Luck On His Side
The swift and irresistible ascension of Eric Bana onto the Hollywood A-List has been nothing short of mind-blowing. The latest in a string of starring roles for the charismatic Australian finds him deep amongst the world of professional poker in Lucky You.
If any role was ever ‘made’ for an actor, movie buffs would be hard pressed to find a better example than Eric Bana and his portrayal of notorious Australian standover man Mark ‘Chopper’ Read in Chopper. His near-flawless performance not only wowed critics, but more importantly allowed Bana to break free from his typecast as a loveable and wacky comedian. Since Chopper, Bana has starred alongside the elite of Tinseltown–such as Brad Pitt (Troy)–and played leading roles under the tutelage of legendary directors Ang Lee (The Hulk) and Steven Spielberg (Munich).
In his latest starring role, Bana has stepped up to the felt in the Curtis Hanson (LA Confidential, 8 Mile) directed poker film Lucky You, alongside Drew Barrymore and Robert Duvall. We caught up with Eric for a chat about his new role, how he manages to attract such a variety of leading roles, and what superhero power he’d most like to bring to the poker table.
How did you become involved with Lucky You?
I came to it through Eric Roth, the guy who wrote the original screenplay. We’d crossed paths on a few projects that never happened, but we went on to do Munich together. When Lucky You came up, I loved it as soon as I read it. I knew Curtis (Hanson) was going to be directing, and I’m a big fan of his work. I met with him and we had a good old chat about it then kept in contact.
Tell us about your character in the film…
Huck starts out as quite an immature and aggressive player. He’s following in the footsteps of his father (played by Robert Duvall) who’s far more of an analytical and play-by-the-numbers kind of a guy, whereas Huck sort of plays as a bit more of a blaster. During the course of the movie, I guess he grows up a bit and matures somewhat, and by the end, his life improves and his poker skills improve in correlation to that. I guess to a degree it’s a tale of maturity.
Lucky You features a number of cameos by professional poker players. What was it like working with them?
It was great. They had great senses of humour, and I would have gone insane otherwise. The shoot was pretty long and arduous, particularly if we were shooting poker scenes where you’d play the same hand thirty, forty times over. So they were great. Guys like Sammy Farha and Barry Greenstein made it a lot of fun. Thank God (laughs).
Was it Curtis’ intention to make the hands seem as realistic as possible?
There was almost too much attention paid to that to be honest. Curtis was a poker lover, probably even before he was a movie lover, so it was done to the point of distraction. I mean it was really great for poker people, but it was pretty tiresome. I’m sure poker people won’t be disappointed in that aspect of it. We spent hours pouring over whether any certain hand should or shouldn’t be in a scene at that point in the film. So everyone would have their two cents worth, and finally two hours later it would be time to put on the cameras again. So yes, if a hand seems improbable, there’s more than one person to blame because a lot of effort was taken. Curtis wanted it to be realistic from that point of view, and he really put the effort in to ensure that we didn’t suffer any embarrassment.
Did Curtis’s meticulous nature run throughout the shooting of Lucky You?
Definitely. Some people are more detail-oriented and more obsessed with detail than others. That’s just a personal thing, and he definitely has that style. Other directors can be a lot looser and more performance-oriented. Others get very meticulous on visuals, others on props or continuity. It’s all about different style, I guess.
How did Curtis Hanson’s style compare to other award-winning directors you’ve worked with?
Curtis’s style is undoubtedly unique. I always find it really tricky to make comparisons between directors because I find they’re even more varied in their approach than actors. Of course, great actors also always bring something new to the table, but I think directors differ far more so in their personalities and methods, and none of them are like each other at all. I don’t think I’ve worked with two directors that are even vaguely similar to each other.
What’s the biggest gamble you’ve taken in your career?
I think it was probably at the beginning with the crossover from sketch comedy and stand-up comedy, towards my having a real throw at drama. In Australia, no one had seen me to do that; they thought I was a clown. Throwing the comedy away, and choosing Chopper as my first dramatic role, was probably the biggest gamble. Had that fallen on its ass, we may not be talking now (laughs).
