Brad Dourif
Flashback Weekend, Chicago
14 June 2003
Photos ŠEmma Abraham; do not use without express permission
 Hooray, he's here! This theatre is very old and not comfortable for a 3-hour movie, and we're glad we didn't pay $20 just to see it! |
 Brad looked a bit tired--he's very peripatetic (did I spell that right?) and seems always to have several projects ongoing. And he thought *we* were tired! |
 He answered questions about who inspired him to go into acting (his mother), as well as questions concerning Chucky, Grima, and other things. Details to follow. |
 I managed to get Tel to ask my question--some of you will remember it from my LJ: what's the tear about? |
 He said he'd seen that there was a lot of debate about that. He mentioned that one of the theories--that it was awe at the sheer spectacle--was also a good theory. |
 He said it was Fran's idea--and he has a lot of respect for her. What he was witnessing was the end of mankind, and no-one could make you feel that like Grima, who was (after all) a human. |
 Looking out at the army, he suddenly feels it, has the significance of what he has done and what is about to happen, hit him. |
 For himself, he said, his thought for Grima was "Oh God, what have I done?" |
 Grima had always wanted to be a part of something that he could never BE a part of, and that left him easy prey for someone like Saruman. |
 Getting ready to sign autographs. Brad was very friendly and down-to-earth, and I'm VERY glad I decided to spend my one free day in June going to see him. |
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 I loved the hat, but I'm a wimp, so Shelagh had to ask him to pose for us. |
| A few other q&a's, before I forget them: Most memorable moment was, after his 3:30AM call one morning, being taken to Edoras for the first time. The valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks, somewhere in the middle this gnarly hill with the "castle," thatched roofs, stone steps, marshes all around... | Audition process: Brad read three times (I think he said), really thought he nailed the last reading, but the part went to someone else. However, that other actor thought he wasn't getting paid enough, so Brad got the part after all. | What part, if any, will Grima play in Saruman's downfall? All he was willing to say was that while it wasn't exactly as in the book, it was a very similar role. | What is PJ like as a
director? He's extremely visual. He shoots a lot of master shots, more
than anyone, but just when you think you've got the shot, he doesn't use
the masters almost at all they did ADRs of every line, so it was obvious that Peter was most concerned, at the time, with the LOOK of the shots |