Fresh off his work in "Lord of the Rings," sexy Australian actor Wenham attracted director Sommers attention when he sent in an unusual audition tape in which he sported a bad haircut, had taped his ears to protude, and hunched up his neck. "When I got his audition tape, not only was his performance great, but his look was perfect — definitely not the ‘sexiest man’ look. He just really looked the part," laughs Sommers.
INTERVIEW WITH DAVID WENHAM ('Carl'):
Did you have any hesitation about joining a movie that might be a franchise, after doing “Lord of the Rings?”
(Laughing) No, none at all. I didn’t think about that at all.
So you play a friar yet you have a love scene in this movie?
I do, I think. Well it’s a very unlikely love scene really between a monk and a village lady in Transylvania. It’s a tender, humorous, touching moment – I hope.
But a monk with a love scene? That’s kind of different.
Yes, that’s Stephen’s warped sense of humor.
What’s the style of Stephen Sommers versus the style of Peter Jackson?
They are both totally different. They are sort of incomparable in a way. The only things they have in common are they are big films that deal with big, broad subject matters. But I find it hard to compare actually, because they are so different.
What makes these creatures like the Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s Monster, and Dracula still so compelling to film audiences after all these decades?
I suppose they are iconic, really. They are just so wonderfully drawn as characters. And you know, when a character is so beautifully drawn on so many levels, they live on and on and on. And you know a character’s good because of its longevity.
What is it like being the comic relief in a movie such as this?
Look, I found it a relief (laughing). I was looking for something to just have the opportunity to be slightly ridiculous with and this gave me the opportunity.
How do you do that without being campy?
Well that’s the trick, I suppose. It’s a fine line. It’s probably the hardest sort of character to play in these movies because the character has most of the plot to actually expose it to the audience, and you have to find moments for humor as well. It is a very fine line to tread.
How do you make a sidekick type character your own and not allow it to just fall into the background?
Well you just have to own it, I suppose. Own the character, which is difficult.
You’ve just finishing up such big movie projects, are you ready for something on a less grand scale?
I’ve done those as well, and in all honesty, people ask me the difference between the two and the only difference is one of them has more money. It’s exactly the same thing. It’s all about storytelling, it’s all about characters and how they tell their stories. Sure the catering is bigger, and there’s bigger bangs, and sometimes there’s more lights, but the storytelling is exactly the same. It’s the same sort of thing in terms of acting. It requires the same sort of skills. You don’t alter for a low-budget film or a big-budget film in terms of acting.
Is this really a ‘horror’ film?
(Laughing) I don’t know – I haven’t seen it.
But you’re in it.
Yes, yes. It’s a horror/action-adventure sliced in with a little bit of comedy. I don’t think it’s a horror film. It has horror elements. It’s an adventure film. It’s a Stephen Sommers horror movie, which is an adventure horror movie. It’s many bangs for your buck (laughing).
What should audiences expect?
I think, like any film, you should go in with no expectations and see what happens. I haven’t seen the film yet so I’m going to be totally surprised and amazed – and hopefully I will be.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
"Van Helsing" Premiere Interviews - Hugh Jackman & Director Stephen Sommers / Richard Roxburgh & Shuler Hensley / Elena Anaya, Josie Maran and Silvia Colloca
"Van Helsing" Premiere Photos
"Van Helsing" Trailer, Credits and Movie News
