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Choosing to playing this guy who’s out in the middle of the forest all alone and not super fit, was that intentional as a way of separating yourself from Bond?
“No, it’s just James Bond was just a job in life that I got as an actor, and Seraphim is just another job, just another acting role. That’s all it is, really. It’s as simple as that. It’s as simple and as complicated as that. Because you know, growing the beard, I grew the beard for the specific reason that if I played the role like this, the physiognomy which is just kind of like I said, he’s a field agent in many ways – he gets himself out of situation with a knife and because his mind-set is so sharp. It’s like a James Bond character and I didn’t want the confusion. I wanted the character there as a piece of the period. And if you look in your history books, you’ll see men with facial hair. But you know, that chapter is past, over. But forever I will be a Bond, one of them. James Bond, one way or the other.”
Was it a relief to lose the beard when you were done filming?
“It was relief for my wife! I kind of rather liked it; I thought it gave me a certain gravitas. Though I looked like a goat. I remember I was talking to Liam Neeson and I said, ‘I’ve grown a beard, actually, and it’s grey. It’s snow white.’ And he said, ‘No, no, no, no. I’m not going there.’ I said, ‘Well, it’s too late for me; I’ve already been papped by the paparazzi so there you go.’”
In one of your next films, Butterfly on a Wheel with Gerard Butler and Maria Bello, you get to play the villain. Did you enjoy that?
“You have to see the film and I think we’re premature in talking about it. There’s life after Bond, you know? It’s like so crazy. The people… I mean if I believed everything I read, I wouldn’t make a move. I wouldn’t do anything. But no, this film coming out, Butterfly, is a picture that we made - Irish DreamTime. It was a challenge. It takes place in a day. I’ve seen it and I’m happy with it, as happy as one can be. And the other one is Marriage. It’s now called Married Life, with Chris Cooper and Rachel McAdams, and Patricia Clarkson. A beautiful piece, a really lovely piece. I’m very proud of it.”
Maria Bello had a lot of positive things to say about your performance in Butterfly on a Wheel.
“Oh, well that’s very nice. Making movies yourself is always [tough]. You read it and you say, ‘All right, let’s go. Let’s do it,’ and then a month later I’m kind of second-guessing myself and trying to dig myself out of a commitment and I’m back up there. It’s been like that way always with producing, because you’re the one who said yes to it. Then you’ve suddenly had wonderful actors and a wonderful d.p., wonderful sound person, costume person, and you’re going, ‘Oh God, is this going to work?’ That one was really one where you want to be ahead of the audience the whole time with these kind of thrillers. We’ll see… We’ll see…”
Speaking of other projects, what did you think about Daniel Craig in Casino Royale?
“Haven’t seen him. Haven’t seen him. I’ve been living down in Hawaii. I’ve been off the grid for the last six months. But I’m very happy for him. He came in for a lot of flak and I thought a lot of unnecessary flak. He’s a superb actor and so all glory to him. Great!”
