Actor didn’t have to look far to play Old West villain
When hired as a resourceful villain in “True Grit,” Barry Pepper didn’t have to look far to understand what it was like to live in the Old West.
“My stock is of early settlers into Canada,” Pepper said during a telephone interview to promote “True Grit,” directed by Joel and Ethan Coen (“No Country for Old Men”), now in theaters. “They built the first log cabins and schoolhouses in British Columbia.
“For the role, I drew upon family stories I had heard. My grandma was pregnant with my father and had to ride eight miles on horseback to have him delivered. She then had to ride back (to her cabin).
“As a hobby, I took up blacksmithing, because my great grandfather did that, and I have a few of his tools. I really enjoy working with my hands, and at Christmas my favorite thing is to make something out of wood.”
For Pepper, working with his hands led in a roundabout way to acting. He attended art school for graphic design because he wanted a background in all mediums of art.
His life took a drastic change when a film crew came to town.
“I was living in Vancouver at the time Johnny Depp was shooting his TV show ’21 Jump Street’ there,” the 40-year-old actor said. “Trucks and trailers were all over the city. I’d be walking by them and it was intoxicating having the cast and crew in my backyard.
“I had an opportunity to become involved as an extra or a day player, and I thought, ‘This would be interesting to look into.’ “
He never looked back.
After spending five years studying acting, he headed to Hollywood and landed small parts in various television shows and TV movies. Pepper’s career blossomed after director Steven Spielberg hired him for the showcase role as a spiritual sniper in the World War II epic “Saving Private Ryan” (1998).
“Steven was incredibly open to interpretation and allowed each of us (supporting actors) to improvise,” Pepper said. “He had tremendous confidence in us to create these characters and use what intersected in our own hearts.”
His outstanding performance in “Saving Private Ryan” led to parts in “Enemy of the State” (1998) with Will Smith, “The Green Mile” (1999) with Tom Hanks, “We Were Soldiers” (2002) with Mel Gibson, “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada” (2005) with Tommy Lee Jones, “Flags of Our Fathers” (2006) with Ryan Phillippe, and “Seven Pounds” (2008) with Smith.
The PG-13 “True Grit” offers the versatile Pepper another showcase role as outlaw Lucky Ned. He protects one of his associates (Josh Brolin of “Jonah Hex”) from a former lawman, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges of “Crazy Heart”), and a 14-year-old girl (newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) seeking revenge for her father’s murder.
When the Coen brothers, who are best known for dark modern fare such as “Blood Simple” and “Fargo,” announced they were adapting Charles Portis’ acclaimed 1968 novel “True Grit” (previously a 1969 film with John Wayne) for the screen, many doubted that a frontier tale would have broad appeal.
Pepper, whose role in the original was played by Robert Duvall, wasn’t one of them.
“I think Americans love Westerns like ‘True Grit,’ because they connect us with our forefathers, who were brave, bold and free,” said the actor, who will next be seen opposite Kevin Spacey in “Casino Jack,” which opens Jan. 7 and follows a lobbyist whose plan to peddle influence leads to disaster. “The Coens capture the spirit of the West in this film, and it’s all told from the voice of a 14-year-old girl, so it sort of reinvents the genre.
“The book is so deserving of a faithful retelling. It has particular rhythms, and there wasn’t much improvising.
“It’s a beautiful film for them.”
Bruce Lee Broadway bound
Bruce Lee may soon be lighting up the Great White Way.
According to the current issue of Inside Kung-Fu, the personal story of the late, great martial artist will be told in the musical “Bruce Lee: Journey to the West.” The production, scheduled for a 2012 debut, will follow the actor/martial artist from his early days in America when he faced prejudice and through his career. Kung fu, Chinese opera, modern dance and pop music will be part of “Journey to the West,” which is being directed by Bartlett Sher, a Tony Award nominee for his direction of the acclaimed revival “South Pacific.”