The busiest actors in Hollywood are never the A-list stars — they’re the character actors, habitually turning in standout roles in ensemble casts. Clifton Collins Jr., who’s made a splash in films like Capote, Traffic, and Babel, is currently the best of the busiest: in the past year, he’s appeared in Sunshine Cleaning, Horsemen, Star Trek, Crank: High Voltage, and Extract…and you can soon see him in the long-awaited Boondock Saints 2 as well as Jim Sheridan’s Brothers. We had the chance to talk with Collins recently via e-mail, through which he ruminated about why most CGI movies fail, his mixed feelings on Horsemen, his audition for Boondock Saints 2, and having a crush on Natalie Portman.
Do you prefer playing more subtle dramatic roles, like in Sunshine Cleaning, or comedic roles, like in Extract?
It’s kind of like with anything, if you do too much of one thing, it’s easy to get a little stagnant, and bored. I love switching it up.
Being creative in a changing environment and genre is a great way to keep a creative range of motion exercised, and helps to not get in that Hollywood pigeonhole. Also, they both have their different creative rewards that are defined by the response that your character receives. In a comedy, obviously it’s the big laughs. In a more dramatic piece, it’s more of the “felt emotion” of the audience. When one achieves that, it’s a very good feeling, especially if you have a great director who’s really going to collaborate with the artist that he’s hired, unless of course he/she has intentionally hired an actor that’s more of a puppet, they generally respond better to “line readings”.
We heard that Troy Duffy wrote your role in Boondock Saints II specifically for you; did you know him before the shoot?
Yes, he did write the role for me. That’s NOT to say that because of this, the role was mine. It’s easy to assume this, but this is not the case. I went through the most intensive screen tests that I’ve ever had to go through in my 21 year career, not even 187, Traffic, nor Capote put me through this, no fault of Troy’s, it’s just the way it went down.
As someone with roles in a lot of smaller films, is it ever disheartening when they don’t get seen by many people, like this past year’s Horsemen? Would you rather take on more mainstream films like Star Trek, or are indies where all the good stories are?
Well certainly, indies have more often than not the best stories. There is no money for the writer’s creativity to be blocked, and by that, I mean it’s easy to get blinded or seduced by an opportunity to write big action sequences, explosions, CGI, etc. I believe this is why most young directors loose sight on their sophomore films. They get bigger budgets and all they see is action, action, action, and no content. It doesn’t cost anything to write something brilliant, and brilliant writing will get you brilliant actors, which together will capture your audiences hearts and souls, their laughter and their tears. I haven’t seen a CGI effect do that, nor an explosion.
But, in the case of a more mainstream film like Star Trek — well for starters, I’ll say one thing, JJ Abrams and the caring supportive producers that he surrounds himself with… He is masterful at balancing what I like to call the Trilogy of elements that make a great mainstream action film: Drama, Humor, and Action. Then of course, he hires great actors. He loves what he does, and that said, he loves movies and actors. Not all directors do.
A film like Horseman, I was at first a little hesitant at taking. Stingray is very much the guy who “tells” the audience what’s going on as most police dramas need this kind of character to keep the viewer in the loop. But, when your “info” character doesn’t have any real connection to any of the other characters or problems of his own, they end up being very one dimensional, and thereby also very forgettable (my biggest fear in going after roles and also in life). I did extensive research in hopes of making Stingray more dimensional and real.
Cops and detectives spend all day together counting on each other’s lives. They always share there problems and or talk about things other than work. This is what keeps you connected to one another and helps you to feel safe in trusting one another. This wasn’t a film where one could easily add these learned attributes, or collaborate with those that could make this happen. Believe me, I was on the phone with the writer who was for the most part agreeing and enjoying the collaboration. Still, one tries to do his best. But, at what point do you just give up?
Doing this film was an opportunity to work with the incredibly talented director, Jonas Akerlund, who I enjoyed working with immensely. This was his second film [Spun was the first], so really we both just leaned on each other when ever possible. Remember, just because you won the battle doesn’t mean that you’ve won the war. At some point you just stop fighting (attempted collaborations with powers that be) and sadly conform or be doomed and labeled a “difficult actor”, even though you come from a place of deep commitment to the role, lots of research and lots of love. [But] collaborating with Jonas is a blast, I really enjoyed working with him, and we did the best we could with what we had. He’s been a great mentor, he’s truly brilliant, just check out all his other works and you’ll see what I mean!!
What can you tell us about Brothers, working with Jim Sheridan and Tobey Maguire? A lot of people are looking at it as a movie that could get a few Oscar nominations.
