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Gary Oldman: Mr. Nice Guy

Oldman Interviews
Posted by: Edward
June 23, 2007, 12:37 AM

Actor Gary Oldman, who plays Sirius Black in the Harry Potter film series, is the subject of a new interview with Telegraph Magazine. In the article Mr. Oldman speaks about his over twenty-five years as an actor, a time in which he played many roles, a few closely mirroring his own life. The topic of Order of the Phoenix also comes up, where Mr. Oldman talks briefly about his newly evolved role as not only godfather to Harry Potter, but more as a traditional father-figure as well, saying: ‘I felt in a way that [in the new film] I got to play the character rather than the situation.’

Fellow Harry Potter actor Dan Radcliffe is also quoted, remembering the first time he met Mr. Oldman. Radcliffe noted:

’’[Gary] was the person I was probably most starstruck about meeting. We’re now really, really close.’

...

“There’s something incredibly magnetic about Gary. I just think it’s his intensity. It’s a constant process of refinement when you work with him. Some actors will do a fantastic first take and after a couple of days, start to get tired. With Gary you could do 100 takes and every time he’s trying to get it better and better. He’s fearless.’

I ask Oldman if this is fair comment.

‘Um.’ Pause. ‘Well it’s very sweet of him.’ Pause. ‘Yeah, I guess that’s pretty… Hmmm. Not as fearless as Mr. Radcliffe. Because I don’t know if I could have done what he’s done, and in particular what he’s done recently in the theatre, in Equus.’

You can read the full interview here, where Mr. Oldman speaks more on this many roles, his family life and a bit more about the upcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which will be released in the US on July 11.

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Comments (19) | Average 3.0 (552 votes) Browse all Recent Oldman Interviews News
1 
Tammy

That was very nice of him to say that about Dan.

Posted by Tammy on June 23, 2007 @ 01:03 AM
MuggleBorn Kylie

oh, i so agree with Dan! and with Oldman! LOL i just love them both so much! they’re so lucky to know each other! :)

Posted by MuggleBorn Kylie on June 23, 2007 @ 01:03 AM
Emma_W

wow Dan, called Mr. Radcliffe with Mr. Oldman ..that is NICE!!!!

Posted by Emma_W on June 23, 2007 @ 01:29 AM
Emma_W

I meant, call Mr. Radcliffe by Mr. Oldman, it’s a great accomplishment

Posted by Emma_W on June 23, 2007 @ 01:29 AM
Lee

I agree with Tammy

Posted by Lee on June 23, 2007 @ 01:33 AM
Graymayne

What an excellent interview! I’ve got shivers of expectancy over this coming film. Must have a good supply of tissues.

Posted by Graymayne on June 23, 2007 @ 02:10 AM
Karen (the one without the avatar!)

Blimey, I didn’t know Laila Morse was his sister! Good interview.

Posted by Karen (the one without the avatar!) on June 23, 2007 @ 04:01 AM
Eeyore

Is it just me, or are the interviews this time round, getting better? That was absolutely great. I didn’t realize he lives in LA, nor that he’s a single dad. Pretty incredible, and I love it that he puts his kids needs first.

Nice guy, indeed—absolutely!

Posted by Eeyore on June 23, 2007 @ 04:16 AM
anne

I agree with Eeyore. He seems a really nice guy. And considering the interviewer saying his work doesn’t get noticed there’s at least two HP actors, Dan and Jason Isaacs, who think he’s the best actor of his generation. That’s better accolade than Oscars.

I’d like to see his impersonation of Russell Brand- I can just imagine it in his Sirius costume!

Posted by anne on June 23, 2007 @ 04:58 AM
Heidi

great interview. Loved it.

Posted by Heidi on June 23, 2007 @ 07:45 AM
Person

Hopefully this means Gary Oldmen won’t be STRANGLEING Dan in OotP. But anyway that was very nice.

Posted by Person on June 23, 2007 @ 08:33 AM
Christine Moua

I love Gary! lol! :] & Dan is very nice to say that.

Posted by Christine Moua on June 23, 2007 @ 11:53 AM
Christine Moua

I love Gary! lol! :] & Dan is very nice to say that.

Posted by Christine Moua on June 23, 2007 @ 11:53 AM
unicorn

He’s such a brilliant actor & a beautiful human being. Life is interesting. How lucky are we & a whole new generation of young people that he’s Sirius—-Perfect!

Posted by unicorn on June 23, 2007 @ 07:30 PM
padfootrocksmysocks

i think that was nice of dan to say that about him, and nice of gary to say that about dan.

padfootrocksmysocks LOVES gary oldman!!! hes one of my fave actors. and he’s so … versitile… if thats the right word for it. i think it is. and unicorn ur so right! we are so lucky to have him as sirius… he is the pwerfect person for the part. i think i thought of him when i read PoA (the moive had already come out but i hadnt seen it…) and i was thrilled to discover that he was sirius! it was a dream come true!

Posted by padfootrocksmysocks on June 23, 2007 @ 09:25 PM
kerri

I was reading OotP last night and read the chapters about Mr Weasleys attack and St. Mungos. Sirius in these chapters seems to be blissfuly ignorant of what Harry is going through. he walks around grimmauld place humming ‘God rest ye merry hippogriff’ and decorating headquarters cheerfuly while his godson is freaking out that he’s the weapon LV is seeking. My point is, do you guys think Oldman is going to play canon Sirius or his version of Sirius? I just cant see how Dan and Gary are going to get the emotional side of their connection into the films when in the book they pretty much are happy working out their problems seperatly. Yeah they have a few emotional moments but how is this going to work into the film?

Posted by kerri on June 24, 2007 @ 03:15 AM
Fran

he’s a cool guy. I would pay good money to see his Russell Brand impersonation. That would be hilarious.

Posted by Fran on June 24, 2007 @ 10:30 AM
Wild Sirius

Love you Gary and love your work! I’m so pleased there was a feature interview with Gary Oldman appearing somewhere in the media – I know that Gary’s performance in OotP will be heart wrenching and I know I am going to be devastated and sobbing when watching this movie (as Sirius is my favourite character) – I’d better take the tissues!

Posted by Wild Sirius on June 24, 2007 @ 08:14 PM
ruben

kerri, like the article says, Dan and Gary get on really well in real life and that can be felt on screen. My favorite part of PoA was the scenes with Harry and Sirius, and the scenes with Harry and Lupin, because Dan has a lot of chemistry with the older actors (with the younger ones too but everyone knows that) so I loved those scenes. And I can not wait to see OotP because I know I will love their scenes, I’ve read the first reviews, the ones people who saw the pre screening in Chicago wrote, and all of them agree Dan and Gary are fantastic, separately and together. If there is something you don’t need to worry about it’s them and their relationship. :)

Posted by ruben on June 25, 2007 @ 06:59 AM
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