Paul Bettany
Paul Bettany
Paul Bettanyis an English actor. He first came to the attention of mainstream audiences when he appeared in the British film Gangster No. 1, and director Brian Helgeland's film A Knight's Tale. He has gone on to appear in a wide variety of films, including A Beautiful Mind, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Dogville, Wimbledon, and the adaptation of the novel The Da Vinci Code. He is also known for his voice role as J.A.R.V.I.S. in...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth27 May 1971
CityLondon, England
You'll still work with some directors where that doesn't happen, and sometimes it's out of necessity because you're in a really complicated, choreographed fight scene and the whole thing is being prevised in a computer, so it's been decided months before, but I think that's sneaking into the way action scenes are shot.
I was born a Catholic and now I'm a lapsed Catholic. I'm something but I'm not a believer any more.
I realized that this story [Shelter] is all about family, family loss, and how it influences you day to day life.
I still read the British papers, but I've never been a Royalist, ever. It's funny, there always seems to be much more of a fascination with the Royal Family over here then there does in England.
For a while, I stopped enjoying making movies and I stopped enjoying acting, because I made a few decisions that I wish I hadn't made.
It's weird, because usually if you're British and you go to America you play baddies; but I play naughty people here and goodies in America.
I remember coming on my first set and it being a playground of things I wanted to ask questions about: cameras and lenses and what the lenses do, what's the focus puller doing and how does that work? Why is there less margin for error when there's less light? I was always asking questions and watching directors closely.
The trouble with talking about acting is that it's like sex. It's enormously fun to do but just dreadfully embarrassing when you have to talk about it.
I do feel that scripts get developed now to a point where they're sort of actor-proof. If the actor is not very good, the narrative still survives because it's all in the dialogue. Not to say there aren't great performances in English-language films, because there are every year, but the 1970s were awash with great performances, and I was wondering whether it had to do with the amount of space and the amount of responsibility given to the actors.
Logic doesn't really provide for loyalty. If your logic changes suddenly and things not make sense, you can alter your allegiance, but love stops you from being able to do that.
The only way one can guarantee one's loyalty is love. Loyalty is beyond logic, really.
I have an interest in giving people a cathartic experience, and making them look at homeless people differently, and making them question how they judge people, in general.
I have no interest in movies that take you somewhere dark and leave you there, for no reason.
In a world of increasing grey areas, we are becoming more and more entrenched in black and white positions.