Recently, Keanu Reeves co-wrote a book with author China Miéville: The Book of Elsewhere. It had a fair bit of attention thanks to the curiosity factor of a Hollywood darling collaborating with a respected author. ArtsHub did some digging to see which other actors have penned a book – but an imaginative novel – not a ghost-written memoir about their famous and sordid lives (there are far too many of these salacious self-indulgent tales).
There are surprisingly quite a number of actor-novelists; many have published several books each. Here are 10 in case you’re interested to find out whether these multi-creatives can actually write as well as emote on screen or are they merely play acting authors?
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Ethan Hawke
Hawke has written several books, including The Hottest State (1996), Ash Wednesday (2002), Rules for a Knight (2015) and the poetically titled A Bright Ray of Darkness (2021). The reception has been largely positive, with a review from The Washington Post saying that A Bright Ray of Darkness “…is really good. If you can ignore the author’s motive for creating such a sensitive and endearing cad, you’ll find here a novel that explores the demands of acting and the delusions of manhood with tremendous verve and insight”.
Tom Hanks
His collection of typewriters has inspired a book of short stories called Uncommon Type (2017), while Hanks’ debut novel, the grandiosely named The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, was published last year. Kirkus Reviews described it as “Marvel-esque superhero fare, war story and artsy melodrama” and “a loose-limbed, bighearted Hollywood yarn”.
Steve Martin
Funny man Martin is quite prolific and has produced several novels, including the bestseller Shopgirl (2000), which was later turned into a romcom movie in which he also starred. Other titles include The Pleasure of My Company (2003) and An Object of Beauty (2010). He even writes for the stage with plays like Picasso at the Lapin Agile staged at Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre among other venues in 1994.
Carrie Fisher
The late star was another actor/novelist, with several books to her name, including her most famous, Postcards from the Edge (1987), which was about drug addiction and rehab and later adapted into a motion picture. She also wrote a romance, Surrender the Pink (1990), Delusions of Grandma (1993) and The Best Awful (2004) a sequel to Postcards from The Edge. All her novels teeter on the edge of memoir and are semi-autobiographical.
Molly Ringwald
When it Happens to You (2013) is Ringwald’s collection of linked stories about modern relationships, including tales about infertility, betrayal and single motherhood. When an author as talented and respected as Lauren Groff (who wrote Fate and Furies) compliments Ringwald’s debut as “absolutely lovely, a smart, emotionally sophisticated, intricately dovetailed novel of stories” it’s worth paying attention.
Hugh Laurie
Laurie’s debut novel is called The Gun Seller (2004); it explores a conspiracy theory involving international arms dealers, terrorists and the CIA – which doesn’t sound particularly hilarious.
Stephen Fry
Laurie’s partner-in-mirth, Fry, who’s currently on an Australian tour, has produced several books across genres that include non-fiction and autobiography. Some of his well-received novels are: The Liar (1991), The Hippopotamus (1994), Making History (1996), The Stars’ Tennis Balls (2000) and Revenge: A Novel (2003). Is there anything this man can’t do?
Gene Wilder
Who would have known that the late and great candy man and original Willy Wonka was also a novelist? His debut, the provocatively titled My French Whore (2007) is a romantic comedy – of sorts. Wilder described it as akin to inhabiting the black humour of The Producers. “I give you the madcap tale of an American soldier who impersonates a German spy, with hilarious but sombre results. Picture much hollering, in German! SCHNELL und ACHTUNG.” He wrote other novels including: The Woman Who Wouldn’t (2008) and a novella, Something to Remember You By (2013).
James Franco
Another actor whose book was transferred onto screen was Franco, with his collection of stories Palo Alto (2010) later made into a movie dealing with Californian teenagers doing what they do best: fretting about sex, ennui and self-destruction.
Read: So you want my arts job: Librarian
David Duchovny
Duchovny may be a good actor – who can forget him as the alien true believer in The X-Files or even the sleazy gad-about-town in Californication? – but he shouldn’t give up his day job because, as a writer, he makes a better actor. He’s written several books though, including bovine adventures in Holy Cow (2015), Bucking F**ing Dent (2016) about baseball and a father-son bond, Miss Subways (2018), a love letter to New York and Truly Like Lightning (2021) in which the takes a swipe at Trump, climate deniers and real estate developers.
