Tell us all about Skin Trade.
I wanted to make a movie with a serious subject matter but that could still entertain the audiences with action. I read an article years back about girls who were being trafficked from Mexico to the US and they were left at the border. They died in this van, from heat exhaustion and suffocation. This was part of the inspiration for the screenplay which had various locations. And now, beyond the film, in real life I am personally involved with fighting human trafficking organisations called C.A.S.T. in LA, which stands for Coalition Against Slavery and Trafficking.
You’ve worked with some fine actors over the years. Who are some of the best?
I’ve been lucky enough to have a 30-year career, which in this business is a very long time. I mean Rocky IV is 30 years old! Of course, Sly [Sylvester Stallone] is a driven individual who knows what he wants and has been a star for five decades. And he gave me Drago so I have been lucky enough to breakout with Rocky IV and then come back and do The Expendables trilogy with him. But I’ve worked with many great people over the years including Sly, Jean-Claude, Louis Gossett Jr, Ron Pearlman, Michael Jai White and others.
Do you think any of your past or present work has ever been under-appreciated?
I don’t know about under-appreciated but you certainly don’t know which ones are going to be hits while you are making them. But it is certainly great, especially when I come to places like Australia and meet the fans who tell me they got into boxing because of Drago or they joined the military because of Universal Soldier.
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