Interview3

Latino Review: JUDE LAW

Jude Law has four films coming out this fall. Three of them (Alfie, The Aviator, & Closer) have Oscar buzz, so I had to ask him about the possibility of winning a small golden statue of a naked man. Jude gave the stock answer about not being motivated by the Oscar. For once I want to hear an actor admit they want it bad and have secretly been practicing their acceptance speeches in the mirror. It was surprising to learn how small his part is in The Aviator. Jude plans on producing a remake of Sleuth, starring Michael Caine in the Laurence Olivier role. His next acting job will be alongside Sean Penn in Steven Zaillian’s remake of All The King’s Men.

I’m curious about your upcoming slate of films, you’ve got the Alfie remake, Closer, which is supposedly testing very well, then you’re playing Errol Flynn in The Aviator. They’re all heavy dramas. I don’t know if you have any say as to when your films are released. Are you hoping for an Oscar nomination? Does that factor in choosing a script?

Jude: No, it really doesn’t. First of all, Flynn is a blink and you’ll miss him. I don’t even know if he’s in the film. He’s only got one scene. Alfie has a lot more humor than Closer. They kind of bookend each other, there both films about relationships and sexuality, the sexual terrain of the modern world. I’ve said before, you can’t take films hoping to get a nomination. You have to take films because you feel challenged by them or because you want to work with the director or learn from the director.

Did all of these films have a set release date when you completed them?

Jude: There was never a set release date for any of them. Three or four of them were really low budget. They were just scrambling to get made, to be honest. Well, not quite that state, but it was more of a hand to mouth existence rather than we have to get this done for summer 2005. It’s just my luck.

You’re a big comic book fan and collector. Might you actually do Watchmen?

Jude: I haven’t been asked, but I’m a huge fan of Watchman.

Who would you play?

Jude: I dream of playing Rorschach, but I’m not quite right for him.

Would you actively campaign for a part? Have your people call their people?

Jude: (Laughs) I’m not going to go there, but probably.

Sky Captain was the first film produced under your new company. What else have you got lined up?

[Note: Something is missing here, because Jude starts off by talking about "It"--i.e., Natural Nylon--even though the question refers only to his new production company. I'm guessing that Latino Review didn't list the full lead in to the reporter's question.]

Jude: It was a collective of friends that because of their workload, was kind of slowing each other down. We decided that rather than lose our friendships; we sort of lost the company and splintered into our own individual groups. I’m doing things on my own. This [Sky Captain] was the first thing that came out of it, along with John Avnet’s Brooklyn Films. I’m developing a film, with Harold Pinter writing, which is a remake of Sleuth, where Michael Caine will play the Laurence Olivier role. I have also been developing, for about eight years, a project from Brian Epstein, which I’m still slowly working on.

You’re doing All The King’s Men with Sean Penn and Steven Zaillian, the remake about Willie Stark. Is that going forward or is it still in pre-production?

Jude: We start shooting in November. It’s a great movie.

http://www.latinoreview.com/interviews/paltrow-lawonprojects.htm l