Why are there so many folks congregating when the wind was cutting through the park like a whip?
Was motion-capture something you always wanted to do or was that something that just came with this project?
I didnt really think about it.
I mean, motion-capture was just something that was as foreign to me as anything.
You know, its hard enough just finding a story or a character.
Thats hard enough, let alone a process or a genre.
I dont go, Oh, Id like to do a horror movie next.
Yeah, theres dots, and they kind of make you appear like youre on theTitanic.
Fuck, I dont know.
Then I went to set and I started working with Terry Notary, whos amazing.
He plays Rocket, and hes kind of the guy, the guru of the movement for these things.
I started working with him and I realized, Oh, this is nothing to do with technical.
Were not even talking about that.
I was like, Oh my God, this is nothing to do with [what I thought].
All that other stuff is to record what you do, and hopefully you kill it.
At the same time, filming in mo-cap on some of those snowy locations looked like aRevenantexperience.
Oh, totally, oh yeah.
I love that movie.
I watch that and go holy shit; I keep thinking about just how cold and wet they were.
Even if its subconscious and its not even direct, its, You didnt really work that hard.
Thats the connotation when someone goes, Oh, it was motion-capture.
Oh, it was CGI.
You were on those locations.
I go, No, dude.
I always worry about my back going, but it was Planet of the fucking Apes, man.
And thats what made it great!
I loved every day because of that.
In this film, youre Bad Ape, who can speak English.
Thats very interesting, because up until now, only Caesar could.
So they find another ape, which is huge.
They go, Wow, theres another ape that survived?
Could there be more?
And obviously I was, at the zoo, taught how to speak.
So I have that going for me.
[Laughs] And my character is justthis story gets really heavy, man.
It gets so dark, which is one thing I love about it.
I love dark things.
And it gets really violent, it gets really heavy and nasty.
When you find me, its just, I think, a breath of fresh air.
Theres just something really great about that.
Hes also, I think, kinder and more deferential to humans than Caesar is.
Caesar is very wary of the girl who will be Nova, but you give her your coat.
Sure, but he also wants them to stay.
He gives her stuff because he thinks theyre going to leave.
[Laughs] So its like, See?
So its all good!
You want some food?
Come take my shit.
And I think Bad Ape, in a weird way, replaces that empathy or whatever.
Matt [Reeves] has repeatedly called this as a bit likeA Bridge on the River Kwai.
Yeah, I thought that was really smart, I loved that!
[Laughs] The William Holden?
Well, I guess, yeah, in a way.
Kind of in a way!
Thats a great movie to compare it to.
Its a very good analogy.
And youre the reluctant escapee being sent back.
Back into the thick of it.
I know where to go.
I mean, Im the scout.
Well, Woodys a bastard.
[Laughs] Hes about as bad as you get, hes a bad dude.
Yeah, to reach where the animosity between humans and apes [goes], its really hardcore.
I hadnt seen it, so this was the first time for me too.
You know, Extinct Species and Bedtime for Bonzo.
Make America Great Again.
[Laughs] Yeah, exactly.
Do you have any scenes with Woody?
Its really Caesar and him that have this, going through this [battle of wills].
[Laughs] Yeah, I dont know, man.
Its so different from that, you really cant compare it to the old movies.
Those guysI was just along for the ride, man.
Would you like to revisit Bad Ape?
Oh, my God?
Its really one of my favorite jobs on three levels.
Thats whatusually[it means].
And thats why some people are like, What,Management?
I didnt even see that!
And you go, It was great people and it was good work.
I mean, its truly an amazing gig, man.
Id do it again in a heartbeat.
Thank you so much.
Yeah, thanks a lot.
War for the Planet of the Apesopens on July 14, 2017.
