Young Is Dumb.

I interviewed Sam Rockwell prior to the release of the 2008 film Choke, which was based on the Chuck Phaliniuk novel of the same name. The story deals with sex addiction and at the time this wasn’t as widely discussed with the Showtime series Californication having just come to television and David Duchovny having recently spoken publicly about it. It 

The interview was published in the now defunct and print only newspaper The Skeleton News in Chicago.  

(Originally published in The Skeleton News #13, 2008)

With the success of 1998′s Fight Club, the latest adaptation of a Chuck Palahniuk novel to the big screen has a lot to live up to. However rather than try and cater to the expectations of those fans, first time director Clark Greg took Choke in a different direction. The film plays up the story’s humor more than Fight Club, and while less dark is still effective on a comedic level.  

Choke is the story of a sex addicted Victor Mancini, played by Sam Rockwell. Victor spends his days working at a colonial theme park as an Irish indentured servant alongside his best friend Denny played by Brad William Henke. Both Denny and Victor attend a sex-a-holic group to discuss their problems with strangers. The film makes a point to highlight that people at these meetings aren’t limited to those afflicted with deep psychological traumas.

Victor’s mother Ida Mancini played by Anjelica Huston, is confined to a pricey women’s mental health facility. The inhabitants are primarily elderly women who suffer delusions and harass Victor every time he visits, accusing of him of molesting them and breaking their hearts.

Wesley Stokes: How did you get the role as Victor?

Sam Rockwell: I came on late and was probably on a long list of actors he’d gone to before me. I could see Robert Downey Jr. playing the role. It’s a certain tone of character.

WS: Were you a fan of Palahniuk’s books before reading he script for the film?

SR: I wasn’t. I loved Fight Club, so I read the script for Choke and then read the book. Choke’s the only one I read but Chuck is an amazing writer. He’s very descriptive and that helps as an actor. He’s very smart and just really cool. The fans were really pressuring but he was hands off and just let us make the film.

WS: The subject of sex addiction isn’t really a topic that people talk about or one that many take seriously. Michael Douglas was admitted to rehab for it once before as well as David Duchovny. You attended some sex addiction classes to witness what it was like first hand. Did you gain a new perspective?

SR: All I had to say was “My name is Sam and I’m a sex addict.” I didn’t wanna get too personal. They go there to be heard and talk about their problems and it’s a personal place. It’s very intense. Sex addiction is a pretty serious disorder. Anything compulsive can turn into an addiction.

WS: On a more humorous note, did you spend anytime researching neo-colonial theme parks?

SR: I didn’t have the time to do it and I really wanted to! We saw some pictures of the people and they all looked like hippies! The stuff in the book is so good but the sex addiction is required research.

WS: The choking at restaurants is sort of the reflection of the random detached sex. With choking, there’s the motive to scheme money from rich people who are seeking to feel better about themselves for saving someone, but Victor makes the point about the embrace of a stranger and the intimacy of it. In this sense, he’s a balanced person.

SR: It’s all about gaining that intimacy. He has the same goal in both things.

WS: With it being Clark Greg’s first film, did things go smoothly?

SR: He’s been an actor for a long time so he has that experience. Sometimes with first time directors there’s a way to talk to them about things but with Clark I think he knew things many first time directors may not know.

WS: Anjelica Huston does an amazing job as Victor’s mother Ida. She really carries the delusional mother role. Did you spend a lot of time with her and how was the dynamic between you two?