Audiences who venture out to Spaulding Auditorium this Friday to see the acclaimed thriller "Michael Clayton"(2007) will have no trouble recognizing the chiseled features of George Clooney, who stars as the eponymous lawyer embroiled in a vast corporate conspiracy. But nestled in the film's supporting cast is a face that students in the audience may be even more familiar with: Dartmouth's own Sam Gilroy '09.
Gilroy appears in a brief but pivotal scene as a copy store clerk who helps Clooney, the beleaguered protagonist, photocopy some classified documents. Doesn't sound too interesting, except that those documents have the power to bring down an entire corporate empire. It's a big responsibility for a lowly copy clerk, but for Gilroy the more intimidating task was sharing nearly a minute of dialogue with George Clooney.
"It was really terrifying," recalled Gilroy, who seems remarkably well adjusted for a guy who has shared the screen with one of Hollywood's biggest stars. "At the beginning, [Clooney] was like, 'How are you feeling?' And I was like, 'I'm scared shitless.'"
"I just kept thinking, 'This scene isn't about me. Just try not to act too silly or anything,'" he added modestly.
"Michael Clayton" was written and directed by Tony Gilroy, Sam's father and the screenwriter of the immensely popular Jason Bourne trilogy. Despite his family connection, however, the younger Gilroy still had to audition for role of the copy clerk. During the end of his freshman winter, while most Dartmouth students were cramming for finals, Gilroy left school early to film his scene on-set in New York City.
"My dad wouldn't let me cut my hair," said Gilroy, referring to his freshman-era mop of blond curls now immortalized on film. "I think he wanted me to look as New York-college-student-y as possible."
When he saw a rough cut of the film months later, Gilroy was "amazed" by how incredible it was, but said he hasn't quite gotten used to the sight of himself on screen. Still, he added, "seeing your name on the end credits is pretty freaking awesome."
Gilroy's inclusion in the credits of "Michael Clayton" has earned him his own profile on the Internet Movie Database, complete with a trivia section that notes that he is "currently a member of Dartmouth's Improv Troupe" -- a tidbit Gilroy said was sent in by a fellow Dog Day Player.
Given the massive success of "Michael Clayton" and Gilroy's Hollywood connections, is there a chance that more screen credits might soon be added to his online filmography?
"I think it's something I'd like to pursue, but it's not an easy life," Gilroy said, noting that his father tended bar for years before breaking into the film industry as a screenwriter. Though he hopes to continue acting, the younger Gilroy said that it may be some time before he follows in his dad's footsteps as a writer.
"It would be so cliche at this point, wouldn't it?" he laughed, adding more seriously, "I don't really have anything to write about yet. Maybe one day if I have something to say I'll try writing, but not yet."
Ironically, writing is the very thing that may keep Gilroy from attending the Dartmouth premiere of "Michael Clayton" on Friday, when he will be hard at work on a script for the theatre department's production of WiRED to be performed the following night. Though he won't be around to hear the shouts of recognition in the audience on Friday, Gilroy says that being spotted in the film by friends and acquaintances is something he's already gotten used to.
"I've ruined the movie for a lot of people. You get the same story a lot. People that know me see me on screen and shout 'I know that guy!' in the middle of the theatre." Gilroy smiled. "I think I've spoiled movie magic for people across the country."
