Waltz on, Blofeld

The new German bi-annual Zeit-Magazin Mann has an extensive Christoph Waltz interview as cover story of its premiere issue. Naturally, Waltz’s role in last year’s SPECTRE was also a topic. A brief excerpt:

 

Financially, SPECTRE has been a huge success. It had a box office of $ 880 million, only one other James Bond film earned more.

 

And yet, Waltz isn’t satisfied – with his own performance, with the result.

 

‘I cannot claim that I’ve really nailed Blofeld. Overall it held water, was okay. But it wasn’t what I’ve been looking for. I was searching for more inspiration.’

 

He has been getting this vibe even before shooting started, but by then it was already too late.

 

‘An actor can only be really good when there are shared possibilities.’

 

He refuses to be any more specific about it, but it’s clear what he means by that: apparently the chemistry between him and director Sam Mendes didn’t play out the way he would have wished for.

 

How does one survive a PR spectacle such as James Bond?

 

First he says ‘I’ve survived worse’ and then he adds ‘There is a tendency to excessiveness. I understand you want to invite as many guests as possible to a premiere. But does it absolutely have to be the Royal Albert Hall? That doesn’t really help the whole cause. In the end it’s a film, and it should remain a film. The next premiere will probably be a national holiday; it almost was this time. I don’t see what’s so bad about the Odeon at Leicester Square for a premier cinema?’

 

At the end of SPECTRE his Blofeld is still alive – is a sequel with Waltz possible?

 

‘I don’t know about that, nobody knows. It wasn’t talked about, except in the press. Right now nobody even knows which studio will produce the next and if Daniel will return. All of that is filed under “carry on”‘

Excerpt from Zeit-Magazin Mann No. 1 / 2016

Translation by HS