You seem unique in the film industry as someone who,
although successful and respected by millions of fans, always
seems to have his feet on the ground. How? (and have you ever
thrown a "star" tantrum?) Phil Askey
Well, I'll throw a
tanty, or, as they used to say in New Zealand, "spit the
dummy", if I think there's something to really protest, but
the trick is to try and head off the elements that would
create a tantrum. If there's a director you think is an idiot,
don't work with him! If the script is really a problem, say
no! That's the only way to make it work. You have to get a lot
of things clear ahead of time. I think that just comes with
knowing how a movie is made, which is why I recommend every
actor go to Filmmaker Bootcamp, so they know how the process
works. I think having done more things than just act has given
me a better view of the world.
What do you least like being asked? Daniel
Webb
Oh, you know, probably the "Evil Dead 4" sort of
stuff, but only because I've heard it so many times. I don't
take issue with that person asking it, because I can
understand their interest, but the last movie was 11 years
ago, so it's not like it's on a freight train to getting done.
And now that Sam Raimi is doing "Spider-Man 2", it's going to
be a while.
What are questions that you like to be asked, and could
you answer a couple of them? Haydar Talib
Oh, um, well
the funny thing is, most people never ask about my craft,
which I find fascinating. I had an interview one time, back in
1987, in a small cable show in Oklahoma city, and he was the
only guy who asked me things like, "How do you learn your
lines?" and "What time do you have to get up in the morning?"
and "How does it all work?" I fumbled through the interview
because I'd never answered the questions before. Most people
don't ask questions about an actor's craft, they'll ask, what
car does he drive, what's in his CD player? That sort of
thing.
Your book is called "If Chins Could Kill'. If you could
kill anyone with your chin (or at least wound them a bit) who
would it be and why? Dave Smith
I would kill anyone in
the film industry who is pretentious and I'd kill anyone in
the film industry who thumbs their nose at the B-movie
industry, because that's the farm team… You pick from the
B-movies and put them in the A-movies, that's how it works.
B-movie actors used to have long-term contracts because that's
how studios would test these stars out. So, A-movies can laugh
or thumb their noses at B-movies all they want, but that's
where everybody comes from - including James Cameron, who
directed "Piranha 2".
Are you happy being a cult film hero or would you have
preferred to have more mainstream success? Harmeet Bhandal
I'm pretty happy with this situation, because it allows me
to live in a different state, and live a quiet, pretty normal
life as a result, but I can still squeak a living out.