Does playing a character like Chris Farraday, a reformed smuggler, make you think about your past?
You know, I have changed – obviously, drastically – but it’s pretty easy to tap back into that mentality and that mindset. And I love the parts where I get to go off and be a little crazy and beat the crap out of people, especially Giovanni [Ribisi] and Ben [Foster].
What’s the one thing you regret from your past?
There are many things but I can’t really do anything to change it now, so I just try to move forward and better myself as an individual.
What would you illegally smuggle out of or into America if you had the all-clear?
Why would I smuggle anything into the States? I’ve got everything I need here. We used to – back in the day – bring marijuana to other places when we didn’t know how to get it there. But I wouldn’t carry it myself because that would not be a good idea, having been a convicted felon.
You’ve kept yourself in great physical shape for years. Do you make a big effort to keep fit?
After The Fighter, I didn’t do any training and ate like a pig and drank a lot of wine. And when we were shooting this movie, the director was like, “Dude, you’ve got to start getting in shape. You’re getting bigger and bigger.” But I was like, “It’s not happening.” But with this movie that I’m shooting now [Broken City], eight weeks out they were like, “Dude, you’ve got to start training.” So I’ve been getting up at 4:30am and going down to the gym for about an hour-and-a-half. I’m eating clean. I normally eat healthy anyway but after The Fighter I had weird cravings for chocolate cookies, red wine, and a lot of pasta. You think you can eat whatever you want if you’ve always been in shape, but once you’re a certain age, your metabolism slows down.
How was filming in Panama?
There were no rules in Panama. Shooting in New York now is not like shooting in New York when we did The Basketball Diaries [1995]. It’s totally different. Now there are so many restrictions. I was shooting a couple of weeks ago and we went a block away from where our permit was because there was so much traffic. We were doing a scene where I come out, I’m very upset, and I throw a bottle. So I threw a bottle and I smashed it off a car, and next thing you know, I have to call the Mayor and apologise. I have to take out new permits or I’m not going to be able to shoot in New York anymore. But in Panama, we just got off the plane, got in the vans with the cameras, and did whatever we wanted. They were like, “Just drive.” And I was like, “Where?” They were like, “Anywhere. Just go, and drive as fast as you can!” I was like, “OK! No problem!”
Did they recognise you in Panama?
Some people did. I think being recognised has its pros and cons. It was always good when I wanted to get into a nightclub but I don’t go to nightclubs any more. The only time it bothers me is if I’m
in church and I’m on my knees, and they go, “Hey, are you Matt Damon?”
You seem like a guy who’d be pretty handy with a gun. When was the last time you fired one?
I’ve had lots of weapons training for films. The first film I ever did was Renaissance Man and my character was not a good student but he was an excellent shot. He was a marksman in the military. So I’ve been playing with guns for quite a long time. On The Departed I hit a target at 2000 yards [1.83km] on my second day of training with the 50 Caliber CheyTac rifle.
Do you own any guns?
No. I’m a convicted felon, so it’s against the law for me to own a gun. And I don’t like guns, unless they’re in the proper hands to protect innocent people. Movies are one thing – I’m able to differentiate between entertainment and reality – but I think the world would be a much better place if all the guns were taken away.
How did you feel about Entourage ending?
It was definitely bittersweet, but hopefully we’ll do the movie. We are just waiting on [creator] Doug [Ellin] to bring the script.
Which show are you more proud of executive producing: Entourage or Boardwalk Empire?
Well, more importantly, I’m proud of the Golden Globe recognition. We won for Boardwalk Empire and that was the only time we’ve ever won. We were nominated again this year, which was very exciting.
It’s awesome.
You’ve been nominated for an Oscar – that must be alright?
When I got nominated for The Departed, people were like, “Is that going to make you change the way you choose your roles?” I was like, “Definitely not.” I want to do something different every time.
Do your kids factor in your choice of role?
Nowadays, certainly, yeah. It would be very hard to do a movie like Boogie Nights now, and I know that’s going to be a tough one to explain to the kids.
Is that why you chose to do Ted, the sweary teddy bear flick, with Seth MacFarlane?
That’s definitely not a kids’ movie. That’s going to be as dark and twisted as any movie I’ve done. Seth MacFarlane is a crazy person, in the best sense of the word. He is so talented and smart, but he is pushing a lot of boundaries with that movie.
Are you a Family Guy fan?
Yeah, but I had never seen the show before Ted, so Ari [Emanuel, Mark’s agent] calls me and goes, “Look, you’ve got to meet with Seth and I want you to see a couple of his shows.” So they send me this DVD and I’m like, “Oh, it’s a cartoon – I’ll get my kids and they can watch it with me.” Seriously. So I sit my daughter and my son down in the bed and we’re laughing so hard – it was the 150th episode. My wife comes in and is like, “What the hell is going on in here?” And she gets so upset because it’s not appropriate for the kids, but I didn’t even think about that, as it’s a cartoon. I don’t laugh that easily, but I was howling with laughter. Since then, I’ve been watching Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, all of them. I just thought they were regular cartoons. I didn’t know what the hell was going on!
What goes through your mind when you hear your song “Good Vibrations” these days?
You know, it’s not my favourite thing. Early on I wanted to distance myself from it because I wanted to be taken seriously as an actor and I knew that that wouldn’t – in any way, shape or form – help me. But it’s all part of my make-up. It’s all part of who I am today.
How uncool do you think your kids will find it?
I don’t want my kids seeing it! They’re going to go, “What the heck were you thinking, dad?” It’s not the coolest thing in the world. But most people don’t have most of their childhood or teenage years documented on film or video. So I’ve got some explaining to do.
Steve Nash
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