You’ve played a lot of characters who’ve become cultural touchstones. which one do people associate you with most?Neo from the
Matrix trilogy. Even now. And that came out in 1999. Man, I’ve got to get some new stuff going. I feel like that film was iconic in a way, but I don’t feel like an icon myself. An icon is, like, John Wayne and the American West. I don’t feel like John Wayne.
But guys have spent entire weekends getting stoned and watching Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.[
Laughs] You know, I was talking to a friend, and he was like, “Listen, man, if it’s a Saturday afternoon and
Speed comes on cable, I’m watching it to the end.” Some movies are just like that. For me it’s something like
Apocalypse Now. If that comes on, I’m watching it. Hell, that’s one I’m actually putting into the DVD player.
Do you ever worry about being seen as a character by the public?After
Bill & Ted there were some people who took that character as me. And I was always like, “Actually, no. Actually. No.”
Did you care?It depends on the exchange. If people reduce you that way, it’s a drag.
Maybe people didn’t get that you were just being funny.Am I funny? Do I make you laugh, like a clown? I have a sense of humor. As a kid I loved George Carlin. Richard Pryor. Sam Kinison. I like storytellers. And a good pratfall now and again.
You’re better known for your average-guy-confronted-by-darkness roles.You don’t think Jack Traven in
Speed is funny?
Well, maybe Not as funny as Little Buddha.You’ve got me there.
If you could play only one part again, which would it be?Can I pick one I wish I
didn’t do? Well, I don’t want to disparage anyone. I wish I’d had a chance to do a second
Constantine film. I loved playing him. He was hard-boiled. Broads and demons. He was delightfully bleak.
Who else did you like?I really enjoyed Kevin Lomax in
The Devil’s Advocate and Prince Siddhartha in
Little Buddha. Then, of course, you’ve got
Bill & Ted.
That’s up there for you?Yeah, it is. I’m proud of it. I think it’s
excellent.
