Celebrity Interview - Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
VOTED THE “SEXIEST MAN ALIVE” BY PEOPLE MAGAZINE IN 2001, PIERCE BROSNAN ONCE AGAIN HAS A LICENCE TO KILL, IN THE MATADOR. AMPARO DE LA GAMA CAUGHT UP WITH HIM DURING A EUROPEAN TOUR TO PROMOTE THE FILM. Pierce Brosnan is proud of his curriculum: fame, glory and money are not priorities. Best known as James Bond, Agent 007, he will soon be seen on Spanish movie screens in The Matador, portraying an American hit-man. Filmed in Mexico, the movie was produced by Brosnan’s Irish Dream Time company. Success has enabled him to become a Pygmalion in the country of his birth, and devote himself to what he most likes doing: producing films and enjoying family life in Malibu. Why does Ireland produce so many brilliant actors?Well, there is its history of legends. It’s a country of story-tellers. You know, mythology and all that. The Irish have been persecuted by the English throughout their history. The only thing that held them together, all they had left, were their legends. And just like a legend you are now rising as a Pygmalion for young film-makers to perpetuate these stories…I love that country and its people.
The aim of my production company, Irish Time Dream, is not only to produce films like The Matador or Evelyn but to also give an opportunity to those young film-makers who are starting out and working there, because I believe that there are very talented people who have many stories to tell the world. The Matador is a different comedy to what you have done until know. How did it feel being the producer and star of this independent film? One day I went to my office and my business partner was singing the praises of the script. So I decided it was worthwhile reading. At the beginning, I thought it was a crazy story without logic, and I didn’t understand where it was heading. But when I finished reading the script I understood what it was all about, so I started to read it all over again and decided we should produce it. You wouldn’t deny that The Matador, although a black comedy, also enshrines the redemption of humans... (Laughing) Nice way of describing it. I don’t know; Julian Noble is just an old and lonely hit-man who, while carrying out “a job” in Mexico City, makes friends with a couple who have financial and relationship problems. It’s true the story is about the life of this meticulous assassin who looks for redemption and the relationship he establishes with two of his victims. Did you have any doubts about your ability to perform such a comical role for the big screen?As a producer I thought everything was fantastic: the story, the director, the cast, etc. But one morning I woke up with a terrible crisis, because the truth is I didn’t know if I was capable enough of doing this role. I came to believe it was too much for me, that maybe I wouldn’t be able to do the part in a credible way. In the end I took the chance and did it. Now that I’ve seen the result, and I know all that I’ve learnt, I’m happy I made the decision, because I had become cornered with my choice of characters in recent years, and this role was completely unlike all the others. I decided to break the mould and start again, to prove I could do something different. Perhaps what you most liked about this character was the search for pure karma? There where several very humane aspects about Julian which made me identify with him. He has very psychotic moments, but at the end you realise that what he seeks in life is not far from what others want. He wants to find some peace and happiness in life. The truth is that Richard Shepard has a very special way of writing. However strange his characters may be, he writes about them from the heart, so you really can’t do anything other than love them. I loved the story as a reader. I also loved playing Julian, and as a spectator I love the film. What research did you have to do to play a hit-man like Julian Noble?I still don’t know how well I can perform as a psychopath like him. But I did all that I could to prepare well. I gave the script to a criminologist in the LA police department and she made an analysis about this psychopath. After that I combined the information she gave me with my tools as an actor, what my intuition told me, and the result is what we see on the screen. I was surprised to see a bullfight in the film. Have you ever seen a bullfight in your trips to Spain?No. And the truth is that I didn’t see one (during the filming). The scenes in the film with the bulls were shot before we arrived in Mexico City to film, because the bullfighting season in Mexico had already finished. We filmed with the bullring empty. There were extras where we were supposed to be sitting, but no action in the arena. Later on, during the editing process, the real bullfighting scenes were mixed with our performances. How was the experience of shooting in Mexico?The Mexican production team we worked with treated us fantastically well; everybody welcomed us. We held a press conference to say why we were there and from then on they let us work without any problems; it was wonderful. It was amazing to see the commitment and passion within the production team, working without any rest.
These last few years have been chaotic for Hollywood, the great Mecca of film…Well yes, I think it’s due to a lack of imagination on the part of studios. It’s not cheap to go to the cinema and if people are going to pay to watch a film they want to see something that is worthwhile. As an actor the panorama isn’t so bad because you have the opportunity to do independent films, like this one. And apparently the audience is responding well; independent cinema has gained a lot of ground in recent years. In the last interview we did for Evelyn you told me that, “One has to do a lot of James Bond to be able to do what one really likes to do.” Is that why you decided to create your own production company?Yes, and also because the film industry in my country isn’t all that good; the economy isn’t exactly thriving. With this company we have produced five films, and three of them have been shot in Ireland. We created the company with the idea of going back to work there every time we had the opportunity, and as an actor it’s a very attractive idea for me to be able to portray different characters. We also want to find interesting projects with new directors, like with Richard Shepard and this film. Although you were born in Ireland, your wife and (two youngest) children are American, and you have lived in Malibu for many years. Is Hollywood not what it used to be?Indeed. Although I was born in Ireland I feel I belong to the American community which I live in. I love America and I love my wife deeply. She is my principal inspiration and my passion in life. I live in Malibu, a little bit isolated from other actors. For quite some time now, I have been praying every night for peace. We need more faith now than ever. Only prayers and protest actions will make the world change.
Is it time for social films rather than just mere entertainment?There is a lot of rubbish out there, just trying to earn money. We need to have more respect for the audience; they feel more identified with other intelligent human beings. You always talk about your profession with great passion, which makes us mere mortals quite envious…Some days (laughing). Depends on which side of the bed I wake up. But I enjoy being other people. Yes, I am very lucky to be doing things which I believe in and also enjoy doing. Looking back now after the Daniel Craig controversy - the new James Bond, who you have supported as a colleague - what has Bond provided you with besides fame, money and (the opportunity of taking roles in) quality films? The yearning, the hunger as an actor. The possibility of knowing myself better through new characters. Bond allows me to fly first class, pay the rent and wear nice clothes. Success is wonderful but it feeds indulgence. You are so Irish you even have a son named Dylan Thomas…Call it coincidence, destiny or whatever. My wife, Keely and I wanted to name him Dylan. Then it turned out that my father, whom I hardly knew, was called Thomas. And it’s also Keely’s father’s name. So we both liked Dylan and we also wanted to name him Thomas. At home we call him D.T. What are your aims as a father?I only want my sons to know that they can rely on me, because I couldn’t count on my father. And if I can’t be physically with them I at least leave them text messages or send them letters. I want them to know me and receive my love while they are still small, and for them to learn the real meaning of love. Pierce Brosnan’s setbacks in life… have they made him appreciate things more?I don’t think I’ve had such a hard life. I’ve just simply had to confront some adversities, and have got by in life convincing myself that problems can be overcome by having faith in yourself, believing everything will turn out well. It seems like you are currently savouring one of the sweetest periods of your life…It’s certainly one of the most memorable ones. It has been a celebration of life in every sense of the word. One of my old teachers used to say, “Things don’t fall from the sky”, and so it is. Fortune smiles on those who work hard.
