No Payne, no gain

90
who [mark waHlberg]
How similar is the movie to the
cult game
I read the script before I even knew
it was based on a game, and then
I looked at the game and I liked it.
The film does it a lot of justice but
I had never played anything like it.
The games I grew up playing were
like Pac-Man that had no story
whatsoever, whereas Max Payne
has a very elaborate story. So it is
definitely going to satisfy the diehard
gamers and hopefully will also
bring in film audiences; maybe they
will become fans of the game as well.
What was the attraction of
Max Payne
I liked the story and character.
I had just made The Lovely
Bones, which involved a similar
situation with a parent losing a
child but the character in that
film is completely different. He
is not a physical guy whatsoever.
It was great making Max Payne
because I could get out there and
do what the bad side of me would
do, if something like that would,
God forbid, ever happen to my
family. I understood how this
man needed to seek revenge and
I wanted to play a character who
is just completely bad ass, who is
ruthless in his mission to get the
kind of information he needs to
solve this horrific crime.
“I wanted to
play a character
who is completely
bad ass, who is ruthless
in his mission to get the
kind of information he
needs to solve this
horrific crime.”
How much of
a method actor
are you Is it draining
living the character while
making a film like this
It’s very draining. I don’t go to the
furthest extremes of method acting
but I definitely get immersed in
the story. Having that badge and
gun when you are playing a cop
makes your life seem a little crazy.
I liked it, but I could not wait till
the end. My kids of course couldn’t
understand why I was so emotional
while I was shooting the movie. I
would be hugging and squeezing
them all the time, every time I saw
them, because you can’t help but
think ‘what if’
How much of your talent
stems from your own youth
and background on the streets
of Boston
It wasn’t until recently that
I appreciated all the things
I had to go through to get to
where I am now. I have a lot
of real life experience to draw
from. I’ve seen other actors
who have their methods—they
might imagine their kitty
getting run over by a car.
There are different
tricks they use to
get to an intense
emotional
place, but I
feel like I
have very
real things
to draw
from.
That
helps
me as
an actor
and I
think that’s
why people
respond to me
in this type of
role. This is the
kind of film I like to
watch and I think it’s
the kind of film people like
seeing me in.
Why are you so good at playing cops
Because I’ve been arrested by them
so many times! And because there
is a very fine line between cop and
criminal. I’m not saying that is true of
every cop, but some of the guys I grew
up with became cops and they did
worse stuff than I did. Dealing with
criminals you have to understand that
mentality. I think the cops are also the
ones who have the really hard lives.
Max Payne is out across Europe
this month
www.maxpaynethemovie.com