In a setting nearly reminiscent of the murky underbelly of the French tongue in cheek espionage thriller From Paris With Love, John Travolta met in a subterranean lair of the Directors Guild of America Theater in midtown, likely to elude the paparazzi, to talk about his latest turn in the movie as a beyond scary secret agent. A far cry from his menacing bald and goateed, seemingly telepathic CIA operative in the film, John sported short sideburns, slicked back hair and his famous beaming grin.
Q: I see people have brought lots of presents for you.
JOHN TRAVOLTA: Yeah, I feel like a store on 42nd Street!
Q: John, you’re one of the most beloved actors in the world.
JT: Oh, thank you.
Q: Everyone loves you. So we just want to know, how are you doing emotionally after this last year, and the tragic loss of your son?
JT: Ah, it’s been a rough year. I’m not gonna say it’s not been. But we’ve been working very hard every day, at healing. And we still are. But it’s working, you know? And we’ve worked with our church, and we’ve worked with each other. And our friends, and our family.
It’s been a tough one, and it’s going to be. But at least we have help, and it’s working. Thanks for asking. Yeah…
Q: You were wild in this movie. So how did you go about getting inside the head of a crazy secret agent?
JT: Well, thank you firstly. But there were lots of discussions about this guy. And it was beautifully written, and easy to fill. Because the verbiage was ideal for me to attack! But the look was very important for this movie.
John Travolta? John Travolta.
Like we saw Soldier of Fortune covers, where those guys were suddenly very glamorous looking with scars, and shaved heads and goatees—I don’t know why! And it was brave, but we decided that was the only way it would work. You know, to be bold with it, and go all the way.
So that was some of what we did. And of course, I hung out with some undercover guys in my home town. They were kind enough to let me hang out with them. So I would spend the night driving the streets of Ocala, and going into these different areas that were in trouble. And, you know, seeing what these guys do. And it was like a microcosm of what it’s like all over the world.
But those Soldier of Fortune guys look like that. They’re very glamorous nowadays. And if you look at the covers of some of those magazines, they have scars and parachute pants, and cool jackets. They’re very high end guys, you know?
And I don’t quite get how that fits with that war thought process. But it was empirical. We saw these endless photos of these beautiful looking, stylish guys. With big guns and bazookas! And I thought. OK. And shaved heads, and goatees. Yeah…
Q: Did you ever think it strange to make terrorism funny in the movie?
JT: I said to Luc [Besson], strangely enough, this is the most authentic movie about terrorism that’s ever been made. Because in a very light way, we’re not making a statement. Or giving a message. But there’s a truth, a veiled thing, that says wow, this is really the crux of it.
You know, it’s about misguided religion. And misguided concepts. And how things work in that terrorist world. And yet we’re almost having fun, disguising it, you know? But I don’t think we intended for any particular message.
Q: Are you anything like that tough guy you play?
JT: I don’t know if it’s anything like me at all, really. But I sure like acting it! Yeah…
Q: How about your co-star and sidekick, Jonathan Rhys Meyers?
JT: He’s just this amazingly talented, gorgeous guy. So we communicated well, and could talk it out. And there was no stone unturned, in discussing the possibilities of our characters together. And we approached it from a good perspective, a spirit of play type of thing.
Q: What was with that shaved head look?
JT: Well, it did have to have Luc’s approval. But film is a visual medium. And I remember with Pulp Fiction, it was my idea to do that kind of Dutch Boy thing. You know, this Euro-trash look. And I remember Quentin and the producer thinking it was just not a good idea. But I was like, can we just test it?
And then when we did a screen test on it the next day, I made sure it worked. And they loved it. But it was iconic. Meaning that it was a signature of the character. So when you design these things for the screen, they’re very important. And not to be looked at as superficial at all.
Q: Well your head looked really great that way.
JT: Oh yeah, no lumps, no bumps!
Q: How do you compare your bad guys in Pulp Fiction and this movie?
JT: Well, that villain was an out and out criminal. And this guy, he’s not really a villain. He’s a good guy who has…orthodox methods! He’s a rogue. And even though he does things that we don’t agree with, he solves a problem.
And he’s so good at what he does, that he gets away with being naughty. And you can take that liberty when you’re that good. So there are distinct differences in these characters, believe it or not.
Q: Do you have a preference for one or the other?
JT: I just like it to be well written. And full-bodied. And when it is, like it is in this movie, you’re free to blow it out. And do what you think. Like with that customs agent scene, they said, let’s do one take without you humping!
Q: And what did you do?
JT: So of course I did five more takes. With humping! And then I did the one take without it.
