film and came off, and someone said, How many takes did you do? Did
you go again? and Peter said, Notheres a thin
line between being a perfectionist and being a cunt. (laughs)
SO
TRUE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT LINEAS MANY OF YOUR ROLES HAVE
DONEMAY SHOCK THE FAINT OF HEART. DO YOU GET OFF ON THAT?
I
like to stir the sediment of peoples thoughts, or, certainly, the sediment
of peoples opinions, yesas an actor it certainly hasnt
been my chief aim to be liked by my audience.
WHICH
IS PRACTICALLY UNHEARD OF.
Im
afraid it is. If I was cleverer, perhaps, I wouldnt be like that.
BUT
THEN WE WOULDNT HAVE YOUR OSCAR-WINNING PERFORMANCE AS CLAUS VON BULOW
IN REVERSAL OF FORTUNE, YOUR HUMBERT HUMBERT IN LOLITA, YOUR
JUNKIE GYNECOLOGIST TWINS IN DAVID CRONENBERGS DEAD RINGERS,
OR EVEN THE RATHER CONTROVERSIAL SCAR IN THE LION KING. YOU KNOW, SOME
TUT-TUTTED THAT HE REPRESENTED SOMETHING AKIN TO THE EVIL GAY.
I
hadnt heard that. But, yes, I suppose he DIDNT have an obvious
wife, did he?
NOPE.
HES ANOTHER DARK LIGHT IN YOUR GALLERY OF WEIRDOS.
But
I wouldnt describe them as that. I just think theyre people who
live in the extremes of life. Which are very interesting to play. You see,
theres nothing more boring than playing the good-looking pilot who flies
fighter planes and wears a suit well. (laughs)
MUCH
MORE FUN TO EXPLORE THE FREAK IN ALL OF US?
Thats
right. Thats what upset so many people about Lolita. They said,
Youve made Humbert likeable, yet hes a monster. I
said, Well, yeah, the things he does are terrible, but life is not black
and white, were all a bit gray.
DO
YOU EVER HEAR FROM THE VERY GRAY CLAUS VON BULOW?
No,
but I did meet him about four years after I made Reversal. It was in
a cricket pavilion and I heard this voice behind me saying (in a plummy Claus
accent), You see, Im NOT fat. I turned around said, Claus,
I never said you were fat, I said you were bigger than me. Which you ARE.
He said, Do you ever see Alan Dershowitz? I hear hes representing
Leona Helmsley and Mike Tysonyou havent been asked to play
either of THEM, have you? (laughs)
GOTTA
LOVE CLAUS. BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK? GUILTY OR INNOCENT?
I think, possibly, he left his wife on the floor slightly too long. (chuckles)
YOURE
HILARIOUS, JEREMY. BUT DOES YOUR TWISTED FILM PERSONA EVER CAUSE ANY STRANGENESS
IN DAY-TO-DAY LIFE?
Ive
always looked for that tell-tale flinch when you approach a womans neck,
but Ive never seen it. So, noI think its because
in life Im so different.
YOU
DONT HAVE ANY OF THOSE FREAKY GYNECOLOGICAL TOOLS FROM DEAD RINGERS
LYING AROUND YOUR HOUSE AS KNICKKNACKS?
NoDavid
Cronenbergs got them all. I think he sleeps with them.
WITH
THAT DELIGHTFUL BON MOT, WE NOW REACH THE LAST QUESTION: HOW WOULD YOU LIKE
TO BE REMEMBERED?
He
was never boring.
©
2015 Brantley Bardin. All Rights Reserved.
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