To start your life as a character of 120 years when you are in your late thirties, and then go back in time about 20 years later to play the same character who is your own age then, its very complicated, but very interesting.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I took the part in 'Mr. Holland's Opus' because no one had ever asked me to play 'a life' before. I get to age through 30 years. The idea really challenged me.
For me, what I really want to come out of it is to show people that I can hold together a movie, be the number one character and play someone who is twenty or twenty-one.
As a kid, I did want to be an old-timer, since they were the ones with the big stories and the cool clothes. I wanted to go there. Now, I guess I want to bring that with me and go back in time.
Although just being employed as an actor is a big thing, I'm not sure I'd be satisfied playing the same character for 30 years; it's not why I want to do this for a living.
We're past the age of heroes and hero kings... Most of our lives are basically mundane and dull, and it's up to the writer to find ways to make them interesting.
The whole point of having great characters is the opportunity to explore them more deeply with time, re-interpreting them for each new age.
I'd like to play characters who are older - I don't want to be playing 14-year-olds too much longer.
When you play a character, there are choices you have to make about the past, the present, the future, etc. You have to make those choices on your own a lot.
I've always played characters that were younger than myself.
Everyone is the sum total of past experiences. A character doesn't just spring to life at age thirty.