16 ноября Бенедикт отвечал на вопросы Tumblristas/Tumblrinis* в блоге DreamWorks.
читать дальше
By the way…
I’m enjoying not being constrained to 140 characters. - Benedict
1. If you could go back in time, what era would you like to visit and why?
If I could survive it, the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution. That pace of change, evolution, progressiveness. Especially when we moved towards abolishing the slave trade and then slavery. The human cost of the advances of the era were too high and horrendous to contemplate let alone live through and wish upon the world again. But what an exciting time to be alive in to witness the pioneering adventures, inventions, revolutions of political and social thought - how alive all forms of culture were in these great leaps forward in various aspects of the human world. It seems very exciting from a distance - maybe I’d regret it the moment I stepped out of the time machine.
2. If you were a pizza what kind of toppings would you have?
Broken glass, barbed wire, and a little bit of grit
3. Are you having fun today? Or is this Q and A more like work then fun for you?
Yes, I am! I’ve been sat next to John Malkovich, a true hero of mine, marveling at his calm, measured, beautifully precise language as he talks through the process of playing a sociopathic octopus. What’s not to love about that as a day’s work!
4. Is there a question that you always wish someone would ask you but nobody ever does?
No
5. Are you good at making paper airplanes?
I was alright in school - there were better. But we got inventive! Especially after taking origami classes. But pretty planes don’t always fly the best.
6. Hey, I think you’re an amazing actor! Also, are there any similarities between you and the character you’re playing?
I have an English accent, I’m very good at hand-to-hand combat in close quarters, I have an occasional intolerance for cuteness - please don’t ramp that up this afternoon. It’s been a long week.
7. Is there any actor or actress that you would really love to work with? Or have you already acted with them?
I love working with actors I’ve worked with before that become friends - you can take risks without fear of self-consciousness. There is such an extraordinary abundance of talented actors and actresses that it’s very hard to single out any individuals - it’d be wrong to even try. I loved working with Rebecca Hall on Parade’s End and would gladly repeat the experience on any opportunity. Like Meryl Streep, she has a complete command of character and it was utterly inspiring. She lifts everyone’s work ethics to her standards. She’s a mate and I adore her. It goes without saying that Kiera was wonderful to work with again in exactly the same vein.
8. What’s your favorite comfort food?
Delicious donations to charities that I care about
9. Important question: how do you take your tea? xx
In the morning
10. How would you react if an animal spoke to you?
I’d tell it to be quiet
11. When did people start recognizing you on the streets?
When my parents first took me out in the pram and they recognized me as my parents’ son. It was a heady moment. I’m still trying to get my little heady around it.
12. What’s you’re favorite Agent Classified line or moment???
"It’s like trying to talk to my parents." My parents will never forgive me for that.
13. If you had a penguin as pet, how would you name it?
Butterball. or Flightless.
14. Hello Benedict! As an artist in the industry I’m always interested in knowing how people perceive animation. Both in respect for how it’s done and how audiences respond to it. Assuming you accepted the role of Agent Classified with some interest in animated features, did you learn anything new or exciting about animation while a part of the project? Thank you for your time and can’t wait to see the film. Best wishes to you and the talented folks at DreamWorks!
Uhhh… that’s twenty questions in one sentence, but good ones. It’s a long, drawn out, piecemeal process that requires a great deal of near-contradictory collaboration in the sense that you work in isolation from your fellow cast members in different locations around the world, and at different times - but to achieve the same ends. It is, however, supported by great readers who are in the room with you - and Simon and the rest of the creative team linked by Skype, steering you in the blindness of not knowing where in the scope of the full picture you are, how your character has developed visually, what the entire sсript is, and therefore the journey of that character. And the work that might yet have to have been done on the animation or by the other voice actors. Everything comes together, though, and it gets to a point where you feel that you’ve always known what you were a part of, why you are doing what you’re doing. Its a lot more physical than you’d think. Any voice work, whether audio book or narration of nature documentary…! PENGUINS! (See, I can type it right!) Any voice work requires a physical effort and presence, but even more so with animation as you are filmed to give the animators some fuel for their limitless imaginations.
15. If you could have a song play any time you entered a room, what would it be? (If one song is too hard, you can do a playlist or an album!)
Silence by Phillip Glass. In fact, I feel like that’s what’s playing most times I walk into a room. As all you Tumblristas/Tumblrinis* know, I like a lot of music. It’d have to be a playlist depending on the mood. As you all know, I don’t do favorites.
16. Would you be a successful Secret Agent?
Yes, because no one would expect someone as absurdly overexposed as me to be any good at keeping secrets. Having said that, I’ve managed to keep quite a few professional ones… so far…
17. What would you be doing if you weren’t acting??
Sleeping. And spending time with loved ones.
18. Hi Benedict! People compare you to animals all the time: otters for one, but if you could be any animal (secret agent or not) what animal would you be?
Not meaning to be eagle-tistical, but a gliding bird of prey has always struck me as something of great beauty - to be suspended in the air, defying gravity with majestic views all around you. Without anyone with a smartphone standing nearby, watching you. Strikes me as being pretty cool.
19. What’s the first word that pops into your head?
Head.
Thank You!
Ok, that’s all the time we have. Benedict is off to the premiere of PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR. Thanks for joining!
<