DAVID MORRISSEY (Capt. Gunther Weber)
What was it like working with Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz?
I'd worked with Penelope before. I did a TV thing with her called "Framed" a long time ago, with Timothy Dalton. And Nic's just a fabulous actor. The only intimidating thing about Nic Cage is before you meet him - his body of work. I'm a great fan of his as an actor. The minute you actually meet him, he just becomes this actor who you are working with. He's a terribly generous guy as an actor. He knows the scenes well, he knows how they operate, and he gives the scenes to you if he feels that's your energy. He doesn't do any of those cliched "star" things. He's there for you all the time and I found him a great person to work with. I honestly couldn't speak more highly of Nic, I think he's a great actor to work with. He's a very brave actor and he takes a lot of brave choices. I think he's a great guy.
What is the key to finding success as an actor?
The main key for me is to always find the truth of the character, and to find where that is and stay with that. Choosing good scripts is handy. Also, just having a commitment to your work which is total in trying to find the truth of the character you are playing, and that will come through. I think the worst thing, actually, would be to start to see yourself as a personality, rather than an actor. Just stay true to yourself as an actor and choose characters that you want to explore. Hopefully, and then hopefully everything else will come. I think it's very wrong to think of yourself, "How will I become successful." You just want to think of yourself as, "How can I become better as an actor," - hopefully everything else will come with it.
What was the worst thing that happened while filming "Captain Corelli's Mandolin?"
The worst thing for me was the heat. I was around all these Italian guys who got to work with their shirts open, and I'm playing this Nazi officer who's buttoned up to the neck. I was just sweltering - so that was the worst thing, and that continued and continued and continued. It is the most beautiful place though, just a great place.
Were you a fan of the book, before this film?
I was a big fan of the book. The writer's a friend of mine and I think what Shawn Slovo has done with the screenplay is absolutely excellent.
The press wasn't kind to "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" in England. How does that make you feel coming to the U.S.?
No, they weren't. I'm a big supporter of the film. I think the film really works. Everyone I know who saw the film really enjoyed it, so coming here, I hope that people go beyond the snideness that I thought that the film got in England. I thought that alot of the reviews were written before they'd actually sat down (and saw the film) - that's what came across for me. I didn't think the reviews took the film terribly seriously, which I think there's a great story there to be told and we can do films like this. We're always crying out that we want to come here, and that we want to make big movies, and this is a big film. It's a wonderful film, a wonderful love story, beautifully told, beautifully photographed, and a wonderful director, and we have to support that as well in England.
