DarkMode/LightMode
Light Mode

“The Transporter” Interview: Jason Statham

Jason Statham will tell you fighting 12 guys while maneuvering a truck through massive explosions is more than a little dangerous.

But he loves every minute of it.

Statham, who got his start as an acting novice in Guy Ritchie‘s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, is a confirmed action junkie who enjoys any number of physical challenges–martial arts, high diving, racing cars, performing incredibly difficult stunts, you name it.

- Advertisement -

Now this daredevil-turned-actor is poised to become the next major action star with his new movie The Transporter, in which he plays Frank Martin, a mercenary courier who transports illegal “packages”–human or otherwise–for the right price. Frank lives by simple but strict rules, never asks questions about his dubious cargo and just wants to be left alone. Until, that is, he starts breaking his own rules one by one and becomes personally involved with one particularly attractive “package”–a Taiwanese immigrant named Lai (Shu Qi) whom he finds wrapped up in the trunk of his car. That’s when all hell breaks loose.

Hollywood.com caught up with the charismatic Statham to talk to him about his need for that adrenaline rush, working with director/writer Luc Besson (The Professional) and his own set of rules by which he lives.

It looked like you worked pretty hard in this movie.

Jason Statham: It was a long shoot! I was filming 78 out of the 80 days. But I enjoy all of it immensely because of all the stunts. I did almost all of the stunts and 100 percent of the fight stuff.

How do you prepare yourself for such physical work?

Statham: I knew what this role would entail beforehand. I knew what was ahead of me. I’ve been doing martial arts for many years, since a very young age and have been a competitive high diver for 12 years. So I got to use a lot of my own skills. It all came back to me very quickly. You have to focus and dedicate your time.

- Advertisement -

What was the hardest stunt you had to do?

Statham: The scuba diving was pretty difficult, since I had never done that before. On my first dive, [the dive instuctor] took me down into a dark cave. Then he turned off the flashlight and pulled off my mask–just to see what I’d do! In a dark cave under the water. On my first dive. [Laughs] That was a lot of fun.

Sounds like it. Sign me up…!

Statham: Didn’t bother me that much, really. I’m just an adrenaline junkie.

How do you unwind from all that adrenaline?

Statham: With a very large pint of lager. There was also lots of red wine on the set, you know, having the movie shot in France and all. That helped a lot.

- Advertisement -

You have got to have one of the better stories on how you became an actor. Something about being a con man on the streets of London, selling jewelry from a suitcase and ending up meeting indie director Guy Ritchie?

Statham: I guess it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. I met Guy through some mutual friends when he was casting Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He was looking for an authentic, street guy who could bring a lot of dialogue to the table and who’d know all these colorful characters. So, I came in doing what I’ve always been doing.

[PAGEBREAK]

And lightening struck?

Statham: Honestly, I thought I’d do this silly movie, gather my friends and say, “See? I’m in a f***ing movie!” But I got bit right away.

Actor wanna-bes would kill to have that kind of luck.

Statham: Yeah, I know. People in drama school waiting all this time for their chance and here I am getting this break. But it’s like winning the lottery, ya know? It’s just my chance and I say let’s go!

Now you’re the main attraction. Do you feel any pressures about carrying a movie on your own?

Statham: Not until now–thanks! All I know is that working with these filmmakers, and Luc Besson, and doing what I love, I feel pretty good about it. I just knew when making [The Transporter] that it would be something I really enjoyed making and I’ve done the best I can with it.

So you’re comfortable being the next action hero?

Statham: Hell, yeah! I love the action genre because I know I can do it. I’m not the type of guy to sit around in a chair with my name on it and have a stunt guy do what I know I can do myself. It’s cheating, really, and the audience knows that. You can see it’s me and I think that’s rewarding to the audience to know it’s really me doing all that stuff. And only in the U.S. can you make these kinds of movies. They don’t make action movies in England. It’s more about making a cup of tea or putting on a period costume.

What was it like working with Luc Besson, the creative force behind The Transporter?

Statham: [After we met] Luc decided to write this movie especially for me, which I felt incredibly honored by. As the co-writer and producer, Luc was the major creative hand behind The Transporter. Even though he was too busy to direct the movie himself, he was very close to it. It was his vision. There is an aura about Luc, and what he saw for the film, so we didn’t deviate from that…stuck by his set of rules.

Speaking of which, your character Frank lives by his own strict set of rules. What rules do you live by?

Statham: I believe in karma. I believe what you give out, you get back. I try to live my life as good as possible, keep the people I care about the most close to me and try not be a complete a**hole. ‘Cause all those people you piss off on the way up, you’ll see on your way down.

The Transporter opens in theaters Oct. 11.

- Advertisement -