Atlantica - 01.02.2006, Qupperneq 19

AT L A N T I CA 17
FW: There are many different ways to work on a character. Sometimes it’s really
organic. And I just float. I just go. In this case, it was the character’s dialect, and
the physicality, but there was also a certain control around the character that
shaped the way I worked and the way I played the part. Because the character
is always influencing me in some way. Because I’m trying to figure him out all
the time. It’s the last day, and I’m still trying to figure out if I did [a certain scene]
right.
EW: Your father sold insurance. Did that influence your decision to take on the
role?
FW: I talked to my father about the project. I interviewed him, really. I even taped
it, because I wanted to understand the logistics of insurance…. In my youth, he
went from door to door, collected money and formed relationships with all these
people. He became a person in the community that people depended on when
tragedy came. But the film’s not about insurance. Insurance is a way to bring my
character into the story and understand the different people [I encounter].
EW: You’ve acted in a wide range of films, from mainstream hits to indies like
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai and The Crying Game. How do you decide
whether or not to take on a project?
FW: I need to feel in my gut that it’s the right thing. That’s when I decide to go
forward with a project. It’s about whether I can connect with someone. I really
make my decision based on my feelings. If I sit with someone and can feel their
passion and clarity, something will tell me this is the right thing to do.
EW: The film is set in the American Midwest, but was filmed in Iceland. What
challenges did that present?
FW: The production design was exceptional. That’s part of why the images
work so well. Because I think it’s more of an interpretation of [America], the way
everyone imagines it to be. As a result, the film has a dream-like quality.
EW: You have said that a film is like a dream. Can you explain?
FW: When you see a great film, you don’t always remember everything. You
remember an image. Like when you wake up and have had a dream. You might
not remember the whole dream, but it’s encapsulated by one image, one
thought. For me, that’s usually an indication of a great film – it has a life that
enters your soul.
EW: Are there any dream-like moments in Little Trip?
FW: It’s really hard for me to judge on this one, because I feel like I’m just kind of
walking through. I’m not saying I’m not working. But it’s not the kind of dramatic
– it’s not like I’m throwing anyone around. I’m not screaming at anyone. I’m not
crying. It’s sort of like my character’s floating through. I just go in and I meet Josie
[Joanna Scanlan] at the bar, and she makes me dance. And I’m like, okay, I don’t
want to but I don’t want to hurt her feelings. So I dance. What harm can it do?
EW: It’s interesting that you just mentioned the scene when your character meets
Josie, the owner of the local bar and guesthouse. She’s a rather plump woman,
and she comes on to your character when the two of you are alone in the bar. You
end up dancing with her despite your initial reluctance. When you wrapped that
scene, the entire crew clapped. Why did the scene work so well?
FW: It’s so innocent. It’s just two people who are both alone in totally different
ways. They end up coming together for a moment to a song that we all remember
or we all believe we know...it’s magic.
EW: What do you most enjoy about acting?
FW: I like discovering new worlds, discovering new characters. Living a new life.
I like storytelling. I’m just a part of a story as an actor. It’s an interesting ritual. It’s
being part of the ritual. Everyone is when they watch the film. But I think [what]
propels me the most is the magic. I live for the magic of it all. a
Edward Weinman is a staff writer. He co-wrote A Little Trip to Heaven with director Baltasar
Kormákur. The film had its US premiere last January at the Sundance Film Festival.
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