MANILA, Philippines—MARK WAHLBERG
The 37-year-old actor, film/TV producer and former rap musician is hell-bent on revenge in the bullet-fired action flick “Max Payne.”
He plays a tough homicide cop who becomes involved in a relentless quest for justice that is dark and dangerous following the murder of his wife and newborn baby. Based on a video game, “Max Payne” also stars Mila Kunis and Chris O’ Donnell.
What was the attraction of “Max Payne” for you?
I liked the story and character. I had just made “The Lovely Bones,” which involved a similar situation with a parent losing a child, but the character in that film is completely different. In “Max Payne,” I could get out there and do what the bad side of me would do, if something like that would, God forbid, ever happen to my family. I wanted to play a character who is just completely bad ass, who is ruthless in his mission to get the kind of information he needs to solve a horrific crime.
“Max Payne” is based on a video game. How similar is the movie to the game?
I read the script before I even knew it was based on a game. And then I looked at the game and liked it. The film does the game a lot of justice but I had never played anything like it. A game I was more familiar with was Pac-Man and it had no story whatsoever. So it is definitely going to satisfy the die hard game fans and hopefully will also bring in film audiences; maybe they will become fans of the game as well.”
Directors say you have an authenticity that is not common among actors. How much of that stems from your own youth and background on the streets of Boston?
It wasn’t until recently that I appreciated all the things I had to go through to get to where I am now. I have a lot of real life experience to draw from. That helps me as an actor and I think that’s why people respond to me in this kind of film.”
Why are you so good at playing cops?
Because I’ve been arrested by them so many times and because there is a very fine line between a cop and a criminal. I’m not saying that is true of every cop, but some of the guys I grew up with became cops and they did worse stuff than I did. I think cops are people who have really hard lives.”
How much action is there and how tough was the film for you?
It was harder than anything I’ve done, harder than “Fear,” “The Departed” and “Shooter” times 10. Most of the action was shot on film with very little CGI. You don’t see me hanging off any wires or anything like that. So anytime you see me flying through the air, I was actually jumping off something or landing on the ground. That was me in action.”
(“Max Payne,” released by 20th Century Fox and distributed by Warner Bros., opens Oct. 15 in theaters nationwide.)
JAMES FRANCO
Franco, 30, who portrayed the conflicted character Norman Osborn in the “Spider-Man” movies, is ditching his serious side and returning to his comedic roots in Columbia Pictures’ “Pineapple Express,” which pairs him up with his “Freaks and Geeks” co-star and real-life buddy Seth Rogen (“Knocked Up”).
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People see you as a serious, intense actor, but you’re so funny in this movie. Do you think people will be surprised with the difference?
Maybe. I just hope people find it funny. Every movie has a different kind of tone and requirement and you’re supposed to laugh here, so I hope they do.
What was it like working with Seth again?
It’s great. As far as I know, “Freaks and Geeks” was his first professional job. Since then he’s had so many opportunities to show what he can do. I think four scripts he wrote got produced this year. It’s pretty incredible to see him grow and expand professionally. I think we’re a great team.
Is a film like “Pineapple Express” a nice break for you?
It’s really been the most fun I’d had on a film. I’ve always wanted to do comedy. I’ve just found so many of the comedies to be so stupid and sometimes I don’t see a point to them and I don’t find them very funny. I think the people behind “Pineapple”—Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen—are making some of the best comedies around. They’re my friends and it really felt like a good opportunity to try it.
They’re also going for more of a hard “R” rather than “PG-13” which attracts a bigger audience.
Yeah, definitely. It’s kind of like anything goes. They have great comic sensibilities and taste. Judd’s “Knocked Up” and “40-Year-Old Virgin” have a great edge and real gross out factor. But then they also have this other side that is a lot of heart and I always tell myself how much I’m surprised at how I’m feeling in the movies. There’s this weird thing where there’s a lot of dumb comedy, but it feels really smart, too. It’s a weird dichotomy.
Speaking of edge, there’s a bit of a homoerotic feeling to “Pineapple Express.”
It’s definitely about two people coming together. A relationship between a drug dealer and his client. I’ve been told that a lot of times dealers can be weird or it’s kind of a weird relationship. So at the beginning, Seth’s character doesn’t want anything. He just wants my product and wants to get out of there. My character’s kind of a lonely guy. I really like him. We get thrown into this situation together and of course throughout the movie, we become a lot closer.
(“Pineapple Express,” distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International, will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls’ Glorietta 4 and Greenbelt 3, starting Oct. 15.)
