| Jason Statham Interview, The Bank Job |
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| Sunday, 09 March 2008 | |
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Born in Sydenham, England, Jason Statham was one of the best divers on the British team. He placed third in the Olympic trials on three different occasions, eventually placing 12th in the world. While training at the famed Crystal Palace National Sport Center in London, film crews and photographers pursued him as new talent for commercials and print campaigns. One of those jobs was a French Connection print ad where he met the owner of the company, who was also executive producer of a film in preparation, “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”
Jason had a meeting with the director, Guy Ritchie, who gave him a role. He went on to work with Ritchie again in his next film “Snatch,” starring opposite Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro. Next came “Turn It Up” with US music star Ja Rule, followed by a role in the sci-fi film “Ghosts of Mars” and Jet Li's “The One.” In 2002, he was cast by Luc Besson in the title role of Frank Martin in “The Transporter.” He starred as Handsome Rob in the summer 2003 blockbuster remake of “The Italian Job” and as the adrenaline-compromised action hero of “Crank.” Statham returned as Frank Martin in “Transporter II” and re-teamed with Jet Li in “War.”
Jason Statham is a fabulous guy and we really appreciated his time. Here’s what he had to tell us about his latest film, “The Bank Job ”:
Q: You’re way too young to remember this, did your parents tell you about it?
JASON STATHAM: They couldn’t remember much about it. My parents remember – they go, ‘Oh yeah, maybe there was something that I do remember.’ But literally there was three days of exposure and then it was all like hush hush, there was a whole blanket put upon the press. So unless you were around reading the papers on those particular three days, you wouldn’t have heard much about it, you know. And it’s quite interesting. I’d never heard of a D notice until Roger told me about what the implications of one of these were. I think he might have explained to you what one of those is, yeah? Not many people that I knew remember, and I certainly don’t remember, ‘cause I was yah [ie: this] big.
Q: What’s the secret to achieving permanent 5 o’clock shadow?
JASON STATHAM: Yeah, you see, I’ve got such sensitive skin that I can’t have a proper shave because I get a rash (he laughs) No, you have to have one of those beard trimmers, if you really want to look like that, which I’m sure you don’t.
Q: But you maintain a similar look across certain movies, is that your choice or the director’s choice?
JASON STATHAM: I was trying to compensate for the lack on top, just grow a bit more hair it sort of balances everything out.
Q: Roger told us he came across one of the real robbers, who is now about 75 years old, and was really surprised to see that he looked like a 75-year-old Jason Statham.
JASON STATHAM: People said, ‘Is that your dad?’ He was walking around on set, and we were told that we were not supposed to say who he is, I think there were three of us, me, Roger and Steve, that’s the only people that knew what his job really was, or what used to be. Anyway, so people would ask me, say, ‘Who’s that guy that you was talking to? It’s not your dad, is it?’ Literally, so it was a common feeling throughout the set that people thought I was talking to my dad.
Q: He didn’t pinch anything while he was there, did he?
JASON STATHAM: I think he’d tried his hand at pinching a long time ago. Nothing to steal from a film set, bunch of cheap cameras and a few lenses, that’s it.
Q: Was he able to tell you anything that would inform your performance?
JASON STATHAM: You know, you try and pick their brains as much as possible, and you try and give them a certain amount of respect. I mean, you find yourself in a position where you don’t want to be, you know, sort of, so tell me about this, how many years did he get? And did he get nicked? What did you steal? Where are all the jewels? I mean, you don’t want to go down that line and behave like a bit of an imbecile and a bit of an idiot. So you try and make them feel comfortable about the fact that they’re even talking to you about such a thing. I think he’ll be at the premiere. It’ll be nice to see him covertly, might be in a disguise.
Q: Since you’ve become so well known for action movies with a lot of your martial arts, how important is it for you to find non-fighting movies?
JASON STATHAM: It’s hard, because every time I do find a non-fighting movie, they always write a fighting scene in. So I find them and it’s like, ‘Oh my God, I don’t even clench my fist in this.’ Next thing you know, two weeks into the movie, ‘Yeah, we’ve got this scene, and just hit him.’ And so there’s always something that comes. I think this movie always had a moment of violence towards the end because there’s so much at stake. And I think people want to see this guy get kicked on the floor and bashed. Our best mate gets killed, and he’s responsible for that, and I think it’s a good payoff. Although I wanted to do a movie without throwing a fist or a kick or anything, I think it sort of warrants a happening at this particular time; although I’m still looking for that complete romantic comedy where I don’t hit anybody. One day.
Q: We talked to Sylvester Stallone recently and asked him what he thought of his successors and he mentioned you. How does that feel?
JASON STATHAM: Did he?
Q: Well, I know what he said.
JASON STATHAM: Tell me what he said.
Q: He said that Rambo could take on the Transporter.
JASON STATHAM: (he gives big laugh) I’ve always liked Sly’s sense of humor. You know the fact that he’s even talking about me makes me very happy. I mean, I’ve watched his movies for years, and to think that he would even know who I was would be very cool. I love his films and I can’t wait to go and see his new one.
Q: Maybe you could fight Rocky in part 7 or 8.
JASON STATHAM: Me and Rocky, huh? I’m not bad, I’m better without the gloves though. He might have to – one glove and one no glove to make both of us happy.
Q: With this movie, how much did you want to get it right from what the script was and talking to the --
JASON STATHAM: Well, originally Dick and Ian, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, they do tremendous work on British TV and in movies, and a lot of their stuff I know so well as being great comedy writing, so the script when I read it was quite a funny script, and it was very, very comical, and once Roger started doing all his research, and [finding] all these facts, the scandal side, it just took a complete turn and became this, more like, thriller. I think it was something I was quite pleased about, because I’ve made a few comedies, and even the Guy Ritchie stuff in my opinion, very sort of black comedies, and I’ve never really done anything in the tone of The Bank Job, something quite scandalous and a great, true story. As the weeks progressed, and we started finding out all these facts, new pages came, new scenes started to come, and it was great. It took a turn in the direction that I wanted it to.
Q: How much input did you have into the script because you were there right at the beginning?
JASON STATHAM: Well I’m not particularly a great writer of stories or scenes. I was just there to express some sort of comments, if you like. You know, is it improving, are some of the relationships within the story good for me? So I had my fair share of input but it’s not like I was at home with a pen trying to contribute in any way but I think that’s the collaboration with all actors. I mean at the end of the day they have to try and bring to life what’s on that page. So, if it resonates as you’re reading it and you can feel…I think the way you have to be able to make is, you know, is that the way that I can articulate this and be truthful to it. A lot of the dialogue that we tried to stay away from you know with the rhyme and slang and all the East end stuff…we didn’t want to make it too English. It can start falling back along the lines of the Guy Ritchie stuff if you start giving it too much of a peppering of that kind of dialogue. A lot of the time some writers they’re writing very quickly and they think that that’s the way that these people talk. A lot of the time they don’t so you just go in there with a sieve and sort of sweep up and try to make the dialogue a bit more authentic and I think that’s a great contribution that I gave Roger. You know Roger comes from Australia. The way that we speak back in England has a certain rhythm to it so sometimes you can make the dialogue a little bit more truthful. Page 2: Jason Statham Interview, The Bank Job
    
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