John Malkovich, 72, Says He Has No Plans to Retire: I Want ‘to Carry on Doing What I Love’

Nigel SmithThu, September 3, 2026 at 2:31 PM UTC

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John Malkovich in VeniceCredit: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage -

John Malkovich stars in Wild Horse Nine, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin McDonagh

The film premieres at the Venice Film Festival and opens in theaters on Nov. 6

Malkovich says his passion for acting remains strong after 50 years in the industry

John Malkovich has no plans to slow down 50 years into his illustrious acting career.

The two-time Oscar nominee is receiving major awards buzz for his lead performance in Wild Horse Nine, the new film from Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri writer-director Martin McDonagh.

At the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, Sept. 3, where the film is having its world premiere, the legendary actor said that at 72, his passion for acting hasn’t wavered.

“As far as what I want to do — carry on. I mean, I’m pretty much doing, and I’ve been doing what I love my whole life, and I plan to carry on doing that,” he said. “I don’t plan to retire because I think they will retire me when it’s time. That seems to be the natural course of things.”

Searchlight Pictures’ synopsis for Wild Horse Nine teases, “Shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA agents Chris (Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are dispatched from Santiago to Easter island by their bureau chief, MJ (Steve Buscemi). Amongst the Island’s iconic statues, and as the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, Chris’s newfound bond with a pair of rebellious students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to send everyone’s trip to this remote paradise sideways.”

John Malkovich, Mariana Di Girolamo, Parker Posey, Martin McDonagh, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi and AilIn Salas in VeniceCredit: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Malkovich told the press that signing on to work with McDonagh, whose last film The Banshees of Inisherin was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, was “obviously a very easy decision.”

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“I think it’s a beautifully written script and I had been sent a couple of things Martin had written before, which I was unable to even consider because I had other commitments, which I read and loved,” the actor shared. “So when this one came around, I decided absolutely I would do it. And thankfully I didn’t have anything standing in the way in terms of commitments.”

When asked to respond to the awards buzz surrounding his performance in Wild Horse Nine, Malkovich reflected on what he described as a “long career.”

Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich in Wild Horse NineCredit: Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán

“I’ve had really spectacular collaborators and collaborations with directors, writers and actors. So I never feel in competition with any of them because generally I love them too,” he said. “So for me it’s a very nice thing, but the nicest thing is that the film gets attention and the film has several terrific performers and it’s beautifully written and beautifully directed and that’s what matters the most to me.”

Wild Horse Nine next plays at the Toronto International Film Festival before opening in theaters on Nov. 6.

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The 83rd Venice Film Festival runs Sept. 2 to Sept. 12.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”