[mr showbiz.com: 2001]

this transcript and image belongs to mrshowbiz.com. it was put online january 2001. it is provided for reference and preservational purposes only. the sam rockwell experience does not claim any copyright to it. if you use any of it, please make sure you give credit where credit is due. thank you.
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sam rockwell & leif tilden:
why do the eight-minute opus that is bigLove?
by mr showbiz.com at sundance 2001

[watch all clips in windows media player]

below follows a transcript i've made from the interview clips seen online. i'd say it's about 95% accurate, if you spot/hear any obvious errors, feel free to e-mail and let me know, yeah? click on the links to see the clips.

clip 1:
"Why do the eight-minute opus that is Big Love?"

sam: i got involved because we're friends, we've been friends for about twelve years, and we met doing a movie, we met, a movie you might have heard of, it's called teenage mutant ninja turtles, (...) in north carolina. we're friends, we've lived together, we've been roommates, we've been through a lot together, earthquakes, and all kinds of stuff, but, uh, broke, and starving actors, but..

leif: dysfunctional relationships

sam: dysfunctional relationships, so, so we knew each other back and forth and he and i really have the same sensibilitie, i mean, he wrote this piece and you know i immediately knew what he was trying to do because leif, leif helped me with some of my stuff, he helped me write some stuff for charlie's angels, which never, didn't completely ended up in the movie but we gave them to drew barrymore, mitch glazer, bill murray, did a rewrite that was really amazing.

leif: but there's like 380 writers

sam: yeah i mean never really say, forget about it, but we, we did, leif helped to give some input..

leif: i was basically helping him with his character, he was trying to--

sam: he came up with the marvin gaye song for the character, to make that character sort of flamboyant

leif: some mojo

sam: but he's great with dialogue, you know, he's fantastic with dialogue, just because he has this stream of consciousness, non linear way of thinking, you know, and so his mind is a little off, you know and that's why he has this, a lot of talent, a very talentented film maker..

clip 2:
"If You had a superpower, what would it be?"

sam: i don't know, be able to just, just like bruce lee, just, just go like that, just, go ahead go, just put your hand on my chest

(leif puts hand on sam's chest, sam flips backwards, off bed while doing swishy noises)

sam: like that, if i could do like that, just place my hand on the chest and just go flying across the room..

clip 3:
"Do you consider yourself primarily a comedic actor?"

sam: you know, i, i don't, i don't, and a lot of people do see me that way and i, i wish that wasn't the case but, hm, that's alright. a lot of them haven't seen a lot of my other work, you know, in film, like they've seen me in bigger movies like galaxy quest and that's why they associate me with comedy--

leif: i don't think it's sam--

sam: or even green mile is comedic

leif: he hasn't been tapped into, yet, sam is a very ecclectic actor, very deep--

sam: i love comedy, comedy is great, comedy is awesome but there is a lot more, you know, stuff, out there.

clip 4:
"Did galaxy quest turn you into a cult figure?"

sam: there is sort of a cult following for galaxy quest, but, ah, people dig that movie, i mean, people really, like, smart people dig that movie, and i, i can see why, it's a very clever idea, there's great actors and..

leif: dean parisol

sam: dean parisol, i mean geezus, what a, what a great guy.

clip 5:
"What's the measure by which you choose your roles?"

sam: oh, you know, it's just, it's just a gut thing, if you, if you feel, it's a gut thing, if you know you can, you can shine, you know, you can show your stuff, you know, do your thing, you know, i always say, if you can flash, you know, if you can flash, man, do it, do the part, it doesn't matter how small it is, if you can flash, you've got to be able to flash. it doesn't mean you have to do something showy it just means you have to do something that's gonna make your heart sing you know..

clip 6:
"What's next?"

sam: what's up next? i'm trying, i'm looking for a job, looking for a good job..

leif: yeah, i'm just--

sam: and just, uh, good

leif: and job, yeah

sam: a JOB, yeah, and not just any job, a good job!

leif: a good job, yeah.. i hope to work with him again

sam: i hope so too

leif: and so, we're just..making our way