Well, I certainly hope so! This film is very special to me for many reasons both professional and personal. What can I say about Mr. Sheridan?? Shit, he’s Jim fucking Sheridan. Really amazing and I have to confess that I was in awe of him. He works very differently. REALLY trusts his actors, and is an actor himself. It’s obvious when you sit
down and start throwing the ball with him, so to speak.
The subject matter of this piece is certainly something that all of America should pay attention too. Not to mention that aside, it is a truly an intense gripping story, maybe even “riveting”, I like that word critics always use it. :) I have to say when I got home, I sat down and watched In America with the director’s commentary, and my only regret in working with Mr. Sheridan is that I didn’t listen to the commentary prior to working with him, because although In America is a moving story, the commentary is just as moving if not more! It will bring you to tears to learn what Mr. Sheridan had to go through just to get here and survive. After listening to it, it was obvious why he couldn’t tell everything that happened, it’s just too much emotion for one film. It’s ALL undoubtedly very real which is why one feels for him, but life is stranger than fiction.
I only wish I listened to the commentary before so I could’ve worked him for info. I’m sure he was tired of my ass already as it was. I was asking: “Tell me about Danny Day [Lewis] in The Boxer, how was my pal Djimon [Hounsou] in In America, how did you do this shot in In the Name of the Father etc. etc.” Mind you, he always obliged me and for that, I say “Thank you Mr. Sheridan” but I must have gotten tiring. :) He was very patient.
Tobey is great, we’ve actually known each other for a while, but this was our first time working together. We have some pretty intense scenes. He was VERY committed to doing a great job, lots of prep, loosing weight etc. It’s an insane cast, and an absolute honor and privilege to be able to share the screen with SOO many talents. Jake [Gyllenhaal], the insanely talented Sam Shepard (I was just waiting for my chance to get at him, so many questions!). And of course the talented and super beautiful Natalie Portman. It was hard to not have a crush on her; she’s a very present and caring special lady!
You’ve directed a few music videos for the Zac Brown Band. Would you like to do more directing in the future? What’s your ideal career five years from now?
Yes sir! I’ve already directed a couple more since then, I really enjoy this process. It’s a completely different kind of collaboration. In this circumstance, one is trying to collaborate with something that has already been created.
By that, I mean attempting to create a vision that supports and compliments the artist’s song, its sentiment and the artist’s vision. It’s almost like a “post-collaboration” and then you have the collaboration with the actual artist depending on how involved they want to be. Then of course, you have notes and a creative collaboration (believe it or not) from the record label or the managers. This may sound bad, but its not. The managers I met with in Nashville are actually very creative, and put a lot of thought into their clients and the songs. I’ve actually enjoyed many of the conversations and ideas that they’ve come up with, they really care deeply, and it shows just in how they contribute, and how they do it. It’s not just a check for them, it’s also their friend. I was amazed and pleasantly surprised at the artistry that the managers demonstrated. It was very welcoming.
My latest video can be purchased on iTunes, and it’s for an independent Blues artist on the Ecclecto Groove/Delta records label; The Soul of John Black, and the song is titled “Betty Jean.” I can’t tell you how proud I am of this, with literally a shoestring budget, I was able to create this, and I mean we had like 5 Gs. I was still able to fly. You compromise financially and adapt, but still don’t lose sight of the creative outcome and vision. I borrowed so much for this one, from blaxploitation films like Superfly, Shaft, Cleopatra Jones, to shooting Hollywood landmarks like Le Dux, and the Nido the famous hotel in Billy Wilder’s Sunset Blvd. For this piece, I used Emmy
nominated Marc Carter (Deadliest Catch). He’s really collaborative, works fast, has plenty of ideas, and totally got the color themes that I was set on using for “Betty Jean,” and he’s a good friend too.
As for directing in the future, I will continue to do videos for those artists that continue to inspire me with their work. As far as the films go, I’m steadily plugging away at a thriller sci-fi called Polar, [which] shoots in Alaska, and a piece called The Pawn, which is based on a true story of a childhood friend of mine that became a shot caller in prison at a very young age. This is obviously very sensitive material, we all know what happened on American Me [three consultants on the film were killed by the Mexican mafia after its premiere], and for this I have special permission from what’s called the “higher ups” to tell the story. Basically, this will keep anybody from getting shot or killed in the making of this.
Also, the subject matter is very close to home. So my goal is for this to be a piece that every troubled youngster and/or anybody from the HOOD can relate to and be proud of, regardless of race related to it and say “That’s the real shit! That’s how it goes down. I know this ‘cause I’ve been there and maybe I should change my ways”. This piece is NOT intended to reveal GAME, but rather to share insight with those that haven’t quite made it past the point of no return and hopefully make a change.
Where do I see my career in five years? Well, I hope to still be working on it!
http://moviecultists.com/2009/09/30/clifton-collins-jr-exclusive-interview/
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