We finally get to the David Cronenberg section of The Life Aquatic coverage. Willem Dafoe worked with Mr. Cronenberg on the film eXistenZ and delivered a creepy performance. Creepy performances in films like Shadow of the Vampire, Auto Focus and Wild at Heart seem to be Dafoes stock in trade but for Wes Andersons The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou he trades all that in to play Klaus the goofily tragic first mate aboard Zissous ship.
Check out the website for The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Daniel Robert Epstein: You havent done much comedy before on film.
Willem Dafoe: I know. I always thought I was funny. Though this character is not just comedy. Hes sweet and even though hes a bully you feel protective of him. People arent used to feeling protective of characters like that.
DRE: Do you think there will be resistance from people seeing you in a comedic role?
WD: I think people have short memories and I hope their minds are flexible. Its my job to fool people into seeing me in another way.
DRE: Is your German accent real or is it more of a cartoon?
WD: Its one of those invented things. I spend a lot of time in Germany so its in my head. I didnt feel the need to go to a dialogue coach and be very strict with it because thats not in the spirit of how it should be approached. My take was that it should be played with and invented. Its my idea of a Germanish accent.
DRE: Your wardrobe is also very distinctive.
WD: Its great. Some people joke that you see what your wardrobe is and if it is very beautiful it could help determine your character. It guides you and is part of a mask. When they showed me these very short powder blue shorts, powder blue turtleneck and a red hat, that lets you know you arent doing Ibsen.
DRE: Klaus feels left out of the bond between Steve Zissou and Ned Plimpton. Have you ever felt left out of a group?
WD: Im sure, havent we all?
DRE: When did you first meet Bill Murray?
WD: I met him on the set of this movie. We both live in New York but Ive never had the occasion to meet him before. But now I love him. I think hes great in this movie. Many people talk about how he is a great comic actor which is true but hes also a great dramatic actor. Life Aquatic is a world that goes even deeper than something like Lost in Translation. I think one shouldnt be fooled by the movies deadpan quality because its not glib. There are moments in the movie where it gets very close to Bill and its very vulnerable.
DRE: How was it playing such a broad character against everyone elses deadpan character?
WD: Were all finding out what our jobs are. Im just playing the scenes so you just try to be in the world.
DRE: I know you only had a small role in Martin Scorseses The Aviator but how was it working with Scorsese again?
WD: Ive worked with him in a much more substantial way earlier. He asked me to do this thing for only half a day. I like Leonardo DiCaprio and I always have. I think I may have even agreed to do it without looking at the pages. Its a nice short concise scene that was kind of a no-brainer. It was fun seeing Mary surrounded by all these young people. It made me feel a little old because I remember when I was one of those young people.
DRE: Last time we spoke you said you hadnt seen The Passion of the Christ.
WD: I still havent seen it. I did get the screener so maybe I will and I wont have to pay for it and contribute.
DRE: The Aviator recreates a part of Hollywood history. If someone did a movie about the making of Platoon who would you want to play you?
WD: Slap some makeup on me and Ill do it. It wasnt that long ago.
DRE: What are your favorite films from this year?
WD: I have to be a bit esoteric. I have a girlfriend thats Italian and shes started showing me a lot of films I didnt know about. Ones by this Portuguese filmmaker named Montero. I love his stuff.
DRE: Have you seen the documentary Overnight about Troy Duffy who directed Boondock Saints?
WD: No I havent but I want to because it got incredible reviews. I have a little beef with it. Im not here to protect Troy though I was happy to make a movie with him. They give the impression that Boondock Saints was a huge failure and thats simply not true. Its one of these movies that got sold to DVD because the producer was an ambulance chaser and didnt want to risk a theatrical release. I cant tell you how many young men come up to me about it. Its got cult status. I think its unfair to brand it as a failure and put the nail in Troys coffin. Also the directors were on the set and they must have interviewed me for seven hours during that shoot. I was conscientious telling them what I thought of the film and Troy. Then in their film my involvement is reduced to them asking me the question What do you think of Troy Duffy? Then they cut to me laughing. Its bullshit. These guys may have made a beautiful documentary but as far as the morality of it, its a little stinky.
DRE: Troys morality may be stinky as well.
WD: I know Troy and Im sure hes capable of bad behavior. But to leave out the good behavior causes an unbalanced picture. This was their point of view and they had a beef.
DRE: Do you think Troy is any different from directors who have had success in terms of bad behavior?
WD: Thats a very good question [laughs].
DRE: How was it working with David Cronenberg on eXistenZ and would you do it again?
WD: Of course, I like him a lot. It was a brief part.
DRE: But a key one.
Whats it like having children as fans now?
WD: Its a change. Until Spider-Man there wasnt a movie that kids could or should see. Kids are pretty cool but the only thing weird about it is that parents will sic their kids on you. Kids can just wave to the Green Goblin but the parents will pressure them to come over to me.
DRE: What are you working on?
WD: Nothing at the moment. I just finished xXx2 where I play the secretary of defense. I like [director] Lee Tamahori a lot so he was good to work with.
