Recently, we had the chance to talk with Guy Pearce about his career, including Memento, L.A. Confidential, and his new role as Father Peter in The Seventh Day.
Horror Geek Life: Let’s start by talking about The Seventh Day. How did you get involved in this project?
Guy Pearce: It just came my way out of the blue, really. Justin Lange, who wrote the script, was interested in work that I had done previously, so the script came my way and I read it and was immediately taken by, not just the drama of it, but I guess the sense of reality about it. You know, I found his writing really provocative and lovely, of course, there are some twists and turns in the story but I think it was just this feeling. I talked to him as well, that the dialogue felt very real, really palpable and moving. That’s what always draws me in, good dialogue, the characters feel real, and then their sort of psychology is apparent on the page. No one is trying to make you feel something that isn’t genuine. I see all of that and I’m in.
It was sort of an interesting idea that I hadn’t delved into before. I’m very interested in religion and I’m interested in the power that religion has in people’s lives. I’m interested in the spirit world and whether we reincarnate when we die, but also how the negative energy of spirits can take over people’s lives as well. I’m always curious about why people do bad things in life. It just felt like a genuine sort of exploration of all of that stuff so yeah, I was taken by it.
HGL: It was ironic that your character was this gruff, ‘I’m doing it my way’ sort of mentor to Vadhir Derbez’s Father Daniel while you had Stephen Lang as the calm, even-keeled Archbishop. What was the acting dynamic like?
GP: Stephen was great, he’s got such a great history and it’s always such an honor working with older actors. I mean he’s not much older than me but to work with older actors you’ve admired for years is a great experience. He’s a great guy, we connected straight away, had a good laugh, we still stay in touch a bit, so it was lovely. It’s always a good reminder that no matter how much you put somebody up on a pedestal, that very quickly, after a good conversation, you’re reminded that you’re all in the same boat, really. You’re just trying to get on with it, trying to find good work, trying to respect each other and honor the craft, while at the same time trying to make a living. But he’s just a really down to earth, realistic guy, so it was good fun. Vadhir, of course, he’s a sweet young chap, a movie star. Stephen and I were both looking at him and going, “Yeah, there’s the next generation,” he’s got all the girls swarming around him, too.
HGL: Talking to Stephen, I can tell you the feeling is mutual, as one of the reasons he took the role was to have the opportunity to work with you. He’s a big admirer of your work.
GP: That’s nice, always nice to hear that. He did say that to me, I said it to him, it is pretty cool. You know, you forget that audiences watch all of us actors on-screen all the time, but all of us actors watch each other on-screen as well. When you get to work with someone whose work you’ve admired, you get to tell them, “Man, you are the shit, I’ve admired your work for years,” so it’s cool, it really is.
HGL: It seems people just have a voracious appetite in terms of exorcisms, whether it’s real-life or in the movies. Why do you think we are so fascinated with this subject?
GP: Yeah, it’s a funny one because I think we’re all on the precipice all the time, of doing both good and bad things. The whole question of good and evil lives within us all the time, as we know, and it’s too easy to sort of say in films you play the bad guy, the good guy, end of story. Or, he’s a bad guy because he went to prison and he’s a good guy because he donates money to the poor. Good people do bad things and bad people do good things, it’s a really murky sort of area. I think that the idea of we can be taken over by something that makes us do something bad…it just feels like it’s not that far away, you know?
The monster in you is not so far away. The idea then of having that monster taken away from you, that’s a great fantasy, but that’s not reality. I think the idea of the exorcism films where you are taking the demon out of us we can relate to, because the demon is pretty close all the time.
HGL: You mentioned the reasons you took this role, is that how you approach choosing roles over different mediums, like television or film? Or do you simply go where the work takes you, regardless of the medium?
GP: No, I think it’s just about the work. I think it’s a combination of work that comes along and just opportunity. If I get offered three great films in a row, I’m going to do those three great films in a row. If I get offered a great TV show and great film and can make it work, I’ll do that. I don’t necessarily look for specific things because I find it’s usually better to allow the universe to bring what it brings and honestly, I’ve been really lucky. I mean, I’m 53, I’ve been working non-stop since I was 18, so I’ve gotten pretty lucky over the years. People always ask,“What’s the dream role you want to play?” and I don’t know because to me, every new script that I read, and it’s some great role I’ve never thought about before. That’s the dream role right now.
I think that’s connected to why we work as actors anyways, is that idea that you just move through life and sort of take what comes your way. I mean, if you’re Tom Cruise you can choose whatever you want, and that’s fine, but I’m very happy with the way it works for me. I love the surprise and going, “Hmm, I don’t know, I’ve got no work coming up, I don’t really know what’s going to happen next.” If I’m financially all right then so be it, I can spend time with my son but if I’m not I’m like, “I better start looking and seeing what there is…okay, there’s a six-part TV thing in Norway, that might be cool…oh it’s actually great.” I mean, I would never have thought about going to Norway for a six-part TV thing but it came along, it was unusual and interesting and that’s the beauty of it I think.
There’s a part of us as actors that like to hang onto being kids as well, and it’s funny having my own little boy now and watching his sort of imagination run wild. It’s like, “Papa, let’s pretend that we’re in the forest and you’re a lion,” and I’m like, “Yes, let’s do that!” It’s fantastic. Of course, I can’t say to him, “So how much are you going to pay me to play a lion in the forest?” (laughs)
HGL: Memento just had its 20th anniversary recently. Do you look back on that role, that film with fond memories or do you not reminisce about the past, only look to the future?
GP: I’m confused about this because we made the film in 1999 and it came out in 2000, we took it to the Venice Film Festival in 2000 and in fact, in 2010 we had a 10 year anniversary at the New York Film Festival. It was funny actually, they had an audience watching the film and a few of us were there and we did a little Q&A after the screening and all these people were like, “For 10 years, I’ve been wanting to ask this question…what happened?” (laughs) People were venting out 10 years of frustration.
No, I’m really nostalgic. The way in which people talk about that film is exactly the way that I look back at that film myself…what a joy, what an honor. Even if I wasn’t in that film, I’d look back and go, “Man, what a change that was in the industry, the way films are made, it was incredible,” and to be part of it? You sort of pinch yourself and ask, “What did I do to deserve that?”
I’m pretty good at respecting the good stuff that came along, L.A. Confidential, Memento. Those two particularly because a few people have said to me, “L.A. Confidential was the last film of its kind,” it’s that big-budget, period film shot in America. Memento was sort of the first film of its kind, and they were three years apart when we made them. I really look at those and think fucking hell…if I got to do nothing else, the fact that I got to do those two films is a real honor.
HGL: So what projects do you have coming up next?
GP: Well, I just finished doing the last series of Jack Irish, the TV show I’ve been doing on and off in Australia for the last ten years, so we just did the final series. Before I shot The Seventh Day, I was in Berlin and shot Without Remorse with Michael B. Jordan, I have a little cameo in that, so that’s coming out imminently. Straight after The Seventh Day, I did one day on Mare of Easttown with Kate Winslet for HBO, and then it got shut down, but in September of last year we were able to go back and finish it off. That comes out April 18th, I believe. Also in January last year, I did a film called Zone 414, a sort of sci-fi, action/thriller we shot in Belfast. I’m not sure what I’m doing next, there are a few things I’m talking to people about but it’s all a bit complicated with COVID rules, but that’s okay. I also bought a few older cars, a couple of old Chryslers, and two beautiful Plymouth Barracudas, so I was very happy to get those. I’m just plodding along really, and trying to be a good dad.
I want to thank Guy for taking the time to talk with us.
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