You have to hand it to Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. When it comes to making interesting film choices, whether big-budget studio flicks or ambitious indies, they approach their roles with a spin all their own – who else would base their pirate character on rocker Keith Richards, or portray Batman with all the weight of Brando’s Godfather? The two both chose to star in Public Enemies, directed by Michael Mann (Heat, Collateral), playing men on opposite sides of the law: Depp is legendary, charismatic bank robber John Dillinger; Bale is the intense FBI lawman in dogged pursuit, Melvin Purvis. Together—but separately— at a press conference this week, they gave us the back story of this stylized period action drama, as well as some glimpses into what lies ahead for future projects like Depp’s Alice in Wonderland and Pirates 4 and Bale’s Fighter.
In a pin-striped vest, white shirt with unbuttoned collar, with longish hair and a goatee, the notoriously press-shy but twinkly-eyed Depp took a seat at a table before a roomful of about 15 reporters to give some insight into Dillinger, the 1930s bank robber who charmed the media, escaped jail like Houdini, and became something of a folk hero to a Depression-era nation.
Question: Is this one of your more… “normal” characters?
Johnny Depp: They’re all normal! To me. People are all crazy. He’s one of the more normal—he made a grave error in a moment of drunken ignorance. I remember a few of those. [Laughs]
Question: Do you think this movie will resonate now?
Depp: I hope so. In 1933 the banks were clearly the enemy. Banks are still the enemy! If people start robbing banks, I guess if nobody gets hurt that’s OK. I think I’ll start robbing 7-11s. [The room bursts out laughing]
Question: Did you like shooting entirely in HD?
Depp: I prefer film. I like the grimy texture of cinema.
Question: The pics of you as the Mad Hatter just came out. Can you give anything away about it?
Depp: Going from the restraint of Dillinger was like being fired out of a cannon. It was great fun, and one of those things where you’re just amazed you weren’t fired. [Laughs] All I’ve seen are bits and pieces, but what I imagined it to look like is how I feel I thought it should look, which is the first reason I was surprised I didn’t get fired! I brought my weird little drawings and Tim brought his weird little drawings and they were not dissimilar. [Laughs]
Question: Where are you on the Lone Ranger?
Depp: I think we’re still in the super beginning stages. There’s all kinds of possibilities, but I have some good ideas for the character that I don’t think have been done before.
Question: It’s not often an A-list actor returns to the same role four times, like Pirates of the Caribbean 4.
Depp: Call me a glutton. If we can get the screenplay right…who knows what they’ll do. They’ve gone a little overboard with the complicated stories and plots. Not that I’ve seen the movies, but I hear tales [smiles]. I love the character and enjoy playing it so much…at this point I’m trying to turn it into a Beckett play. Who knows….maybe they wear geisha clothing. [The room laughs]
Question: Finally, what about Dark Shadows?
Depp: It’s happening. When Tim is done with Alice and we get the script, which is very close, we’ll probably attack it next year. It’s exciting. I loved the show when I was a kid. It’s like a lifelong dream for me.
Uber-serious Christian Bale (who’s in great shape for his next role) gave us his take on what it was like to play the Federal agent known as “the Clark Gable of the FBI” tasked directly by J. Edgar Hoover to bring down Public Enemy #1, and who was so tremendously affected by his years tracking down criminals that he committed suicide in 1960.
Question: How did you approach this role?
Christian Bale: Purvis didn’t have a personal goal of taking Dillinger down; he understood why the public viewed him as a hero. He had a personal hatred of [Dillinger crony] Babyface Nelson. His driving motivation was a belief in Hoover and his vision. I was fascinated by Purvis. This was an era that haunted him for the rest of his life.
Question: What was it like shooting the old-time guns?
Bale: It was quite quaint! The handling of the weapons, your stance, it’s all outdated. Back then, holding a gun with two hands was seen as unmanly, like how a woman would shoot. Modern guns are more capable, but old guns had more character.
Question: How was it working with Michael Mann?
Bale: Inspiring. There’s a difference between actually directing a movie, and calling yourself a director. Same with actors. A lot of actors like being actors, but not actually acting. [Laughter]
Question: Did you like filming in HD?
Bale: I’d love to shoot in HD all the time. It’s fantastic. I don’t want to know when they’re shooting me close up, or wide.
Question: You’re looking thin, like you’re in training. Is this for Fighter?
Bale: Yes. This is for Fighter. We might start within a couple of weeks. There’s nothing like boxing for getting you into shape. It’s the story of two incredibly gifted boxers. One, Dicky Ecklund, fought Sugar Ray Leonard when he was 21. He had a very hard life. Then he came to train his brother, Irish Mickey Ward, to a world title. There’s nothing like boxing for getting you into shape.
Question: Now for the Batman question. Has there been any talk of another one?
Bale: I really cannot tell you if there will ever be another Batman movie. I’m none the wiser about if we’ll ever be revisiting Gotham or not.
Question: No update on another Terminator movie?
Bale: [Somewhat tersely] We haven’t talked at all about a next one. It all depends on the script.
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