Michael Fassbender is about to come to Cannes to premiere Macbeth this week, which means that we’ll have lots of Fassy photos and hopefully lots of new interviews too. Fassy’s also doing some promotional stuff for Slow West (which has a DirectTV premiere) and for Jobs, the Steve Jobs bio-pic which will be out later this year, possibly as an awards-contender. So, we’re getting some quotes here and there about several different projects. Here are some recent Fassy quotes that I found interesting:
Fassy on his Lady Macbeth, Marion Cotillard: “I can’t speak highly enough of her. For me to take it on, it was, ‘OK, Shakespeare.’ But she’s French speaking. I just thought it was incredible bravery. And she’s excellent.”
Fassy on Aaron Sorkin not knowing who he was (as revealed in the Sony Hack): “What email leaks? It’s whatever. People have opinions. The Internet is the Internet. I have a job to do, so I just get on with that.”
He based his Slow West character on a Clint Eastwood cowboy: “I hope [people see similarities], because Clint is my favorite cowboy. Obviously we had the little nod with the cigar. Well, ‘little’ — it’s quite a large nod. Clint was always in the back of my mind.”
Whether he’s ‘too serious’: “I would (expletive) hope not! I hope definitely not. I like to keep myself fairly balanced. I suppose I have a short fuse with annoying things, like threading a needle. That’s about as bad as I get. I try to put everything into my work and then enjoy my downtime with as little drama as possible.”
His privileged life: “Most people in the world do really hard jobs and they do them every day of the week. I live a pretty sort of privileged life. There’s no place for me to go, ‘Yeah, it was pretty difficult and it was psychologically wearing and blah blah blah.’ Nobody should hear that or wants to hear that.”
His future: “I don’t want to become comfortable and complacent because then there’s just no point in doing it anymore. Just trying to involve myself in more areas, I suppose. Maybe one day to get behind the camera at one point would be something I’d like to do. But whether it will ever happen is another matter. Who knows in a few years’ time where my priorities will lie?”
[From Yahoo, Associated Press, the NYDN]
I like that he kind of brushes off the stuff about Aaron Sorkin – Sorkin didn’t know Fassy’s work at all last year, when they were casting the Steve Jobs bio-pic that Sorkin had written. Then, as the Sony Hack revealed, Sorkin saw Shame and suddenly Sorkin loved Fassy. So it all worked out in the end. Still, Fassy doesn’t look anything like Steve Jobs. Eh.
Also: I loved what he said about Marion Cotillard. Here’s hoping Marion can do a good Lady M!
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I love what he said about not complaining about his job and realising his life is very privileged.
I couldn’t agree more—-he doesn’t whine like some actors do when there are people in this world who truly suffer so much more.
Me too. Love that quote. He’s paid very well to do something he loves. There should never been any complaining from these Hollywood types.
I love his attitude about this.
Yes! He usually rubs me the wrong way but I love this interview, especially that fragment. I guess, I have a short fuse with annoying things as well and one of those things is when too serious for their own good, oh-so-very-method actors start whining how hard it was to play a complicated or disabled character. No one forces them to actually live like their characters and that’s the privilege. “Try acting, dear boy!”
I did too. This was a great interview.
I’ll thread your needle…..
With what ever color he needs or wants. I like his overall attitude knowing that acting is not brain surgery, but also respecting the craft, and not getting bent out of shape over the leaks. He is a talented fellow. Lean but sexy. I so enjoyed his promotion last year with McAvoy and the X-Men gang. They were delicious and fun.
Dammnit! You beat me to it.
Haa! It looks like the other guy in that top pic already beat you to it……or atleast tried to.
A great interview with no hint of pretentiousness. How refreshing.
Playing Lady Macbeth was brave. Oh boy.
A question for the English readers, when someone writes something like this
“I hope [people see similarities], what does it mean? he didn’t say the words people see…..
it was understood from the conversation?
