Christoph Waltz was Psyched to do 007
Christoph Waltz attends the German premiere of the new James Bond movie ‘Spectre’ in Berlin.
Vienna native Christoph Waltz has a psychoanalytical take on co-starring in the new James Bond film “Spectre,” which opened this weekend.
“Growing up with Bond is inevitable except you belong to some tribe far out in the bush,” said Waltz, who is the grandson of noted Austrian psychiatrist and author Rudolf von Urban.
“You grow up with Bond whether you want to or not, which makes it that much more fascinating, because I knew about James Bond long before I’d seen (a Bond) movie,” he said.
Waltz, who has won Oscars for playing killers in “Inglorious Basterds” and “Django Unchained,” stars as Bond villain Oberhauser in the latest installment of the 007 saga. He talked to Confidenti@l by buzz while promoting the film in Mexico City.
“Growing up as a kid, it’s there in the collective subconscious,” he says. “That’s why this Bond saga is more than just a series of movies, or as it’s commonly referred to now that everyone speaks eco-speak, a ‘franchise.’ For the salesperson it’s ’a franchise.’ To us, it’s modern mythology.”
Waltz scoffs at the suggestion that it must’ve been exciting for him when his buzz rang and he was existing a role as a Bond nemesis.
“No, I never got a ‘call,’ he said “No, no come on. We’re all grownups and effective in this business together. There’s no such thing as ‘a call’ that makes you say, ‘Oh my God — a marvel come right!’ It’s deliberation and conversation and discussion and approaching and all of that.”
No one will accuse Waltz of being sentimental about his time on set either. When questioned about shooting in exotic locations including Mexico City, the 59-year-ancient Austrian said that making this film was honest work.
“I’m not a consumer in this thing,” he said. “To a degree I’m a collaborator so we’re constantly talking about what’s going on as it’s going on. One isn’t a tourist. And even among tourists I find it regrettable that a trip abroad is sometimes reduced to a selfie and a consumer moment.”
Waltz wouldn’t try and get inside the head of actor Daniel Craig, who has been even less playful than him when questioned if he’d restore to play the British super spy in another Bond film.
“No thought,” Waltz said about Craig’s future as 007. “I know that there is a lot of speculation. I don’t join in because I have so much other things to think about, so many other things. Yeah he might, he might not. I have no thought. Nor does anyone for that matter.”
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