Interviews
Interview - Eric Roberts
In the last years you were open-minded about allmost every genre. But with Merle Hench it seems you have found a character you can really identify with. Your unleashed performance leads the movie to what it is. What was so special about Merle? What attracted you on this production?
Mostly I knew I wanted to work with the director, Jesse. I wanted to help him realize his version.
After over 30 years in the film business you have worked with old school filmmakers like Stuart Rosenberg, Andrei Konchalovsky or the action legends Robert Radler, Sam Firstenberg and Corey Yuen. Where are the significant differences betweem working with them and a highly skilled shooting star with fresh ideas like Jesse V. Johnson?
Actually they share a lot of similarities. Jesse really know who to think like an actor and how to guide the process in a compelling and fun way.
Apropos Andrei Konchalovsky. The icecold thriller "Runaway Train" was your final breakthrough in 1985. You got an Oscar nomination for the outstanding performance as Buck. At that point you were still a newcomer. How was the chemistry between Jon Voight and you on set?
Jon is a complex man. We respected each other, and we went out of our way to be sensitive to each other. We knew we were creating an important collaboration.
How difficult was it to shoot in Montana and Alaska with Andrei Konchalovsky?
Alaska was far too cold for my taste. I´d like to live in Montana.
Over 10 years later you have worked with him again on "The Odyssey". Was that a coincidence?
Pure coincidence, but we´d both wanted to work together again.
Since the series "Less Than Perfect" the audience discovers your humorous talent. You also had funny cameos in movies like "The Cable Guy" or "Witless Protection". In former times your appearances in comedies were rare. Do you think this new side of you helped to relativize your bad guy image?
Doing comedy has been very important for exactly that reason, and I hope to do lots more. Even Batman and my videos a humorous side. Keaton Simons, my stepson, just finished his video for “Nobody Knows”, which is available on iTunes. He had Ivana Milicevic, Tom Green and KG from Tenacious D in the video. They are all funny. Making people laugh is power.
With "DOA: Dead or Alive" and the upcoming summer blockbuster "The Dark Knight" you can celebrate your cinema comebacks. How important are these roles for you? After all you gain a foothold after such a long time.
Those roles are very important to me, as is my role in “The Butcher” and in “One Way” with Til Schweiger.
At the end of the Eighties you stepped into the martial arts film "Best of the Best". In the meantime this movie is a true genre classic with a big fan base. How difficult was the choreography for you? As far as I know you aren't a classic martial artist. What caused you to take this role and why was the sequel your last martial arts movie? Was there any particular reason why didn’t have any appereances in the part 3 and 4 of the saga? The genre still boomed. Besides you and Robert Radler worked together on "T.N.T". Was his participation a reason for you to play a supporting role?
I did do TNT because of Radler. Simon Rhee made me look like that martial artist I´m not. I simply was not available to do 3 & 4, thought I was glad to see those films do well.
One of your upcoming movies is the Turkish movie "Triad" with Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Mark Dacascos und Emanuel Bettencourt. What's your part in the story? Can you tell something about the movie? I assume with this cast martial arts will play a major part.
I don´t even remember doing this movie. Perhaps it had a different working title.
For once an uncomfortable question. In contradistinction to your unique classics you also showed up in below average movies. How do you deal with these movies also with regard to your disappointed fans? Did you ever regret a movie?
Sure I do. But it´s very difficult to predict what is going to turn out to be a quality movie.
You also appeared in a lot of different music clips in the last few years. Did you make these appearances for fun and friendships or are there further reasons?
Mostly friendship. And I´ve entered the music world since my stepson got a recording contract. I wanted to introduce myself to a younger audience.
With such an enormous output every year you must be very busy all the time. How do you manage it to reconcile your private life with your career?
I love working, and I meet friend on jobs, and I have a chance to read my book, visit with my wife, who´s usually on location with me.
After such a long time as an actor have you ever thought about an own movie as a director and screenwriter? I'm pretty sure your long time in the business has generated a lot of ideas.
I´m one of the rare actors who is not interested in anything but acting.
The last words are yours. Some space for whatever you want to say to the visitors out there.
Please look on ericrobertsactor.com, in the notes & quotes section. And look at naturalchild.org and keatonsimons.com
Those are the things that are important to me.
Peace, and thanks for your interest!
