EverythingBillSkarsgård

—This film is based on a hostage situation that garnered nationwide attention in the United States in 1977, but it's surprisingly relevant to today's times. What were your initial impressions when you first read the script?

Bill Skarsgård (hereinafter, Bill): I wasn't very familiar with the actual events, so I learned the details through the script. The script had links embedded throughout. As I read through it, I was able to listen to the audio of the 911 call from when Tony Kiritsis kidnapped Dick Hall, and watch videos of the press conference, which was a very unique experience. The script and the story were fantastic, and above all, I thought Tony Kiritsis, the character I would be playing, was an incredibly crazy character (laughs).

But at first, I struggled to separate my acting from the real Tony . We don't look alike at all, and I agonized over how to interpret the real Tony in my own way. I don't know if I had an obligation to portray Tony in a way that was fitting for the character. I just wanted to tell the true story as accurately and in the best possible way.

So my first impression was that it sounded interesting, but also incredibly daunting . That said, of course, the opportunity to work with such a fantastic film director as Gus Van Sant was so appealing that I couldn't possibly refuse.

—What kind of preparation did you do to play a real-life person?

Bill: I'm the type of actor who does thorough research to prepare for a role, so I spent a considerable amount of time on research. Especially since this film is based on a true story, I was able to research why the real Tony committed the crime, including his background, which was very helpful in preparing for the role.

There are many videos and audio recordings of this incident, which allowed me to learn about Tony's way of speaking. Many of the lines in the script were exactly the same as what he actually said, word for word, so it was quite interesting to hear the real Tony speaking my lines. I did a lot of research on Tony, looking for his speaking habits and other details, and then added my own creative touches based on that to create the character I ended up with.

—What kind of discussions did you have with the director about developing your character?

Bill: At some point, Gus told me, "Don't worry so much about the real Tony" (laughs). I think he was trying to encourage me to create the character freely. But for me, it was important to base the role on the real Tony .

—Tony is a complex character, isn't he? He was certainly unpredictable and frightening, but he also had a dark sense of humor at times, which made him seem very human. What were some of the things you focused on when portraying his inner turmoil?

Bill: We shot this film in 19 days. That was probably the shortest shooting period I've ever experienced, but there was a huge amount of dialogue. I knew it would be a long, emotionally draining shoot, so I worked hard to memorize my lines so I wouldn't have to look at the script on set.

Tony is in a manic state accompanied by intense anger and hardly sleeps. He's not sane. When people fall into that kind of excited state, their emotions fluctuate wildly, they get angry, suddenly start crying, laugh, and then return to anger again—they change very rapidly. That's what I wanted to portray, and it was a big challenge. Actually, I was more anxious before filming started, because there were days when we shot 17 pages in one day.

—Wow! That sounds really tough...

Bill: Right? (laughs). We only had four days to film in the apartment, so we had to shoot the indoor scenes all at once at lightning speed. I was really worried, but once I got on set, it actually helped my acting. Being followed by the camera under such immense pressure had a very positive effect on my acting, and it turned out to be an amazing experience.

—Director Gus Van Sant has worked with a wide range of renowned actors across generations, including your father (Stellan Skarsgård, who appeared in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting). What was it like working with him for the first time?

Bill: Gus is a very calm person. He's intelligent, clever, and of course very creative, but he's always calm and composed. I knew that Gus would be a source of comfort and reassurance. Tony is the complete opposite of calm (laughs). I knew that passionate acting would be required, and during filming, I myself would be in a kind of frenzy. That's why having such a calm leader by my side was incredibly helpful.

Gus is a director who lets the film take shape naturally, and I thought that was a beautiful process. I describe him as a "director who's in a state of Zen" (laughs). He's truly calm and doesn't try to force the film to exist. He allowed the story to unfold naturally, observing and gently guiding us along the way.

In this film, we all collaborated, discovering the tone of the work together. The story has dark comedic elements, and we gradually realized that the Tony we were portraying was a rather amusing character. As an actor, I was truly delighted to work with a director who is so flexible, possesses such keen observational skills, and actively enjoys new discoveries.

