(December 18th, 2003)
Jude Law: [he still has his cold and replies in a raspy voice] Hello, how are you?
RS: Aww, the movie's fantastic!
JL: [adjusts himself in his seat] Oh, I'm glad you--[she cuts him off]
RS: Have you had a chance to just sit back and watch it?
JL: I was very fortunate in the, uh... Anthony, um... works and lives about 10-15 minutes from where I live in London, so... and was incredibly generous in that, once we'd finished making it in Romania, he said, you know, pop by and come and be a part of the process: watch it being edited, watch it and give your opinion. So, I saw it at various stages.
RS: You know, we should talk a little bit about it because this is about Inman, and he goes off to war [Jude interjects with "Yes"] and he defects and he's making his way back to his sweet Ada who he's head over heels in love with, played by--[Jude perks up]
JL: With whom he's only shared one kiss [expresses this by holding up one finger].
RS: Absolutely, but that's what makes it so great, is they have this lifetime...
JL: Yeah, four years apart.
RS: And just this one kiss, they share this incredible moment. But then they're apart for all this time, they get back together, and I wanna show a clip [cut to "I'll marry you, I'll marry you..." scene in Cold Mountain after Inman and Ada reunitie].Yeah, Inman goes through some incredible physical difficulty. He is hunted, shot at, wounded, drugged, doped, uh... [Jude interjects with "Buried" and chuckles] dragged with people in chains, buried. Anthony Minghella says that he never had a doubt that you would be right for the role, but he worried about putting you through all of that. You, Jude Law, putting you through all of that. Did that concern you at all?
JL: You know, it never did, it's one of those things I suppose where you see the page [smiles a little] and you know what, uh... what you're in store for [Renee laughs], and... it's interesting, the biggest challenge for me wasn't any of the physical obstacles, it was more... ensuring that Inman's voice, Inman's journey, if you like, was clearly portrayed through someone who distrusts words. I mean, I probably have 50 lines in the whole film, and yet he's at the heart of it and at the forefront of the whole picture.
RS: You're no stranger to praise, but can I just show--[corrects herself] read to you what Newsweek Magazine said about you in the film? It's pretty heavy stuff, uh... [starts reading from the magazine as Jude listens intently] "It's Law's understated, mesmerizing performance that carries the film and gives it its soul, much as he carries his life sustaining vision of Ada in his hopeful heart" [Jude smiles]... [Renee slightly whispers, in awe] Wow! [Jude says "Mmm"] I mean... what do you say to that? When people say you're the soul of the movie?
JL: [contemplates for a moment, then says very sincerely] I'm thrilled.
RS: [laughs a little] "Now go see it!"
JL: [laughs] Yeah!
RS: Because ultimately, yes, that's what we want, but... boy, that's really somethin'.
JL: Yeah, I'm thrilled, because for my experience, I'm just thrilled [pauses] it's finished. That Anthony has done what he's done with this... collective of work, if you like, that everyone put into it and now there's an opportunity for everyone else to see it. And if at the heart of it I... [smiles] hopefully carry this wonderful character and I'm thrilled that people recognize that and I just hope... I hope people see it and enjoy it.
RS: On a personal note, are you ready for the holidays? You know we are right next door to one of the world's biggest toy stores [Jude laughs] and you've got children, so are you ready?
JL: [sits up in chair and points in the direction of the store] I'm gonna duck right in there... straight after this interview [he really emphasizes those last words and it strains his voice, so he puts a hand up to his throat].
RS: Right, right, because... what do the kids want?
JL: [still holding his throat] I am so... can you hear my voice? I'm so tired and my voice--I'm run down [smiles].