Really would like to know
Thank you
The writer added those words for clarity. Michael didn’t say them but it’s understood from their conversation.
thank you 🙂
Yes, it’s a way of paraphrasing without breaking up direct quotes.
However… all my life, every time I see one of these in text, it totally distracts me from what I’m reading. I *always* have to figure out what words could have gone in between, e.g. whether there was a full sentence separating them, whether the actor chose a colloquial or vulgar term, whether there’s a longer way of saying whatever goes between the brackets, etc.
Is that just my weird brain? Or do other people stop reading and wonder about those too?
i was wondering too, thank you for the explantion too
Sometimes it’s done to use part of the interviewer’s question w/o a lot of back and forth. So instead of
Q: how was your day?
A: great! I found a great skirt!
Q: do you always buy vintage?
A. No. I appreciate a lot of new things as well.
You get
“[My day was] great! I found a great skirt! No, [I don’t always buy vintage], I appreciate a lot of new things as well!”
thank you 🙂
Good answers! Someone has taught him well, or he just learned. I am dying to see Slow West.
As much as I enjoy the X Men movies I must confess I’m mostly awaiting promotional appearances and another round of the Fassy/McAvoy variety hour. They are soooo good.
I love the other guy’s expression in first pic! He’s all, “Heeeeey there, Fassy. How you doing?”
I am that man. He is me.
*laughing*
That expression is perfect meme-bait.
I read the whole interview, and it’s great. He’s so intelligent and down to earth. His reaction to the Sorkin putdown is classy.
mmmmm…..Fassy.
Wait-what were we talking about again?
I have often wandered with actors if “The Internet is the Internet,” and even though I don’t think Fassbender reads what is written about him on websites or fan boards, I have often wandered if their publicity people do (PR people for actors in general).
I find interesting what he said about his work and the comparison to what other people do as work because I did read a “convo” on IMBD about this exact same thing.
It’s not the first time he says this. I’ve never read one interview where he’s pretentious and takes himself and hus work too much seriously.
Maybe I mis-wrote, English is not my native tounge. I thought interesting having read convos in another forum where people were discussing this point a couple of days ago and then see an article/ interview with the same subject matter. My interest is more along the lines of how much attention does it trully get what people or fans write about a celebrity and actor. I would think whether they like to admit it or not that PR people do pay attention.
Keep in mind that I thought it interesting how Steve M mentioned human trafficking in his Oscar’s speech. The firts time I saw someone comment about the subject matter was on a webpage thread, not the interviews that had been given about 12 YAS.
.
Wow! He looks really good,he hasn’t look this good in a while.
I like when successful actors are sane and aware enough to know how privileged they are, there’s nothing more irritating than a whiny millionaire who gets paid to do a job they love and thinks they’re the worlds greatest tragedy for no reason.
He’s a great actor and has a brain.
He’s a wonderful actor,and I’ve always like how he’s easygoing,down-to-earth and not pretentious. There’s a reason why people like to work with him. When I see the drama from other film sets,I appreciate him even more. Never read a single interview where I was annoyed by his attitude. Fassbender doesn’t come from a privileged,rich family,he has earned everything he has now. He has talked in the past about working night and day to pay the drama school,or not having the money to pay the Tube.. He knows the difference.
Hiddles and Fassypants in one day – Oh My!
Michael has always presented (to me) a very level-headed, blue collar work ethic. Work hard, play hard. But he knows what he has, and he knows what is like not to have. And I think having parents display a solid work ethic have kept him grounded. Love this man. Which he dated 30 something Americans…
It’s Hump day… how appropriate to have a couple of my favorite Brits being posted about. Hiddles doing the sex and Fassy being awesome. What a great day!
I love Fassy. I want to put him in my pocket
I love Michael, he’s so awesome, very level headed and lovely. Great actor too, love the x men movies.
You know, I like this guy and I would enjoy just hanging out with him and shooting the breeze.
Simply that.
“But she’s French speaking.”
So???? French people can understand and learn how to perform Shakespeare’s lines too, you know.