Eric
In the last years you were open-minded about allmost every genre. But with Merle Hench it seems you have found a character you can really identify with. Your unleashed performance leads the movie to what it is. What was so special about Merle? What attracted you on this production?
Mostly I knew I wanted to work with the director, Jesse. I wanted to help him realize his version.
After over 30 years in the film business you have worked with old school filmmakers like Stuart Rosenberg, Andrei Konchalovsky or the action legends Robert Radler, Sam Firstenberg and Corey Yuen. Where are the significant differences betweem working with them and a highly skilled shooting star with fresh ideas like Jesse V. Johnson?
Actually they share a lot of similarities. Jesse really know who to think like an actor and how to guide the process in a compelling and fun way.
Apropos Andrei Konchalovsky. The icecold thriller "Runaway Train" was your final breakthrough in 1985. You got an Oscar nomination for the outstanding performance as Buck. At that point you were still a newcomer. How was the chemistry between Jon Voight and you on set?
Jon is a complex man. We respected each other, and we went out of our way to be sensitive to each other. We knew we were creating an important collaboration.
How difficult was it to shoot in Montana and Alaska with Andrei Konchalovsky?
Alaska was far too cold for my taste. I´d like to live in Montana.
Over 10 years later you have worked with him again on "The Odyssey". Was that a coincidence?
Pure coincidence, but we´d both wanted to work together again.
Since the series "Less Than Perfect" the audience discovers your humorous talent. You also had funny cameos in movies like "The Cable Guy" or "Witless Protection". In former times your appearances in comedies were rare. Do you think this new side of you helped to relativize your bad guy image?
Doing comedy has been very important for exactly that reason, and I hope to do lots more. Even Batman and my videos a humorous side. Keaton Simons, my stepson, just finished his video for “Nobody Knows”, which is available on iTunes. He had Ivana Milicevic, Tom Green and KG from Tenacious D in the video. They are all funny. Making people laugh is power.
With "DOA: Dead or Alive" and the upcoming summer blockbuster "The Dark Knight" you can celebrate your cinema comebacks. How important are these roles for you? After all you gain a foothold after such a long time.
Those roles are very important to me, as is my role in “The Butcher” and in “One Way” with Til Schweiger.
At the end of the Eighties you stepped into the martial arts film "Best of the Best". In the meantime this movie is a true genre classic with a big fan base. How difficult was the choreography for you? As far as I know you aren't a classic martial artist. What caused you to take this role and why was the sequel your last martial arts movie? Was there any particular reason why didn’t have any appereances in the part 3 and 4 of the saga? The genre still boomed. Besides you and Robert Radler worked together on "T.N.T". Was his participation a reason for you to play a supporting role?
I did do TNT because of Radler. Simon Rhee made me look like that martial artist I´m not. I simply was not available to do 3 & 4, thought I was glad to see those films do well.
One of your upcoming movies is the Turkish movie "Triad" with Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Mark Dacascos und Emanuel Bettencourt. What's your part in the story? Can you tell something about the movie? I assume with this cast martial arts will play a major part.
I don´t even remember doing this movie. Perhaps it had a different working title.
For once an uncomfortable question. In contradistinction to your unique classics you also showed up in below average movies. How do you deal with these movies also with regard to your disappointed fans? Did you ever regret a movie?
Sure I do. But it´s very difficult to predict what is going to turn out to be a quality movie.
You also appeared in a lot of different music clips in the last few years. Did you make these appearances for fun and friendships or are there further reasons?
Mostly friendship. And I´ve entered the music world since my stepson got a recording contract. I wanted to introduce myself to a younger audience.
With such an enormous output every year you must be very busy all the time. How do you manage it to reconcile your private life with your career?
I love working, and I meet friend on jobs, and I have a chance to read my book, visit with my wife, who´s usually on location with me.
After such a long time as an actor have you ever thought about an own movie as a director and screenwriter? I'm pretty sure your long time in the business has generated a lot of ideas.
I´m one of the rare actors who is not interested in anything but acting.
The last words are yours. Some space for whatever you want to say to the visitors out there.
Please look on ericrobertsactor.com, in the notes & quotes section. And look at naturalchild.org and keatonsimons.com
Those are the things that are important to me.
Peace, and thanks for your interest!
Eric
