Post by ZackNicholsgirl on Feb 9, 2009 10:38:53 GMT -5
(it was in German, but my friend Anke Translated it for us)
American actor Jeff Goldblum (56) made a name for himself with blockbusters such as "Independence Day" as well as a character actor. In an interview he answers questions about the extraoridinary Holocaust drama "AR" which will be shown at a special screening on the Berlinale. Patrick Wildermann talked to him.
Mr Goldblum, how did you prepare for your role as the concentration camp survivor Adam Stein?
I went to Israel for the first time and visited Yad Vashem. I went to Poland to visit the concentration camp Majdanek. And I talked to survivors of the Holocaust who have been very generous to me, in Los Angeles, Berlin, everywhere in Europe and in Israel. Overall I prepared one year for this role. I never had this chance before. This time and the work on the film generally was life-changing.
Life-changing to what extent?
More than ever I was challenged as an actor. I think I grew along with this challenge. And the work improved my awareness for a subject everybody is confronted with: To lose everything. Of course not in such a dreadful way as the character of Adam, but in the end we all lose our job, our loved-ones, and life itself.
You come from a Jewish family. How did you deal with the subject Holocaust at home?
My fahter had a brother whom I admired a lot and whom I never got to know - Chucky Goldblum. I saw pictures of him, he looked exactly like me and had exactly my size. Chucky wanted to become a professional basketball player, but he was shot down in 2nd World War and he was never found. The war had a presence at home because of stories like these, but not until the movie I broadened my knowledge about the Holocaust.
Did you feel anger for the Germans?
I rather tried to imagine how it was at that time. I once sat in my hotel in Berlin, looked out of the window and thought: What if it was 1938 now? There I would have been, running through the streets as a Jew. That was very disturbing.
Have there been prejudices on the set between the Jewish and non Jewish actors?
I wouldn't call it prejudices, but everybody was very vigilant - the Holocaust is a holy territory. The work originated the best in everybody on the set, amongst others these great German actors Moritz Bleibtreu, Joachim Kròl, Veronica Ferres. It's the first Israeli-German coproduction on this subject. Ehud Bleiberg, the producer, worked passionately for a long time on this project. Then he met the German Werner Wirsing who burst into tears after reading the book. Then he knew: I have to do this.
Why do you think it took more than 40 years to film this story?
It's no mass entertainment and very provocative. Director Paul Schrader said that this movie turns everything upside down - even for today's audience which is used to Holocaust stories that are based on true events: It is free from reverence and the story is made up. The project has an interesing past: There has been a script before a novel turned out, and Charlie Chaplin wanted to do it. Yoram Kaniuk told me that he screamed into the telephone: I have to play this role! I really would have loved to see this.
Hehe Jeff's grandfather was named Chucky.. It's cute XD but it also reminds me of "Child's play" LMAO!
American actor Jeff Goldblum (56) made a name for himself with blockbusters such as "Independence Day" as well as a character actor. In an interview he answers questions about the extraoridinary Holocaust drama "AR" which will be shown at a special screening on the Berlinale. Patrick Wildermann talked to him.
Mr Goldblum, how did you prepare for your role as the concentration camp survivor Adam Stein?
I went to Israel for the first time and visited Yad Vashem. I went to Poland to visit the concentration camp Majdanek. And I talked to survivors of the Holocaust who have been very generous to me, in Los Angeles, Berlin, everywhere in Europe and in Israel. Overall I prepared one year for this role. I never had this chance before. This time and the work on the film generally was life-changing.
Life-changing to what extent?
More than ever I was challenged as an actor. I think I grew along with this challenge. And the work improved my awareness for a subject everybody is confronted with: To lose everything. Of course not in such a dreadful way as the character of Adam, but in the end we all lose our job, our loved-ones, and life itself.
You come from a Jewish family. How did you deal with the subject Holocaust at home?
My fahter had a brother whom I admired a lot and whom I never got to know - Chucky Goldblum. I saw pictures of him, he looked exactly like me and had exactly my size. Chucky wanted to become a professional basketball player, but he was shot down in 2nd World War and he was never found. The war had a presence at home because of stories like these, but not until the movie I broadened my knowledge about the Holocaust.
Did you feel anger for the Germans?
I rather tried to imagine how it was at that time. I once sat in my hotel in Berlin, looked out of the window and thought: What if it was 1938 now? There I would have been, running through the streets as a Jew. That was very disturbing.
Have there been prejudices on the set between the Jewish and non Jewish actors?
I wouldn't call it prejudices, but everybody was very vigilant - the Holocaust is a holy territory. The work originated the best in everybody on the set, amongst others these great German actors Moritz Bleibtreu, Joachim Kròl, Veronica Ferres. It's the first Israeli-German coproduction on this subject. Ehud Bleiberg, the producer, worked passionately for a long time on this project. Then he met the German Werner Wirsing who burst into tears after reading the book. Then he knew: I have to do this.
Why do you think it took more than 40 years to film this story?
It's no mass entertainment and very provocative. Director Paul Schrader said that this movie turns everything upside down - even for today's audience which is used to Holocaust stories that are based on true events: It is free from reverence and the story is made up. The project has an interesing past: There has been a script before a novel turned out, and Charlie Chaplin wanted to do it. Yoram Kaniuk told me that he screamed into the telephone: I have to play this role! I really would have loved to see this.
Hehe Jeff's grandfather was named Chucky.. It's cute XD but it also reminds me of "Child's play" LMAO!