"The Sea Inside" Interviews: Javier Bardem and Alejandro Amenabar
By Kit Bowen, Hollywood.com Staff
|
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Alejandro Amenabar and Javier Bardem on the set of The Sea Inside |
The importance of life and death is explored in The Sea Inside, a true story that stars the commanding Javier Bardem as a quadriplegic Spanish poet fighting for his right to die.
Ramón Sampedro was paralyzed at a young age after a diving accident severely damaged his spinal cord. The accomplished poet went on to wage a very public 30-year campaign to win the right to end his life with dignity. The film, directed by The Others' Alejandro Amenábar's, concentrates on the later part of Ramón's life and delves into his relationships with two women: Julia (Belen Rueda), a lawyer who supports his cause, and Rosa (Lola Duenas), a local woman who wants to convince him that life is worth living. The Sea Inside shows us how Ramón taught everyone he encountered the meaning, value and preciousness of life, even if it meant the right to end it.
Hollywood.com sat down with Spaniards Amenábar and Bardem to discuss The Sea Inside's very powerful messages--and how the film's Oscar buzz really doesn't fazed them that much.
How huge is Ramón Sampedro in Spain?
Alejandro Amenábar: We all knew him from the television [and his public battle with the Spanish courts to end his life], and when he finally died [in 1998], he became hugely famous. But I never thought I could make a movie about his life. I just got his poetry book, to see how he wrote, which impressed me. Such a philosopher. Then I found out about Sampedro's life, about his relatives, and how all these women fell in love with him. I began to realize how incredible he was and that his story could make a brilliant movie.
Of all the stories you were told about Sampedro, which one struck you the most?
Javier Bardem: His sister-in-law, the woman who took care of him for all those years, told us that Ramón never, ever cried. Not once--at least not in front of his relatives. There is a scene in the movie in which Ramón [breaks down]. We discussed it and thought it would be good because we didn't think people would believe the truth. That he never showed the pain.
I read that much of the script came out of improvisation.
JB: The group of actors we worked with were all amazing, and we knew that this was something very serious. We approached the work very humbly. There was no room for vanity or selfishness, and we pulled together to serve the story. The scripted dialogue was so profound that sometimes we couldn't reach it. So we were focused in trying to come up with the best way to approach it.
Was it difficult playing such a physically demanding role?
JB: It was OK, not a huge deal. It's all about being still, relaxing your body, breathing. And to put everything in the voice and the eyes. It's more about being in contact with yourself, trying to breathe and relax, and relax and relax. But at the wrap party, I just couldn't quit moving. I was dancing and climbing the walls, over the sofa for hours and hours.
AA: The biggest challenge was making the audience forget about the make-up, someone who is 35 playing someone in his 50s. You need a very subtle performance with very exact delivery. That's why I respect [Javier] so much.
Photo(s) by Hollywood.com- © 2005- New Line Cinema- All Rights Reserved