Michael Keaton Has A Candid Confession About His 16-Year Disappearance
When you hear the name “Michael Keaton,” chances are you think of the iconic bat symbol, or of foul-mouthed Beetlejuice. The roles he's played are as wildly different as could be, and he’s always made one thing very clear: He isn’t like other actors. He never fit in with Hollywood’s super-slick vibe, and he spent his career fighting to remain unpredictable... even at the cost of his own success. Then, for 16 years, Michael Keaton disappeared from the public eye — until he re-emerged with a story to tell.
Exploding On The Scene
Michael Keaton didn’t arrive on the scene as much as he exploded onto it, and in a whirl of neon green hair and snappy catchphrases, no less: With 1988’s Beetlejuice, Keaton finally established himself as an actor to watch, but it didn’t happen overnight.
First Part
Even before he embodied everyone’s favorite poltergeist, Keaton was drawn to all things unconventional. His first gig was on Mr. Rogers, where he portrayed one of the “Flying Zookeenie Brothers.” He had bit-part after bit-part…
Meet Mr. Mom
That is, until he nabbed Mr. Mom. A role that could have been cringe-worthy in the wrong hands, Keaton made it endearing. It was his breakthrough into Hollywood, but it soon became clear that leading man status came with its own set of restrictions.
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Rebel From The Start
With success came fame...and a tendency to repeat history. With every fast-talking comedic role was an identical role right behind it. No one was on the edge of their seats, something Keaton knew he had to remedy — and fast.
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