How long did it take for you to put your Abe outfit and makeup on in Hellboy?
Oh my goodness, Abe in Hellboy was the longest makeup job I've ever had. It took three makeup artists seven hours
to complete my look from head to toe. The seven hours was when I was not wearing the shirt and the breathing apparatus
around my neck, if you saw me shirtless that was a seven hour job. And because they had to glue on twelve different
prosthetics pieces from head to toe - including fins, hands, and fingers... and my own skin was showing in various places
too, but you couldn't see where the blend was. They did an airbrush, put markings on me, mechanics on the
gills... it was really complicated.
Was it uncomfortable?
When you do a job like that, it's not something you want to wear home and watch TV in. So I wouldn't say comfortable,
but the people who designed it - Spectral Motion, which is the creature shop that did that... the comfort of the actor is
also a consideration. They took care of me the best they can.
Do you have any info on Hellboy 2?
You know what, I do... but I don't know if I can talk about it. I got a phone call from Del Toro (director of Hellboy)
last night around nine-thirty.
What about the animated show based on Hellboy - is that going to be on TV?
It's going to do both. At first I was confused on whether this is a featured film that was going to be made for
TV then DVD - or is it a TV series that they're hoping to launch? And what it sounds like when I talk with everybody
is a series of feature films, that's what it's more like. Right now we have two that are nearing completion - the first
one will be airing on the Cartoon Network in October, and then be available on DVD in February. Then the next one will
do the same thing, airing on TV then going onto DVD. If these are successful - if people are watching, they've got ideas
that could keep us going for five years.
Are they following the movies at all?
No, it's really more like the comic books. So my character, Abe, is not clairvoyant in this animated version.
He sticks more to the Abe Sapien from the comic books, which is great.
What about the voices? Did everyone come back to do the voices?
They sure are, Ron Perlman is doing Hellboy, Selma Blair is doing Liz, and John Hurt is doing Professor Broom... so we've
got the gang.
I know you didn't do the voice in the first movie, are you supplying the voice in the animated
movie?
I am indeed. That's been a long story, it's been a three year monkey on my back... (laughs) but I think David
Hyde Pierce is a delightful guy, I think he's a wonderful actor with a lot of talent. I never begrudged his sound -
when I accepted the role it was under the condition that they already had planned to do a celebrity voice-over. I said
that I'd rather them not do that, so my name was thrown into the pool of voices... but I was up against David Hyde Pierce,
Kevin Spacey, and Steve Buscemi... and Doug Jones? (laughs) After doing the voice on set for three months
- I didn't hear a negative thing about my voice at all, everybody loved what I did... including Guillermo del Toro.
It just came down to a multi-layered decision from above, and getting a celebrity name would be good for marketing purposes...
I understand, but in the end I don't think it worked like they were hoping for because David, being the gentleman that he
is, stepped back from doing any press, he didn't do any interviews, he didn't show up at the premier, he did not accept
his name being put in the credits even... and that was all out of respect to little old me. He's been quoted at
saying that he did not want to take any spotlight from me, which I thought was more than kind. He did not need to do
that. So now, when it came down to the animated one... they did offer the voice to him for Abe Sapien first,
but he declined it then it was a hands down decision to get me. So I'm very tickled pink about that. And when
we do Hellboy 2, I will have the entire character's voice and everything. They've already confirmed that in public,
so I can say that.
I read that you were a mime once, how did you like that?
(laughs) Oh dear. I enjoyed the art of mime, and I think it's a great medium for performance. What
I don't like is being hired to do mime at a bar mitzvah party or a one year old's birthday party. Or walking around
a carnival or theme park, that's what I don't like. I do like being able to do a stage performance, but people on the
street hate... and I mean hate mimes. Why would I like a situation where I'm hated? I don't. So it's a love
hate thing. (laughs)
You're also a contortionist, how did you discover that talent?
Why yes, I can flip my legs behind my head. (laughs) Which can make you very popular in certain circles.
How did you discover that talent?
It's one of those things... when I was a kid I would watch TV in weird positions. And my older brothers, I've got
three older brothers, they would look at me and say, "that looks weird"... and I'd be like... "well, do you want to see something
weirder?". Then I'd push it even farther. That's when I discovered... "oh my gosh, my legs go everywhere".
Have you ever gotten stuck in a certain position?
(laughs) No, for some reason I'm still able to do it without consequence. I'm not sure how many years I'll be able
to hold out... I'm just waiting for that day when my hip will go "boing".
