B.L. Your character Jack is pretty laid back but
has some interesting qualities. What did you like about him or
the script to make you jump on board?
O.W. I think one of the things that made me want to play this guy
was the chance to work with Morgan Freeman, and then also I have
to be honest and say the idea of filming in Hawaii sounded like
a nice thing especially after I had been in Czechoslovakia for what
seemed like a couple of years.
B.L. We have seen so many of Elmore Leonard's books turned
into movies; what do you think it is about the characters he writes
that makes them such good fodder for films?
O.W. I think the reason why so many of his books get made into
movies is that he creates these good stories but there is also
an element of humor in it. The characters that he creates are
real, the way they talk, and he's able to capture the flavor
for where his books are set. With Get Shorty you get the
feel of that kind of low-level Hollywood sleaziness, but also
the charm is felt as well.
B.L. Wonderful ensemble cast in The Big Bounce, but I especially
liked the scene where you got to go head to head with Charlie
Sheen. Was it fun?
O.W. Yeah! Charlie was fun to work with. I grew up with... well
not really, that makes it seem like Charlie is so much older and
he's only a couple of years older than me. But it just seems
like ever since I have been going to movies from high school on,
like seeing him in Platoon, it's been great seeing
him in stuff. So the chance to work with him was exciting.
B.L. Plus working with Morgan Freeman. This guy seems like a
mentor on screen, was he like that off screen as well?
O.W. It's funny, but I would say that Morgan Freeman is one
of those guys like Gene Hackman that has an instant believability
with whatever they do. I know that Morgan played God in a movie
and he played the President and it just seems like typecasting because
you kind of hope that is what God would be like, like Morgan Freeman.
There is sort of a real dignity to him in all the roles that he
plays.
B.L. There's a great scene in the film where you are sitting
there playing dominoes with Morgan Freeman, Harry Dean Stanton
and Willie Nelson. Wow, that must have been very cool.
O.W. That was fun and I had become friends with Harry Dean Stanton
at that point so we were kind of messing around during the scene
and laughing a lot. Also, being from Texas, to just sit there and
to have Willie Nelson there singing…that was incredible.
B.L. There's a new young actress in the movie, Sara Foster,
who gives you a run for your money. She's quite beautiful;
it must have been hard keeping your eyes off of her. How was she
to act opposite?
O.W. It was nice to work with Sara. She was like you say, very
easy on the eyes and that was important for this character because
you have to believe that, or I had to believe that I could get my
head turned by her and you certainly can.
B.L. I know that you have a whole bunch of films coming out
over the next year or so, but at this point in your career is
there something specific that you are looking for?
O.W. Well, I haven't written anything in a while and usually
the movies that I end up acting in I do some writing or improvising.
But there are some stories that I would really like to try and write
and maybe act in also.
B.L. Did you actually take surfing lessons for The Big Bounce?
O.W. Yeah, and at first I was down at Manhattan Beach in California
and I was like, “there is really nothing to it. Everyone talks
about how hard surfing is, for me maybe I'm just a natural.”
Then I get to Hawaii and it was a whole different story. There were
a couple times over there that I just decided “you know, maybe
it's better to let the double do some of the surfing.”
B.L. You are in almost every single scene in The Big Bounce.
Is it at all daunting for you to be the guy who is carrying the
movie?
O.W. You don't really think about that so much when you
are acting in the film. You just really notice that every day
you are on the call sheet and you are working, and you think that
it would be nice to have a day off. But, then maybe when the movie
comes out and stuff you become more aware of that.
B.L. One of your upcoming films is Starsky & Hutch,
which reunites you with Ben Stiller. You must have had a blast
making it and I was wondering if you can tell me what we are in
store for?
O.W. Well, I have worked with Ben before so we are very comfortable
with each other. I think Starsky & Hutch is going to be really
good. I haven't seen it yet because I don't like to
see the stuff that I am in but it was great working with Snoop
Dogg as Huggy Bear and Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell and Juliette
Lewis. I think one of the best things that we did is that it is
set in the Seventies so you're not going to see a lot of
incredible special effects; we decided to go the other way. It
kind of has a Rockford Files feel to it. There are plenty of Starsky
& Hutch-type car chases so it was great to film.