Ive also written a screenplay so thats my new thing. Its for me to perform in but not direct. I know who the director will be but its too early to talk about.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out the website for The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Daniel Robert Epstein: You havent done much comedy before on film.
Willem Dafoe: I know. I always thought I was funny. Though this character is not just comedy. Hes sweet and even though hes a bully you feel protective of him. People arent used to feeling protective of characters like that.
DRE: Do you think there will be resistance from people seeing you in a comedic role?
WD: I think people have short memories and I hope their minds are flexible. Its my job to fool people into seeing me in another way.
DRE: Is your German accent real or is it more of a cartoon?
WD: Its one of those invented things. I spend a lot of time in Germany so its in my head. I didnt feel the need to go to a dialogue coach and be very strict with it because thats not in the spirit of how it should be approached. My take was that it should be played with and invented. Its my idea of a Germanish accent.
DRE: Your wardrobe is also very distinctive.
WD: Its great. Some people joke that you see what your wardrobe is and if it is very beautiful it could help determine your character. It guides you and is part of a mask. When they showed me these very short powder blue shorts, powder blue turtleneck and a red hat, that lets you know you arent doing Ibsen.
DRE: Klaus feels left out of the bond between Steve Zissou and Ned Plimpton. Have you ever felt left out of a group?
WD: Im sure, havent we all?
DRE: When did you first meet Bill Murray?
WD: I met him on the set of this movie. We both live in New York but Ive never had the occasion to meet him before. But now I love him. I think hes great in this movie. Many people talk about how he is a great comic actor which is true but hes also a great dramatic actor. Life Aquatic is a world that goes even deeper than something like Lost in Translation. I think one shouldnt be fooled by the movies deadpan quality because its not glib. There are moments in the movie where it gets very close to Bill and its very vulnerable.
DRE: How was it playing such a broad character against everyone elses deadpan character?
WD: Were all finding out what our jobs are. Im just playing the scenes so you just try to be in the world.
DRE: I know you only had a small role in Martin Scorseses The Aviator but how was it working with Scorsese again?
WD: Ive worked with him in a much more substantial way earlier. He asked me to do this thing for only half a day. I like Leonardo DiCaprio and I always have. I think I may have even agreed to do it without looking at the pages. Its a nice short concise scene that was kind of a no-brainer. It was fun seeing Mary surrounded by all these young people. It made me feel a little old because I remember when I was one of those young people.
DRE: Last time we spoke you said you hadnt seen The Passion of the Christ.
WD: I still havent seen it. I did get the screener so maybe I will and I wont have to pay for it and contribute.
DRE: The Aviator recreates a part of Hollywood history. If someone did a movie about the making of Platoon who would you want to play you?
WD: Slap some makeup on me and Ill do it. It wasnt that long ago.
DRE: What are your favorite films from this year?
WD: I have to be a bit esoteric. I have a girlfriend thats Italian and shes started showing me a lot of films I didnt know about. Ones by this Portuguese filmmaker named Montero. I love his stuff.
DRE: Have you seen the documentary Overnight about Troy Duffy who directed Boondock Saints?
WD: No I havent but I want to because it got incredible reviews. I have a little beef with it. Im not here to protect Troy though I was happy to make a movie with him. They give the impression that Boondock Saints was a huge failure and thats simply not true. Its one of these movies that got sold to DVD because the producer was an ambulance chaser and didnt want to risk a theatrical release. I cant tell you how many young men come up to me about it. Its got cult status. I think its unfair to brand it as a failure and put the nail in Troys coffin. Also the directors were on the set and they must have interviewed me for seven hours during that shoot. I was conscientious telling them what I thought of the film and Troy. Then in their film my involvement is reduced to them asking me the question What do you think of Troy Duffy? Then they cut to me laughing. Its bullshit. These guys may have made a beautiful documentary but as far as the morality of it, its a little stinky.
DRE: Troys morality may be stinky as well.
WD: I know Troy and Im sure hes capable of bad behavior. But to leave out the good behavior causes an unbalanced picture. This was their point of view and they had a beef.
DRE: Do you think Troy is any different from directors who have had success in terms of bad behavior?
WD: Thats a very good question [laughs].
DRE: How was it working with David Cronenberg on eXistenZ and would you do it again?
WD: Of course, I like him a lot. It was a brief part.
DRE: But a key one.
Whats it like having children as fans now?
WD: Its a change. Until Spider-Man there wasnt a movie that kids could or should see. Kids are pretty cool but the only thing weird about it is that parents will sic their kids on you. Kids can just wave to the Green Goblin but the parents will pressure them to come over to me.
DRE: What are you working on?
WD: Nothing at the moment. I just finished xXx2 where I play the secretary of defense. I like [director] Lee Tamahori a lot so he was good to work with.
Ive also written a screenplay so thats my new thing. Its for me to perform in but not direct. I know who the director will be but its too early to talk about.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 13 of 13 COMMENTS
i love him carnally.
can't wait to see this one.
pointing gun in hand