Clive Owen

Emmanuel Itier: So how is it to meet 150,000 unchained fans at the Comic Convention of San Diego?

Clive Owen: It was just amazing! I mean, these are the people who pay for the seat to come and check out your film, so you have to be respectful and thankful. This was really incredible for me, and I had never experienced something that gigantic.

EI: Was the attraction to do Shoot ‘Em Up the madness of the movie and to let all your rage out?

CO: That’s exactly what it was–just unleash the rage in me! [Laughs] This was the wildest and funniest trip I took in shooting a movie. From the opening scene, with my character delivering the baby and the shoot out, you know you’re up for something insane and unique. I read the script and thought this was really fresh, witty, unique, and I really wanted to do it.

EI: Speaking of something witty and wicked is this mad sex scene with Monica Bellucci. Tell us about it.

CO: Well, for sure this was amazing, and from the time we saw the animated vignette that Michael Davis had done to convince the studio to back up his vision, we knew this would be a scene like none you have ever seen on the screen–pure sex and pure violence! And I think that this is a very fun scene and that people will get the dark humor behind it.

EI: Did you put some of Clive into…

CO: into Monica?

EI: Well, if you say so–let’s do the XXX-rated bonus interview with the real “behind” the scene…

CO: Ah! Ah!

EI: But seriously, did you put some of yourself in this mad character you’re playing?

CO: Physically, yes. I put a 100% of Clive Owen! But this was such a well-written character with incredible lines from Michael Davis that I just had to show up and shoot the movie. Michael has a particular voice that can’t be imitated, and he is a crazy man!

EI: Tell me about working with two types of babes: the real baby and Monica babe!

CO: The real babies–they were twins–were incredible and they were cast before they were born. When we needed a crying baby, we made sure we would shoot with the one that didn’t eat for a while, and when we needed a quiet one we took the one that just got his milk! We were very careful with the babies. And about Monica, she was such a sweet delight to work with and has a real committed attitude. This was truly a bloody fun ride for me.

EI: Beyond the ride, are there any themes or metaphors that people should get from watching Shoot Them Up?

CO: No! This is just unashamed, and it delivers what it is suppose to deliver: a crazy, wild, and out-of-control popcorn ride! And all of that with a high level of wicked humor…

EI: What about working with guns? Did this give you a “Superman” complex?

CO: Not at all! I’m English and we’re not very good with guns. On top of that, you should have seen the face of my kids when they saw me on the set with two machine guns in my hands and shooting madly all over. They were terrified! “What is this movie daddy is doing?” I just had to train a lot to get to a certain level of comfort with the guns. That’s it.