To celebrate the Home Entertainment release of Studiocanal’s ROBOCOP, which arrives on Blu-ray™, DVD today, we’ve got a great insightful interview with Jay Baruchel, check it out below:
Q. When did you first see the original 1987 RoboCop, and are you a fan ?
A. I first saw it on video. My dad rented it as soon as it came out, and then he bought me the sequel for Christmas. I’ve seen all the movies and was actually educating Michael Keaton on one the other day in which RoboCop flies…
Q. What is your take on remaking popular films?
A. I don’t believe anyone should make blanket statements on sequels or remakes, because there are some that are terrible and others that are amazing and even better than the original.
Q. Were you aware of José Padilha’s previous work before getting involved in this film?
A. Yes, I had watched his films long before RoboCop was ever announced. I had discovered the Elite Squad movies on my own and was promoting them around my friends because I thought they were exciting, visceral and morally ambiguous: they didn’t tell you who was right or wrong, but just showed you how things are. So, I knew he was a man with a vision and a definitive take on things.
Q. And what did you think of the Brazilian filmmaker after meeting him, and what’s he like on set?
A. When I finally met him I realized that he was exceedingly smart and down to earth. José is just the coolest! He’s a great director to work for because he makes you feel very comfortable on set. José Padilha is a really lovely guy and somebody whose company I enjoy.
Q. You went through a rehearsal period with him and the rest of the cast. How did it help you?
A. The rehearsal period we went through allowed me to not be completely nervous around these awesome actors that I have idolized since I was a kid. I was interested to see how important it was to José that it all made sense to each and every one of us. And if we found a way to say things that would seem more natural to us, he would go with it! It’s an uncommon process in a movie like this, which was very cool.
Q. In the film you play a marketing executive that works for OmniCorp, the company that is trying to introduce robots in America as law enforcement agents and that comes up with the RoboCop program.
A. Yes, I play Pope, a sort of sleazebag marketing executive that is under the umbrella of OmniCorp. He is a slick too-cool-for-school corporate putz who is constantly trying to find a way to re-purpose everything into some kind of marketing ploy.
Q. What kind of a person is he?
A. He is definitely not a likeable person… And he is morally ambiguous. I know that if you play a crummy person you are not supposed to think that he is crummy, but Pope is crummy.
Q. Is he a villain?
A. Well, he’s not a good guy… Pope doesn’t hurt anybody purposely outright or do anything overtly evil, but he’s probably close to being a villain.
Q. Your character provides some important comedic relief in the story.
A. Ideally the audience is laughing or being revolted by me…
Q. How much did you enjoy the shoot?
A. I had a lot of fun with the character and loved that I got to work not far from where I live with idols of mine like Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton or Jennifer Ehle. The greatest part of my job is to get to meet people that I am a fan of and to have them be interested in telling me what things are like and what they have been up to. And, as I am a huge dork, the fact I got to show up and see RoboCop was just great. It was so cool! When I wasn’t acting I was looking at every robot, gun, truck…
Q. Who did you have the most screen time with?
A. Michael Keaton and Jennifer Ehle, who are just the greatest! And for two people as important and well-respected as they are I would have never have expected them to make as many poo jokes as they did… They are lovely, and I really enjoyed their company.
Q. How did Michael Keaton surprise you?
A. By constantly blowing me away with his knowledge and appreciation of Canada. He really knows my own country better than a lot of kids I know from there. And he was fine with me asking him about other movies that he has made. As a life-long movie nerd, to have Michael Keaton on set with you is like having the best “making of” possible next to you; except that he is a human being instead of a featurette…
Q. And what can you say of Gary Oldman?
A. That working with him was a life-long ambition and a dream come true. Gary is an incredibly disarming guy who is a gentle soul and just so nice. And he is also a great resource.
Q. And what can we expect from RoboCop then?
A. A film that will function as a popcorn action movie, but that also says a lot. Whereas the first one was more of a satire, this RoboCop is less satirical and maybe a bit more political. And there are some really badass set pieces in it. It’s going to look awesome! I think there is tons of stuff for kids to dig into and also tons of stuff for people that are looking for more. The best films are the ones that function on more than one level, and this is that kind of movie. I don’t have much say in how the movies I do are going to turn out, so I have to have faith and confidence in the people that make them. And I am convinced that this will be a good film that the public will enjoy and that will hopefully also win over the people that loved the first one too.
ROBOCOP is released on Limited Edition Blu-Ray Steelbook, Blu-Ray, DVD & EST from 9th June 2014.
bfg666
Jun 11, 2014 at 4:03 am
“Less satirical and maybe a bit more political?” You hardly get more political than satire, especially a Verhoeven satire. No, the new RoboCop focuses more on the human element but is in no way more political than the original.