Interview with William Hurt from 27.04.1995 in Berlin

At the "Berlinale" 1995 William Hurt triumphs with "Smoke".When "Second Best" was on to start in Germany  Dieter Oßwaldfrom "Berliner Zeitung" talked with William Hurt.

You got an "Oscar", but you're notthat much film-lover?
Unlike theater, in a movie the images often concure withthe words. Unlike most others I love dialoges.That's why I feel often sadin a movie, as learned shakespeare-actor: The Text doesn't matter.

Anything else?
What's really frustrating with movies is the lack ofimprovement. I'm expected to come to the set in the morning, smile anddo my job - but that's an insult of my creativity, the creativity of everyactor. I'm not the film-figure myself, I'm just acting. Cinema has thebad usus to put the actors in front of the camera and right that time showmust start. I can't work like that. I need time to create the mask.

You mostly play sensitive and fragilefigures. No fear to get an Softie-Image?
Life is sensitive and fragile as well. But I wouldn'taccept that image for me. In my next movie, for example, I play a veryrough guy. If I've got enough time, I can play already everything.

But no commercials?
Every actor who does commercials sins with Sophokles.Here the audience is maniputated to buy products - and that's done withthe help of drama! I disaccept such an abuse of dramatic forms.

What's the interesting thing aboutmovie-themes?
Many movies want's to set the audience away from theirown lives - I try to avoid that. I want to accept my life, too. And beconfronted with opinions which make it more acceptable. That should everykind of art do.

What would be a director's greatestsin?
The greatest sin of a director is to be jeleaus on theactors - and I worked with some of those directors. The second-worst iswhen a director chooses a topic but he isn't brave enough to catch it.Also I hate it when a director says: "Do it again.". I can't "do it again".I can just do it different.

How important is glory and moneyfor you?
Money is unfair. I don't work for the sake of money.I want to avoid that my properties takes controll of me. Acting is art- believe it or not.