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Compiled by Jack Foley
Q. What was the appeal? Was it simply what was on the page,
or meeting Jonas?
A. No, I really didn't like the script. It was all about working
with Jonas.
Q. Did you know him before?
A. I'd bumped into him, yeah...
Q. Was there any opportunity to take the character and perhaps
run with it in a different direction?
A. I tried to. But he's a pretty strong director for a guy
who's just starting out. He knows what he wants, which was part
of the attraction - his enthusiasm. Cos mine was....
Q. So did you come to like the script or the story?
A. No. I didn't really care for the material. The whole thing
was working with him [Jonas]. I like him on the floor; he knew
what he wanted.
You know, if you're lucky, you run across directors that can translate
their material. I've had a few of those before, and Jonas falls
into that category.
Q. But you did some great stuff...
A. [Long pause] It was fun.
Q. It's such a visually striking film, you get the impression
that this is what being on speed must be like, so how was that
communicated to you when working, because, obviously, a lot of
the stuff we see is post-production? Especially when doing something
like the General Patten-type speech. You must know that you're
in uncharted territory?
A. It was a lot of lines... We had huge cue cards. I haven't
had an opportunity to see the movie, so I don't know, what you're
talking about visually. I've heard a lot.
Q. There is a lovely line where you and Eric [Roberts] meet
for the first time and say 'it's been a long time' - 20 years,
in fact. You and he, as both sort of elder statesmen, compared
to the group you were working with, which is pretty much where
you were when you started out...
A. I hadn't seen Eric in many years.
Q. Do you find a difference between the attitude and approach
of the cast you were working with, as opposed to your own at that
time?
A. It's a long story. But you know what I mean...
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Q. You say you hadn't seen him for a long time. It must have
been a shock to see him in a blonde wig and glasses?
A. No, Eric is one of my favourite actors, you know. I believe
he only worked for a day, or two, and Jonas came over to me and
said 'I'm glad I only got him a day or two [laughs]'. But I love
working with Eric, he is a real talent.
Q. I referred earlier to the edginess of the material you
do, and maybe it seems to be more high-profile, so is that reflected
in other things that you're going to be doing?
A. Probably [sighs].
Q. Are you getting a very diverse range of scripts? Or just
the edgy stuff?
A. Edgy stuff.
Q. And do you like that?
A. Not particularly... I mean, you know, you could mail it
in.
Q. How are you actually approaching and managing this thrilling
comeback?
A. The little guy in the white shirt is taking care of all
of that [laughs, pointing to a man stood at the back of the press
conference]. I'm not handling any of it. I'm finally, for the
first time in my life, listening to someone else.
Q. From a personal perspective, do you now feel stronger,
perhaps, for having done all of that in your alternate career?
Or do you kind of regret, perhaps, having to go through that?
A. Regret, yeah. A lot of regrets. That I don't want to talk
about.
Q. How do you get into a role. Do you get on set and go, or
do you have methods?
A. I guess in my travels I've met a lot of guys that, you
know, mess around with the gear. You meet a lot of bikers, or
tattoo artists, or strippers, that are all on it because of the
profession.
The girls would do it, just because they've got to tune out, cos
they've got to dance in front of fat, hairy men, you know; and
tattoo artists do it, because it keeps them very intricate, so
people have certain lines of work that gravitate towards that
lifestyle, and it becomes a way of life for them, you know.
You really can't trust anybody that does a lot of that gear. They
are very untrustworthy, and real pain in the arses.
So first thing, my immediate reaction when I read it, was 'oh,
I hate these fucking guys', you know, because they are out there.
They don't realise it, though. And that drug really bites you
in the arse; it deteriorates you later on, gradually, and it's
quite... a lot of people are doing it now, you know.
You see it now, whereas before it was just a certain type of people,
like bikers or strippers. Now, you see it around.
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