Adrien Brody and Walter Goggins Predators Press Conference
Was there a moment that was particularly challenging during filming?Walter Goggins: "I don’t know that there wasn’t a day that wasn’t challenging. Honestly. I mean, the movie started off in Hawaii and it was, you know, 95 degrees and 89% humidity, so we were all soaking wet for most of the day. Where we were filming, I think the biggest predators that aren’t seen in this movie are the mosquitoes."
Adrien Brody: "Yes."
Walter Goggins: "Which were enormous. And you can’t really sit down. Everybody is uncomfortable. It is very hard to work in a situation like that. And not just for the actors, but for the crew. It is very difficult to set shots up. Then we left Hawaii and went back to Austin where it was warm for two days and then it dropped down into the 40s, to the 30s, and to the 20s, but you have to match the movie so we were soaking wet. We would get sprayed down before every take when it is 20 degrees outside. It was very physically challenging, I think, for all of us. Adrien had it the worst."
"Yeah, every day was tough. I will say that there was one day, speaking of what you just said about reading the script and looking at jumping over waterfalls, there was one day where that actually crystallized for all of us at the same moment and we were looking at the stuntmen doing high falls – like an 80 foot fall off of a waterfall – and we had the opportunity to just jump in the water and come up out of the water as if we just made the fall. And when we looked at each other we said, 'This is really happening. We are really characters in a Predator sequel.' We all hugged and jumped up and down and were screaming. It was a very unique experience as an actor to experience that with people who were in your foxhole."
Were there any scenes you shot that might end up on the DVD release of the film? Also, is there any possibility of a sequel?
Adrien Brody: "Well, you know, I think a lot of that is determined by the success of the film and I don’t think that far ahead. I think the idea of reprising a role and going further into that character sounds interesting to me and isn’t something I’ve had the opportunity to do. It would be exciting to watch a character progress or deteriorate. That’s exciting for an actor, and I thoroughly enjoyed playing Royce. Again, part of the attraction is I’m often drawn to material that affects me on an emotional level and the characters are dealing with things that are challenging and that I would question and things that I’m not necessarily familiar with. What I loved about Royce was that he had this emotional hardness that most of the characters that I’ve played don’t come close to possessing, and that’s an interesting state of mind to cultivate and stay in."
"As for deleted scenes, it is hard. I’m sure there is stuff that didn’t end up in the film. I’m sure there will be things. I’ve seen it once and I was kind of awestruck at both loving the film and simultaneously being so proud to be in it. I was so excited. It brought me back to being a child and watching Predator and being like, 'I love this f--king movie.' Then, 'That’s me! In it!' It was so, so exciting. It was a gift when I saw it, so I wasn’t dissecting it. I was looking for where we might screw up, but I didn’t dissect it."
Walter Goggins: "You know there are casualties, scene casualties, in kind of everything that you do and things that you were pretty proud of on the day, and you may have seen a cut version of it that don’t make the film, but will be on the DVD. I think that was kind of across the board, scenes here and there. There was one scene for Stans that I was really disappointed that didn’t make it, but I understand why. It will make the DVD. It was a scene where Stans goes up to Alice Braga’s character and it’s very funny and kind of like heartwarming, and it just basically makes a pitch that, 'We’re going to die, I know we’re going to die, and I haven’t had sex with a girl in a long time. Please, can I at least just kiss you?' You know, and she just shuts him down and walks away. But, it was very funny."
Adrien Brody: "But it was not as polite as he is saying. Believe me."
Sometimes there can be a very fine line between action hero and camp and you have spoken a lot about characters that have a lot of emotional resonance. At any point, did you want to push it into the camp?
Adrien Brody: "Of course! It’s tempting under the circumstances. You have to really have a lot of self-control. Always, always as an actor you have to rein it in because sometimes, you know, even having a sense of humor about certain things can distract you from having a cleaner, purer character. Obviously, certain films require it and are fun. I did a very broad comedy called High School where I played this Francis Ford Coppola of the weed growing industry. That character is as broad as it gets. Again, I felt that it was important that that character be intimidating, as well, even though it was very comical."
"It is a fine line. You have opportunities with certain lines that, you know, you have to be playful with, but for the most part you need to rein it in and be sincere. You can’t be an external thing or else it feels like an external thing, unless that’s the whole tone of something you are doing, but that hasn’t appealed to me just yet. I haven’t found a role that spoke to me like that."
"Again, I think I explained at length what was important for me and also I want to create a character that young people today can relate to, that they can believe in, that’s not superficial and not a superhero, but someone who is flawed and tragic. This is a man who has suffered tremendous loss both of his own soul and of people who were dear to him in the path to get to where he is. Being a survivor is a very lonely, very isolated place to be. He has lost most of his humanity, but a little remains. For me to squander it by kind of goofing off would be a waste. That’s why I said earlier this means too much to me to kind of play with it. I take that responsibility and I take that very personally. Again, I feel it’s important for me to deliver that to the audience and for them to have that when they go see a film."
Walter Goggins: "I think it is also a testament to you as an actor. I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of my heroes and I see the way they approach the work, and comedy is serious business, and drama is serious business. Whenever you are on location working, or whether you are at home working, you are there to do a job and that requires an extraordinary amount of focus. If you don’t take it serious, go home because there are a lot of other people standing in line that can probably do just as good a job."
You know Arnold Schwarzenegger loved saying, “Hasta la vista, baby.” You know he did.
Walter Goggins: "Yeah. Absolutely."
Adrien Brody: "It’s a tonal thing. I think this is a darker storyline. Like I said, there is room to keep things entertaining and there is room for moments of lightness and playfulness with the work. But again, the general theme here is to be rooted in reality and create a sense of constant threat level and constant looming over all of us. I think, you know, it’s not meant to be that."
Walter Goggins: "But there are many one-liners in this movie, as well. Stan’s line, 'Die you space faggot.' You gotta say that and sell it! And, yeah, I had a great time saying it! [Laughing] I had a great time saying, 'Your ass is awesome.' Great time saying, 'I can’t wait to get home and do a bunch of cocaine.' But, tonally, it kind of fits in the story and you kind of pick your places, and hopefully you don’t wink at the audience unless that’s what’s required."
One of the many things that stands out about this movie is all the blood, sweat, and grime. It is something you don’t see anymore in big, summer movies, like back in the '80s. Can you talk about how grimy and sweaty you got?
Adrien Brody: "He got pretty grimy. There were bugs. I would stay away from him because there would be swarms of insects coming to the stage blood. That blood is sugar-based and he was covered in it."
Walter Goggins: "Stans gets his ass kicked by pretty much everything on the planet. Look, you’re actors getting the opportunity to be on an alien planet and get chased by Predators. What greater situation can an actor find himself in? So yeah, I think there was a lot of joy in, 'Let’s bring it on!' This isn’t about looking pretty, you know? 'Let’s get chased!' I think we reveled in it. I think we – I did – I took a lot of enjoyment out of it."
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Predators hits theaters on July 9, 2010.
