Co-starringRachel Brosnahan(Superman) andCaitriona Balfe(Outlander).
CollidersSteve Weintraubhad the pleasure of sitting down with Malek and Fishburne to dive into their new picture.
For both of you, do you have a favorite movie theater?
Image via 20th Century Studios
LAURENCE FISHBURNE: Oh, god, yes.
The Ziegfeld Theater here in New York City.
FISHBURNE: I don’t know.
Image via 20th Century Studios
It may be closed.
I think it actually might have closed recently.
So it’s recent.
That’s why I didn’t know.
I think I’m going to make you sad with the Ziegfeld.
Cinerama Dome’s still alive, but not really.
When it reopens, hopefully next year.
FISHBURNE: Hopefully next year.
I feel like that’s going to come back.
And ifthatcomes back, there’s reason to think that the Ziegfeld will come back.
I’m hoping you’re right.
Those blew my mind.
But as a kid, going to the Laemmle theaters.
Do you know the lovely Laemmle?
Are they outside of Los Angeles?
MALEK: Youre killing me.
The theaters are open.
They’re just not Laemmle.
MALEK: But that was it.
It’s not that.
I also think all the international locations, the cinematography, I can keep going.
It’s a movie meant to be seen in a movie theater.
Why Make ‘The Amateur’?
I thought to myself, what is that thing that I haven’t done?
I know both of you are offered a number of scripts.
What was it for each of you about this one that said, “I need to do this.
FISHBURNE: For me it was Rami.
[Laughs] Just plain and simple.Andit was a great script as well.
MALEK: I thought to myself, what is that thing that I haven’t done?
I watched Daniel [Craig] in Bond.
I don’t like to be in my trailer when I’m on set.
It’s not going to be playing Bond, not after playing a villain.
FISHBURNE: No, certainly not.
MALEK: You have to be British to do that.
I’m not going to pull things off like Tom Cruise.
He’s the ultimate.
MALEK: I thought, “Here’s something calledThe Amateur.”
It came from a studio, Hutch Parker and Dan Wilson.
Charting The Emotions and Grief of Maleks Charlie Heller
“This guy is grieving.”
Often in a film like this, the character will kill someone and move on to the next thing.
Can you talk about that aspect that doesn’t gloss over the loss of life?
MALEK: No, that was very important because we’ve seen that over and over.
You see the stages of grief, and we started to chart them throughout the film.
James Hawes and I sat down, like, Where is he angry?
Where is he…?
FISHBURNE: In denial.
MALEK: In denial, yeah.
How long does denial last?
When does he take things into his own hands?
When does he get to acceptance and all of it?
FISHBURNE: Oh, that’s fantastic!
That was kind of a guide for us all the way through, and that made it feel authentic.
Part two is, what can you tease aboutThe Witcher?
AndThe Witcher, folks are going to have to just be patient with us.
We’re starting Season 5 now.
Have you started filming?
FISHBURNE: I will start when I leave here today.
I go and I start filming.
MALEK: Oh my god, I didnt know that!
Thats why were not having dinner.
FISHBURNE: Yeah, thats why were not having dinner.
FISHBURNE: Oh, wicked.
MALEK: He’s an incredible writer.
I hope he takes this as a compliment, but it’s [Aaron] Sorkin-style writing.
FISHBURNE: Okay, nice.
But it’s also built like a thriller.
It’s all of those things.
It’s got Russell Crowe in it, and I haven’t seen a performance like that…
I mean, no shade, but he’s on a different level.
Michael Shannon’s in it.
The cast is like this cast.
Everybody, you’re like bang, bang.
The Amateuris in theaters now.
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