The only role Paul Newman knew he had to play: “He felt it immediately”

Posted On August 25, 2025August 25, 2025

Paul Newman was a real actor’s actor.

A defining star of his era who became a globally famous symbol for Hollywood, it wasn’t just the good looks that propelled Newman to the top of the industry. Supporting his dashing face was a vast reservoir of talent which propelled his best works, cementing his status as one of the most legendary actors of his generation.

He didn’t always pick the winners, but when Newman nailed it, he really nailed it. Think of the washed-up athlete in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the chain-gang rebel in Cool Hand Luke, or, of course, half of that iconic double act in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. His star power opened plenty of doors, sure, but Newman wasn’t one to sign on blindly. Actually, he had a bit of a reputation for being downright fussy about the roles he’d agree to.

One man with a unique insight into Newman’s career was his friend AE Hotchner. A writer by trade, Hotchner lived next door to Newman and the two formed a strong bond. When the actor launched Newman’s Own, a food brand that donated all of its profits to charity, Hotchner was his business partner. The two also co-founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, named for the gang in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The organisation provides respite to the families of children suffering from serious illness.

As well as biographies of Doris Day, Sophia Loren, and Ernest Hemingway, Hotchner also published multiple books on the subject of his famous pal. In one volume, titled ‘Paul and Me: 53 Years of Adventures and Misadventures with Paul Newman’, he went into detail about many aspects of the idol’s career. In one section, he remembered how there was only ever one role that Newman was dead set on playing from the very beginning.

“I remember Paul said he always had misgivings about taking on any part, doubts about his ability to find the role, mould it and craft it. Except for Fast Eddie Felson in The Hustler,” Kotchner writes. “It was the only script in his life where he read the first five pages and knew it was dead right for him. He knew he had to play it and felt it immediately – he was the guy.”

Released in 1961, The Hustler is a movie about a subject that doesn’t immediately scream ‘Hollywood’ – pool. Newman’s character, ‘Fast Eddie’ Felson, is a run-of-the-mill pool shark, making his money by convincing onlookers he is drunk and then winning bets they think they can’t lose. After being humiliated by professional player Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason), Felson attempts a redemption arc.

Newman’s judgement served him well. The Hustler turned out to be a smash hit, landing several Oscar nominations, including ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Actor’ for its leading man. It also spawned a sequel, The Color of Money, 25 years later, with Martin Scorsese serving as director. Newman, who served as something of a mentor to a young Tom Cruise on set, went one better this time around, capturing his one and only Academy Award for ‘Best Supporting Actor’.

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