Grable, a police officer confronting a tense hostage situation involving a disgruntled landowner played by Bill Skarsgård.

Cary Elwes in ‘Dead Man’s Wire.’

Row K Entertainment

Van Sant praised Elwes’s transformative preparation for the role, noting the actor’s physical change. “He was quite a sight, not looking at all like Westley,” he remarked.

Shortly before filming commenced, however, tragedy struck when Elwes’s home was lost to the California wildfires alongside that of his wife and daughter.

During the evacuation, Elwes documented the perilous situation on social media as flames approached their residence. “We had nothing,” he recalled, expressing gratitude for the local community’s support during that time.

Cary Elwes, Lisa Marie Elwes, and their daughter Dominique in a 2022 Instagram post.

Lisa Marie Elwes/Instagram

“They were sending us to get clothes to put on our backs. When you have that outpouring of support and feel that generosity, it’s powerful,” he noted.

Afterward, Elwes joined the cast in Louisville, where he found solace in losing himself in his character shortly after the traumatic experience. “The minute I took the makeup off and the wardrobe, all I could think of is how traumatizing that whole event was. So it actually felt good to be somebody else,” he shared.

Reflecting on the past year’s challenges, he expressed a commitment to personal growth, stating, “It definitely shaped me, but I won’t let it define me. I’m going to rebuild me. I got two for one.”

In his reflections over the past year, which also included his 25th wedding anniversary and his daughter’s high school graduation, Elwes remarked, “Life is a roller coaster.”

He recalled sharing this sentiment with his wife when they first met in 1991 at a local festival: “I told her right after, I said, ‘This is pretty much how it’s going to be. It’s going to be a crazy ride.’”

Dead Man’s Wire is currently showing in select theaters, with a wider release set for January 16.