In this movie you play an aspiring writer who can name the source/author of the various literary quotes John Travolta’s character spouts. Did you brush up on any literature to prepare for this role?
I read “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” which has a lot of similarities, a lot of similar themes going on in the film. Yeah, I was reading a bunch of different stuff during the time to just help me get into the feel of this guy who just loves literature.
How about playing an alcoholic? Is there a point where you have to worry about going too much over the top?
Yeah, you know, there’s a fine line… I’m sure you’d find some great, great performances of people who are just completely over-the-top drunk and just slurring their words and the whole thing. And when they film it and if the writing is really good, it’s like, “Oh wow, I love seeing that,” because that does exist. But I wanted to make this character as more of a guy who is constantly drinking. Anything that has liquid in it that he’s putting into his body will have some alcohol in it, a percentage of alcohol. I really wanted the actual image of hand to glass, glass to mouth. You see that once and you hear people talk about him drinking too much [and] I think that tells the story, so I don’t think you need to overplay it. That’s what I tried to do is just undercut that. If you see me drinking enough in the film, you realize this guy has a problem.
Movieline gave you the Breakthrough Performance award for this piece. Did you feel like you were breaking through?
They gave it to me and I’m not giving it back. Yes. What was your question?
Did you feel like this is the role that’s going to put you out there?
You know what? Every time I get an opportunity to work I feel like it’s a big break. Hopefully it created success, and hopefully it means something in someone’s eyes. I guess people are responding to this film and to my performance. I feel really fortunate to be a part of it, to share the screen with John and Scarlett. When I got the award the other night, to look down the list and see some of my peers that I know and that I’ve seen their work and admired for many years. I was like, “Wow. Kerry Washington, Regina King, Zach Braff.” I mean, all these people that I feel [like], “Wow.” I’m honored to be on that list with them.
Would you say one of your biggest breaks came from playing a part in “Sex and the City?”
That was another break. I was in the second episode of that show. Actually I was in the first episode of the show, it was the first episode after the pilot. So nobody knew what it was going to be or how it was going to turn out. When you watch that episode, you’ll see that there’s narration. I don’t think they kept that going to the very end of the series. You’ve got to love that character who will only film models having sex. It was pretty hilarious. It was funny sort of look at some downtown artist who sort of got ahead of himself. But you know what? People don’t recognize me from that so I’m in the clear.
What’s next for you?
I just did a film in Latvia for the BBC starring Daniel Craig and I. It’s a film based on a novel written by Robert Harris called “Archangel” about a journal that is found written by the mistress of Joseph Stalin, back in the ‘50s. And there’s sort of a reemergence of the communist party now in Russia and trying to open up the secrets that are written about in this journal. Without giving it away, that’s basically the story.
Is it a true story and who do you play?
It’s not a true story but I do play a character that has similar qualities to [you guys in the press] in that I’m a satellite news service journalist trying to break this story. But this guy’s a little different from you guys, I think. He’s more manipulative and sinister. He’s more of a glory guy. He wants to be on camera and wants to be seen.
