Doug Liman on Swingers, getting arrested, American Made, Bourne and much more… Now, hes back with another thriller, this one taking place over a much broader canvas.

Heres what Liman had to say… Ive been really lucky in terms of the people Ive gotten to work with.

I just loved this unapologetic outlaw rule-breaker, whos doing it with an airplane.

Some extraordinary things came out of this Cold War.

All of those aspects of the story I loved.

Im gonna make this film, so who do I wanna cast?

I thought hed be pretty fearless about jumping into Barry Seal.

So I sent him the script and he loved it, and he loved the idea of it.

Yeah, thats why I asked.

But then when you look at Barry Seal, hes kind of a pawn, isnt he?

Hes used by the CIA and the government for their own ends.

They play to his weakness.

But he plays into their weakness.

I mean, everyone inAmerican Madeis flawed.

There are no heroes in this story.

The closest is his wife, who holds it together, [the actress] Sarah Wright.

Shes in a jail that looks just like the prison hes in in the movie.

Were like, this is a woman who thought she was marrying a TWA airline pilot!

Here she is, years later, and she remained in love with him.

Think of Julia Roberts playing Erin Brockovich the real Erin Brockovich just doesnt look like Julia Roberts.

In the case ofFair Game,actually, Valerie Plame was as attractive as Naomi Watts.

But Barry Seal was deeply loved by the people who knew him.

When he heard the film was about Barry Seal he was, Oh, I love Barry.

When I said, How did you know Barry?

He said, Oh, he stole an airplane from me!

And that guy loved Barry.

The people at the DEA who knew him that we met with loved him.

He was like, the largest drug smuggler in American history, probably.

And the DEA agents who handled him loved him!

In all honesty, I love that character.

Its part of why the tone of the film is judgemental.

The flying that he was doing in the 80s is not something you could do today.

Its reminiscent of the wild west, the kind of outlaws weve often celebrated, like Butch and Sundance.

That you enjoy that discovery in research.

Im really interested in real people in extraordinary situations.

The detail and reality to that.

How would people really react in those situations.

But theyre genuinely good people that believe in their mission.

Thats a more interesting dynamic.

Because obviously, he was involved in the Iran-Contra investigation.

Yeah, well certainly my father gave me exposure to the inner workings of Washington.

When my father conducted the hearings into Iran-Contra, there were public hearings and then there were classified hearings.

There was no shortage of these little absurdities.

He didnt key in at a computer, he just dictated stuff out loud.

And my father said, Okay, read that back to me.

Because thats how he would work hed dictate to his secretary and shed read it back.

But the guy says, I cant read it back to you.

You dont have your security clearance yet.

It was just, like, whatevers on that computer screen is now top secret.

There were so many things like that.

They had no interest in fighting.

There are little easter eggs for people who wanna dig through.

Yes, we are aware that the story is even crazier.

But, you know, I wanted to make a film about Barry Seal, not about the contras.

But Adolpho Collero, who was the head contra, hes wearing a Coca-Cola t-shirt in the film.

So hes no Che Guevara!

I mean, he was not a revolutionary at all.

Adolfo Calero just moved back into his home.

The war was so ridiculous.

The way you describe it like Catch-22, where wars this absurd thing where everyones out for personal gain.

I was pinned up against the ceiling, which I did find funny.

It hurt, but I found it funny.

From there, Tom and I were like, wouldnt it be fun to do that in the movie?

That was my process with Tom Cruise.

Wouldnt it be funny, or wouldnt it be exciting, or wouldnt it be funny and exciting…

But there is no flying double for Tom.

He does all that flying on his own.

Its pitch black, you cant tell its Tom.

But Tom Cruise doesnt have a stunt double.

He did flying in the film that the professional pilots couldnt do as well.

Its the precision with which he can fly is extraordinary.

I can appreciate that because Im a pilot.

Hes really serious about it.

He does it with such care.

Um, I do.

Even though I asked.

I kind of have a sense of…

I was actually arrested in college for a stupid prank and got away with it.

Ten years ago, we got arrested for ice-skating in Central Park on the boat pond.

I turned to my friend and said, Should we run?

I said, Youre probably right.

So we just turned ourselves in.

So I do have this sense of like, you know, my rebellious nature has to evolve.

So I have to be more careful about where I ask them to go.

But it hasnt stopped me from doing the things, its just maybe Ive thought about it more.

Im going into Baghdad tomorrow morning.

Whereas the earlier me wouldve not made that phone call.

So Im still breaking the rules, but Im apologising in advance to the people.

Well, thats progress, isnt it?

Doug Liman, thank you very much.

American Madeis out in UK cinemas on the 25th August.