Spider-Man 2 (2004)
The Interview with Daniel Gillis
Daniel Gillis plays the Astronaut that gets Peter Parker's Girl in Spider-Man 2. Gillis was born in Canada and raised in New Zealand. The 28-year-old is engaged to Rachael Leigh Cook (She's all that) since December 2003. He will be seen on Swiss screens again later this year. He stars alongside India's Superstar Aishwarya Rai in Gurinder Chadhas (Bend it Like Beckham) new Film. Based on Jane Austen's novel Bride and Prejudice will span across several continents. OutNow.CH met Gillis in Zurich on July 7 2004 for the Interview.
» Das Interview auf Deutsch übersetzt
OutNow (ON): First of all the obvious question: How did you get he part?
Daniel Gillis (DG): I auditioned.
ON: You auditioned?
DG: I auditioned and I got the part. The old traditional round of going in and auditioning and getting the role. It's kind of a boring answer, I know. It's funny to me that I've been asked this questions many times and I've been wondering what people expect me to say. "I met Sam Raimi at a party and he said you'd be the guy"? It just doesn't happen that way, you know. Certainly, Hollywood has its wish lists. I'm sure Tobey's a part of them and James is a part of them. But I'm not necessarily in that league yet. Every project has its wish lists of people that they want, you know, and offers are made out to those people but no, I auditioned.
ON: How would you describe John Jameson?
DG: Hmm, kind of a bit of a square really. I imagine he's a bit like a poster boy for Abercrombie and Finch, he's the all American boy really. Nice, sweet.
ON: Kind of boring?
DG: Kind of boring, kind of jock, kind of the guy who folks in white bread America would be happy their daughter brought home on them.
ON: Did you spend a lot of time with J.K. Simmons?
DG: You know, I didn't! I spent a couple of days with him on set. He's a very funny man. He's a really ridiculously funny guy. But I didn't spend a lot of time with him actually. It's funny, he plays my dad and I just didn't do any scenes really with him. I would have liked to. I mean there were a couple of things that didn't quite make the film that kind of had us interacting. It's disappointing because he is such a great actor. He did a show, I don't know if you guys get it here, called "Oz". I think it's called "Oz". It's a HBO show. And apparently he plays the most hardcore badass white supremacist. And he's really sinister in that. It's probably a lot of fun for him to play something so kind of comic bookie and theatrical and large, you know.
ON: Were you aware of your character before you auditioned?
DG: No. I didn't know anything about Spider-Man really.
ON: You just thought "Wow, cool! Spider-Man!.
DG: Yeah, yeah, yeah exactly. I got lucky. Really, really lucky.
ON: In the comic book, your character would develop a lot more.
DG: Yeah, they say that.
ON: He'll go to another planet, he brings back Venom, one of the main villains.
DG: Yeah, he brings back Venom
ON: Are you signed for Spider-Man 3 then?
DG: Yes. I don't know in what capacity I'm part of it. There is no script. I just know I may be part of it. I'm signed for it, so...
ON: Why do you think there are so many comic book movies released?
DG: Because, I think, technology developed. I think that CGI made it possible. I think computers made people's dreams come true. There have always been guys like George Lucas and Peter Jackson. There imaginations were almost beyond anything technology could supply. It's probably still beyond what it can supply. I mean George Lucas' prequels, that he's come back up with, don't even compare to the originals. I think he's lost some of the essence of the storytelling because now he has gone too deeply into the aesthetic of it and the look of it. He's lost some of the humanity, soul and spirit of it. Which makes you appreciate the Lars von Trier films. He's quite back to the raw element. But to answer your question I think it's purely technological. I really think that's why people are getting obsessed with comic books. And also because the medium is very close to film. If you look at the storyboard for a movie it's extraordinary close to film. They're really two very similar media. And I think people see it as a dream come true to make a comic come to life because it's almost simpler than making a great novel into a film. Because visually it already exists.
ON: Did you notice any change already because of your involvement with Spider-Man 2 ?
DG: Not really. It's brand new. The movie has just been released in America and as it was released in America I was kind of on my way here. So I haven't experienced anything. I don't know what to expect, to be perfectly honest. It's already been very successful in the United States. I've been waiting a long time for the movie so I don't know if you can ever be ready, you know.
ON: How many times have you seen the movie?
DG: I've only seen it once.
ON: Do you have future plans until 2007, when Spider-Man 3 is released?
DG: I did another movie right after I did Spider-Man. I did another one just before. I'm probably gonna promote those movies. At the moment I'm looking at prospective next jobs. I haven't made any decisions. I certainly hope I'll be working before 2007. Otherwise you're going to have a very overweight, drunk, drug addict- looking John Jameson by the third movie.
ON: How new is this whole publicity thing for you?
DG: I did smaller stuff and I worked in New Zealand. I've been a professional actor for some time. TV-Series and movies back home and I've done a fair amount. I mean certainly this is the biggest thing I've ever done yet. Definitely publicity on this scale is something I'm new to. But it's always the same thing: It's just you, one other person, talking and a camera. And hopefully a microphone that'll work. It's not too difficult.
ON: In the end we've got some keywords and we'd like you to give a short keyword answer
DG: Sure like... (snaps his fingers)
ON: Internet
DG: Porn.
ON: Switzerland
DG: Porn.
ON: Sequels
DG: Porn.
ON: Kissing Kirsten Dunst
DG: Mechanical.
ON: Superheros
DG: Exhausting.
ON: Sam Raimi
DG: Cynical, funny. I'm gonna give you two. Sorry, I cheated. He's beautifully cynical. The most beautiful sense of dark humor. Sorry, I shouldn't say that much.
ON: That's okay, we're done.
DG: Awesome
ON: Thanks!
DG: Nice to meet you, guys!