Ok, let's get to the rumors that are all over the net. Are you playing the Silver Surfer
in Fantastic Four 2?
Well, I don't know if you've heard what I said at the Comic Con... because the rumors broke on the net like a week
before the Comic Con, and I was down there promoting Pan's Labyrinth... the Spanish film I did with Guillermo del Toro...
We had this panel of discussion with thousands of people, and I knew the question was going to come up. Which someone
did step forward and ask point plank. I still am not able to confirm no such thing... legally, but I can tell you that...
that I do love the way the color silver looks on me when I'm wearing a shirt of that color, and I hope to be wearing more
of it soon. And in fact, I did find an outfit of that color recently while shopping, let's say, but I don't have possession
of that outfit yet because they're still approving my credit card, Tim. So when that credit card does get approved,
if and when, I then hope to be wearing it for about three months. Because I just love the color on me so darn much.
I can't address the rumors specifically, but I do have volumes one through eighteen of the Silver Surfer comic books... I
also saw how he was introduced in the Fantastic Four comic books, and I love that character very much. I think he is
so valiant and heroic... and what he stands for... and his origins because they're so tragic, and sacrificial on his part.
They make him rise to certain angelic or Christ like kind of comparison that makes him a delicious character for any actor
to want to play. So the prospect of that does excite me.
If you do happen to become the Silver Surfer... I'm a fan of Silver Surfer myself, so it
would be great to see you play him.
Aww, that's very nice of you, Tim... thank you. My biggest worry when I do a genre film is what the fans are going
to think. Some actors worry about what the studios are going to think of them, if the studio hates what I do but the
fans love what I do I can sleep that night. That's really why I'm in show business - to create entertainment for the
people that are paying to watch it. So my first concern is keeping the character fan-friendly. I've been very
tickled pink to see what the buzz on the internet has been, and that ninety-five percent of the comments have been very nice
about the prospect of me playing that character.
Were you a comic book geek growing up?
(laughs) I sound like I could be, but when I was growing up Archie was all that I read. I didn't know the superheroes
from my left butt cheek. Now I do, because I'm sitting on my left butt cheek and I don't think that Flash Gordon is
under there.
So when did you get involved in comic books?
It was when Hellboy came around. I felt that I needed to get familiar with comic books. When I was offered
the role of Abe I was given a script and a stack of graphic novels to have a look at.
What kind of crazy things do you see at the comic book conventions?
(laughs)
My favorite things are the people that show up in costume, hands down... that's my favorite thing. I love them all,
and again... without these people I don't have a job, so I really do adore them.
You're also a singer/songwriter?
Yes, I do sing... mostly it's gospel kind of music. I sing at my church and whenever I'm asked to go speak somewhere...
so I'll go do that. I've only written a couple of songs, but nothing's been published yet. I'm hoping one day
to make a CD for myself that I can self-publish.
So you're also a Christian then?
Yes, I am.
What kind of church do you go to?
Basically I'm a generic Christian, I'll go anywhere where they talk about the gospel. Right now I'm going
to a place called a charismatic papistical church - it's an odd combination of the old and the new. I've been Lutheran,
I've been non-denominational.
Do you have anything that you're working on?
I have a string of low budget films that I love doing between studio pictures. I love the independent film, I love
watching them and I love being in them. Mostly because you can see the creative process un-adulterated by layers of
studio decision above it. I did a very low budget film called "Carnies", basically setup in the 1930's... a traveling
carnival with tents and everything. I got to play the snake handler, he was this quirky, weird, skinny guy... go figure.
I would say it's a relationship drama with the horror element to it. I just loved my character in that film. So
give me the right script or the right character to play, and have a coffee date with the director that leads me to believe
what he's doing and has a future ahead of him... then I'm in. And I'm also currently working on "The Wager", it's starring
Randy Travis and also Bronson Pinchot... and I've got a supporting role in it as well. Randy Travis is playing a movie
star who is going through a decision making transition in life, and I play an antagonist... I'm a paparazzi member.
Actually I'm a website blogger reporter... photographer guy. Having been interviewed by several websites - I so wanted
to play this character. He's got a little bit of an evil streak to him because he has to antagonize Randy and take a
picture of him outside of his house... but by the end he turns out to be an OK guy, and they make amends. Basically
there is a Christian message to the film, and it's being put out by a production company that does mostly Christian entertainment
- hopefully quality Christian entertainment.
