From the moment that he begins the
interview, one of the first things that becomes apparent about Ralph
Fiennes is how remarkably well-spoken he is. His grammar is flawless. It
is clear that this is a man who is blessed with a keen intellect and
a sharp wit. He is charming. He is shy. He is sensitive. He is a proper
English gentleman. And, well, those good looks don't hurt either.
He is everything that you would like to take home to Mom. And he is
sitting here with me. Lucky me. I could be run over by a bus right now
and I'd still have smile on my face.
Okay, enough gushing. Ralph Fiennes is not here to be ogled by a goofy,
small-town girl. He is here today to talk about Red Dragon, so let's get
down to business.
Red Dragon appears to mark a departure from the dramatic, romantic leads
that have become synonymous with Ralph Fiennes. In it, he plays Francis
Dolarhyde, a man tortured by a degrading, painful upbringing, a man who
feels ugly and unloved. Oh, by the way, he is also a serial killer.
But is this really a departure from his previous roles? Speaking to
Fiennes, it seems that Francis Dolarhyde still falls fairly close to
home. He enjoys these roles that have, as he puts it, "some meat on
the bone".
"When I read this screenplay...we see a man struggling with how to
deal with his emotions, how to relate intimately with someone else. So
that was the appeal, that it played more than just one facet."
"I was surprised, and that was why I did it, I think...I picked it
up thinking it was going to be...just this sort of cardboard cutout
psychopath, and there I was really pleasantly surprised that it was a
great role."
"If anything, I think the emotion of the film lies in the story of
Reba and Dolarhyde. The heart of the film is in this story, the real
human emotions at work."
With this in mind, I wonder aloud, do you actively seek these types of
roles, or do they come to you? Fiennes ponders the question for a
moment, before replying. "They tend to come to me, I think. But I
guess I seek them out, I mean...that's what's interesting to play."
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