Was it always part of your plan to try push the envelope in terms of your dramatic versatility?
I don’t really sit down and plan to jump all over the place. I guess I’m pretty lucky that people see enough quirkiness in my background to not be shy about sending me different stuff. However, I definitely don’t look to do wildly different things. At the end of the day, I just really can’t help myself if I read something I’m attracted to. The character always rules for me, no matter where it is or what side he’s supposed to be on. If I love a character, I’m generally going to be up for it. I’m attracted to well-written scripts and great writers, and it’s always a massive bonus if there’s a great director attached. I’ve been in a great position to get some great parts and try to do as much as I can with them. You can do more with some than others, but occasionally you find one that really fits. A bit of luck never hurts either (laughs)!
Are you ever tempted to go back to comedy?
I am tempted. It’s not as though I have a lot of great comedy scripts come across my desk, but at the same time, I’d never say never. If something really good came along I would probably do it.
We hear you’re playing Henry VIII in The Other Boleyn Girl. Have you opted for any method acting to plump up for the part?
Unfortunately I’m playing a much younger streamlined version, so I have no excuse for pigging out on pasta and pizza, which is a bit of a bummer (laughs). I’ve just finished doing a film back in Australia, which ended about a week ago. Now I’m on short break, starting to get ready for The Other Boleyn Girl.
What’s the biggest bluff you’ve ever pulled?
Any time I speak with a director or studio person. I’m always waiting to get found out. I think a lot of actors feel like that.
Have your poker skills improved after working on Lucky You?
I was quite shithouse (Ed’s note: Australian slang for “not very good”) before I started, and I’m only mildly shithouse now. I have improved. I don’t think you can hang around with all those guys for months on end and not pick stuff up, but I’m sure I’ve forgotten all of it by now.
Harking back to your role in Hulk, what superhero power would most like to bring to the poker table?
I reckon a good ‘Hulk out’ would come in handy–especially on a bad beat! However, I don’t know if that is the ideal temperament for a professional poker player.
Finally, and not to broach a touchy subject, how did you feel about your beloved Socceroos and their controversial exit from the FIFA World Cup?
I watched every game live except the last one. I was in complete shock. Nevertheless, it’s been massive for soccer in Australia. Where I come, from it’s all about Aussie Rules, but the last couple of months it’s really gathered a lot of steam. It’s a little bit hard for us to watch soccer if you like the fast movement of Aussie Rules, but we’re a sports-mad country, so we’ll watch it and scream our lungs out either way.
The Making of Eric Bana
Chopper (2000)
Bana’s first major role was that of Mark ‘Chopper’ Read, a notorious Australian criminal who wrote a best selling autobiography while in prison. Chopper was Bana’s ticket to Hollywood.
Black Hawk Down (2001)
As part of an ensemble cast (along with Ewen McGregor and Josh Hartnett) in Ridley Scott’s true adaptation of events in war torn Somalia in 1993, Bana plays a US Ranger trying to save fellow soldiers from rebel gunmen.
Hulk (2003)
Playing Bruce Banner, Bana went from shy retiring geek to angry green CGI giant for his first leading Hollywood role. His character’s battles with the US military were the makings of a blockbuster.
Troy (2004)
As Hector, Bana took on the might of Greece, fighting against Agamemnon’s mighty fleet and doing hand-to-hand combat with Brad Pitt’s Achilles. For all his bluster and good guy charm, his character still took a beating.
Munich (2005)
Low-level Mossad techie, Avner (Bana) heads a team of agents trying to avenge the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre in which eleven Israeli athletes were murdered. As the killings get under way, the team questions how far their retribution should go.
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Posted by MVP2008 – 13 May 2008, 3:12 AM
This Eric Bana guy is pretty new to me, but he seems to be a pretty darn decent actor. And he happens to like Gambling? Awesome! Come to think of it though, there are so many people into gambling out there, even in the acting world. Cool story regardless.
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