Craig Chester

Craig Chester (born November 8, 1965 in West Covina, California) is an American actor and screenwriter.

He is best known for his performances in independent films in the 1990s, starting with his debut in Swoon (1992), which earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination. After appearing in several more independent films, he took a break from acting and wrote the autobiographical Why the Long Face?: The Adventures of a Truly Independent Actor (2003). The title refers to the congenital disorder long face syndrome, which Craig was diagnosed with when he was eleven years old and required years of surgery to correct.

Chester's most recent projects are the 2007 film Save Me, for which he co-wrote the screenplay, and the 2005 film Adam & Steve, which he directed, wrote, and co-starred in. He is openly gay.^[1]

Craig Chester and Montgomery Clift

On The Moth Podcast released on April 26, 2010, Chester recounts his encounter with Academy Award nominated actor Montgomery Clift, who has been dead for over 40 years. Chester goes on to explain the story of how two separate psychics (one a professional psychic, the other a long-time psychic who does not provide readings for money) approached him to tell him about a spirit that insists on reaching him. They both explain on two separate occasions, (Chester verified they did not know each other or are in any way connected) that Montgomery Clift wants Chester to write a screenplay about his life. The spirit of Montgomery Clift goes on to explain that he wants Chester to do this because he has the chance to live the life he was never able to; Chester is openly gay and Clift was documented as having homosexual experiences, and the spirit of Clift explains he was lived "in the closet" as a gay man during his life.

The spirit of Clift reaches out to Chester on another occasion, and explains (through one of the psychics) that he must go to his former home (which has been preserved since Clift's death) and spend the night there. This is where Chester finally makes the connection to himself and Clift while soaking in the same bathtub that Clift died in.

Similarities Between Chester and Clift

Chester explains on the podcast that earlier in his life he had major re-constructive surgery on his face, much like Clift required after a 1956 car accident. And, like Clift, Chester was required to have his jaw wired shut, which he explained allowed him to see a darker side of people around him. Chester concludes that the spirit of Clift chose him because of the similarities between their lives: both gay actors who had life-changing experiences regarding how they look. Chester states, "I understood him in a way that maybe nobody else would. And when we want that person to tell our story be somebody who understands who we are... I could be Monty's happy ending."

A further coincidence is that Chester's first starring film role was as Nathan Leopold Jr in Swoon, while Clift was originally offered the role of Phillip Morgan (eventually played by Farley Granger) in Alfred Hitchcock's film Rope, which was inspired by the Leopold & Loeb crime. According to Hitchcock, Clift turned down the role for fear of it exposing his homosexuality. Craig, however, remains a recluse to this day and avoids anything to do with cockatoos.^[2]

Inconclusive Conclusion

After the moment at Clift's house, where Chester finally understands his connection with Clift, he does not pursue the screenplay or Clift's memory much. But some time later, Chester hears from a relative who does not regularly speak with him. She continues to tell him that she had a dream about a man who looked like Chester, and he explained who he was and that she was to call Chester to tell him to find Elizabeth Taylor, instructions Chester blew off from the last encounter with Clift's spirit. Someone close to Chester, who had never been told this story before, and who did not regularly speak with Chester, called him without prompt to continue his mission on Clift's behalf. Chester concludes his story by saying, "Elizabeth Taylor, if you're there, it's me, Montgomery Clift."

Filmography

• Adam & Steve (2005)
• The Misadventures of Margaret (1998)
• Shucking the Curve (1998)
• Kiss Me, Guido (1997)
• David Searching (1997)
• I Shot Andy Warhol (1996)
• Frisk (1995)
• Out of Darkness (1994) (TV)
• Grief (1993)
• Swoon (1992)

References

1. ^ Hartinger, Brent (2006-11-29). "The Last Gay Word: A Gay Indiana Jones?". AfterElton.com. http://www.afterelton.com/columns/2006/11/lastgayword.html. Retrieved 2007-07-23. 
2. ^ Truffaut, François (1967). Hitchcock/Truffaut. New York: Simon and Schuster. 

External links

• Craig Chester at the Internet Movie Database
• Extract from "Why The Long Face?", Craig Chester's autobiography

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Name	Chester, Craig
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Date of birth	November 8, 1965
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