Jon Voight Reveals ‘Big Turning Point’ in His Life: ‘I Learned a Lot About My Relationship to God’

Next month, acclaimed actor Jon Voight will celebrate his 86th birthday. “The biggest benefit of getting older is wisdom,” he exclusively tells Closer. “Regardless of what you do, you’re going to get some wisdom by this time. You’ve faced some things and gone through a lot of suffering in looking at yourself with honesty. So you’ve learned a lot of things by the time you’re a grandfather.”

In his latest film, Strangers, Jon plays the trusted friend of a woman caught under the spell of a dangerous man. “It’s suspenseful, it’s intense, it’s pulse-pounding, intriguing, and it has a lot of action,” Jon says of the film, currently streaming on Apple TV+. “And the mystery of it is very satisfactorily resolved.”

How would you describe your character in Strangers?

“My character is an older man, a trusted friend of Laura [Sienna Guillory], who she meets at an AA meeting. They both have had difficulties in their lives and they’re dealing with them. They’re trying to be respectful and trying to discipline themselves. They each have a very strong past. My character is thrown into the mix of the danger.”

Is he anything like you?

“Well, it’s a very interesting character. I thought I would be the perfect guy to play it, actually, because I look after people. So, he’s the kind of guy who does that.”

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What do you hope the audience gets from it?

“I think of them saying, ‘Wow, what a movie. Holy smokes!’ It has so much in it. It’s very entertaining, and the acting is quite good.”

Did you always want to be an actor?

“No, I was the middle of three boys. Barry, my older brother, became a volcanologist, a volcano expert, and a teacher at Penn State University. He’s very well known in his field. My brother Chip, the younger brother, started his career at 15 years old as a singer-songwriter. He wrote ‘Angel of the Morning’ and ‘Wild Thing.’ He’s had a very long career.”

Well, you haven’t done so badly yourself!

“I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I was the comedian of the family. I was playful and liked to entertain them. I used to watch Sid Caesar, who was somebody who came from Yonkers, New York, where I came from. I used to imitate him. That was the beginning of my love of playing characters and telling stories. Also, my dad was a wonderful storyteller. He used to lie down in bed with the three boys at the end of a day and he would tell us stories.”

Who were your earliest mentors?

“I found my way to Sanford Meisner, who was one of the great teachers. He helped me out quite a lot just giving me a base to start understanding how to do this acting thing. My other early influences were from the great actors I worked with. I did this off-Broadway performance of A View From the Bridge. I played the young lover, and [Robert] Duvall was the lead. Watching Bobby Duvall build this character was a wonderful education.”

Who else was in your circle?

“In the process of doing that play, I met Bobby’s roommates: One was Gene Hackman, and the other was Dustin Hoffman. Dusty and I got along, although he wasn’t in the play with me, and I’d never seen him act. We became friends, and everybody told me he was a genius. He was a genius.”

And, of course, you starred in Midnight Cowboy together. Are you still friends?

“Yes. I love Dusty. He’s one of the greatest actors of our time.”

Were you ready for the attention you received for Midnight Cowboy?

“I did the best I could. I don’t think anybody’s prepared for that much attention. You have a young person who suddenly appears and is the new flavor. People think that you know everything, right? No, only a little bit. You’re a young person at the beginning of your life, and so you’re unprepared.”

You also starred with Burt Reynolds in Deliverance. Can you share a favorite memory of that shoot?

“I laugh because Burt and I had a very fun relationship. We were friends to the end of his life, and I know he’s watching over me now as I say these words to you. Burt and I had a great time. When I think of that film, I think the center of that is the scene where we all have to make this decision of what we’re going to do with the body of the man who is killed. That scene is one of the best I have ever participated in. Each one of us did a wonderful job. It was Burt’s moment in the film.”

What’s the best lesson you’ve learned?

“It’s a very interesting question because we are learning continuously. I was raised as a Catholic. My mom was a very spiritual person. My dad didn’t go to church often, but he had high moral standards. I was very fortunate to have those family portraits in my raising because I got off the beam a little bit, especially when I received a lot of attention. In trying to recover from the mistakes I made, I learned a lot about my relationship to God. That was a big turning point in my life.”

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You have grandchildren. What do you enjoy most about being a grandfather?

“I like having a bit of something to offer them. What grandfathers can give their grandchildren is a kind of peacefulness about life. ‘Don’t worry. Just keep going. Put one foot in front of the other. Let’s see how it works out. Don’t worry, honey, you’re going to be just fine.’ That kind of attitude to life comes from having been there. There’s an understanding when people are going through something, a sense of humor about life, a joy in the little things.”

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

“Well, I’m working most of the time, but that’s my hobby. It’s my love. So, I’m trying to get certain projects going or helping somebody find a way to accomplish something and trying to be a positive force in all aspects of my life. I really do care about this Earth, and I care about the people in it, and I’m a pretty good student of history, too. As you get older, you have a little bit of wisdom, so if you have some answers, you better step up and contribute.”