—Please tell us about working with Dacre Montgomery, who played Dick Hall.

Bill: Dacre was a truly significant presence. We were literally one (connected by wires) (laughs). Dacre and I got along very well. We had a lot in common and became very close during filming. We are both actors with strong convictions and who assert their opinions. Dacre is a very serious person who dedicates himself completely to his work and pours his heart and soul into his role. We truly came to understand each other through our approaches to things.

Dacre, Gus, and I even did several days of rehearsals together. We'd get into a room and discuss the characters, bringing our interpretations and research findings to the table. Then we'd talk about the power dynamics between the two characters and read through each scene. In that small room, I could feel the film slowly taking shape. At that point, I was convinced that Dacre was the perfect partner for this project.

—Were there any particularly memorable moments during filming?

Bill: We were like two halves dancing together on this film. I was directing Dacre where we should go, while at other times I had to relinquish control. Then again, I also had to take on the role of leading the whole thing, desperately trying to maintain control.

But when we were shooting a scene together, Dacre would suddenly stop, go in a different direction, and improvise. As Tony, I couldn't help but get annoyed, and it was a good way to stir up my anger (laughs). Thanks to that, some interesting, strange, and improvisational moments were created.

—Al Pacino's presence as the president of the real estate loan company was incredibly powerful, wasn't it?

Bill: I met him by chance at a restaurant a month before filming began. That was our first meeting, and it was the only time I ever saw him. For the phone scene rehearsal, it was me, Dacre, the producers, and of course Gus, with Al Pacino remotely.

We still have the rehearsal footage, but the actual scene was quite different. Basically, we were acting out the newly written lines, feeling each other out as we went along, like rehearsing over the phone. But since the actual scene was a phone conversation, that kind of approach felt natural.

When I started improvising, he would improvise back, and we'd yell at each other over the computer. But between takes, during rehearsals, and even when he was delivering his lines, everyone on set was exchanging glances, thinking, "I can't believe I'm acting with Al Pacino!" (laughs). It was a very surreal experience. He was always completely immersed in his role, and on the phone, he spoke with a strong Southern accent.

—What did you learn from working with Al Pacino?

Bill: What impressed me was his playful nature and how he still seemed to genuinely enjoy acting. His "inner child," constantly making new discoveries and fully embodying his roles, was truly vibrant. To think that someone who has built such an extraordinary career and achieved so many great things still possesses that kind of joy even in his 80s—I was truly impressed by that. If I can continue acting until that age, I want to be like that.

—You've played characters living on the fringes of society in various works before. When playing characters who are difficult to defend, what's your secret to finding humanity in them without justifying their actions?

Bill: Tony's actions are indefensible no matter how you look at them, but I can understand them. Or perhaps, understanding them is my job. Living the truth for the character I'm playing is what it means to be an actor.

For Tony, his actions were perfectly justified. He felt used and manipulated. Having worked his whole life, it was his only chance to escape the monotony of daily life. However, he felt cleverly manipulated by the upper management of the real estate loan company, and truly tripped him up. That's why I felt such deep empathy for his desperation and urgency.

—Even if the audience doesn't agree with his actions, is there anything you'd like them to understand about Tony?

Bill: This film depicts a larger issue. That is, how unfair the structure of society is for people born into the working class and low-income brackets, and how the system itself functions to be hostile to them. I think that's also one of the important themes running through this film.

I felt that Tony was also a victim in this series of events. Of course, he is a perpetrator, a criminal, and a kidnapper. But at the same time, he is also a victim. It was important for me to feel that way myself, and I think the story is portrayed in a way that makes the audience feel that it's okay to understand him and sympathize with him. In a sense, it's a sad situation, isn't it?

—Thank you so much for today. Please come to Japan next time!

Bill: I would love to! Actually, I went to Tokyo for the first time last year. I had such a great time, I can't wait to go back to Japan. •