The celebrity I’ve crossed paths with most often so far is probably actor Sean Patrick Flanery (“my damn tweet buddy”) During last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, he answered my readers’ tweeted questions plus a few of my own. I posted part of that video online long ago. As I get ready to head out for SDCC 2011, it occurs to me that I never posted a writeup of that here for you. So here you go. Enjoy.
AFC: So is this your first Comic-Con?
SPF: It’s the first time I’ve been able to wander around and check stuff out I was here last year but I was here just for the Boondock premiere, so they kind of ushered me to specific events and ushered me out. This is the first time I’ve actually been one on one with fans, kind of lurking around as a fan myself. Walking around checking out the neat stuff, it’s a really cool experience.
AFC: It is. Have you gotten to see any panels?
SPF: I saw the Saw panel. And I saw the – not The Incredibles – The Expendables! I saw The Expendables, and the Boondock panel which I was a part of.
AFC: I put out on Twitter that I was going to talk to you and a lot of your fans are following me so I have some questions. You don’t have to answer all of them but maybe if we just pick a few them. The Boondock Betties say hi!
SPF: Hellooo, Betties! I love y’all. Y’all are the queen bees.
Q (fan question): What does he think about the Denver Nuggets getting Big Al?
SPF: They’re in Denver; they’re not in Texas. So I don’t think about them very much.
AFC: Okay. Weapon of choice…
Q: The weapons his character uses in Sinners and Saints? What is his weapon of choice?”
SPF: I was rocking an AK47 and obviously it’s a very well made assault rifle no water, sand, grit can stop that. I think it’s one of everybody’s weapons of choice. Let’s see, “What was it like working with the super awesome cast in Sinners and Saints?” It was killer. It’s like, in a movie like that it’s a lot of dudes doing dude stuff. It’s not too dissimilar from Boondock Saints. It’s a lot of guys going guy stuff having guy fun so it’s another movie that I’d do 10 of ‘em. You know? Like that, it’s just great a lot of fun.
Q: Are you going to record any more music?
SPF: No…you know I recorded that for a Toyota commercial back in the day and they released it in Japan and that song went to number one in Japan and it’s like the most bazaar thing. I literally said I’ll do this for the commercial but you can’t release it anywhere, so they didn’t release it and it went to number one so I don’t know it just went to number one. I don’t know, I just did it for that. I mean I love it, I adore it I had a ball doing it but I never wanted to… I didn’t want to be so presumptive to think that I could have a music career so I did it at the request of Toyota so it went like that.
AFC: So no more albums in the future, at least not the near future.
SPF: Nooo…
Q: What SPF does SPF wear?
SPF: What sun tan lotion? The biggest number that they’ll give me! Because I’m a white Irish boy and I’m scared of cancer. The biggest number they’ll give me.
Q: What situations make me want to take the law into my own hands in so many of my movies?
SPF: The script. If the script tells me to take the law into my own hands (dusts hands off) I’m the man to do it!
Q: Do you play any video games?”
SPF: No. I used to play Formula One and it sucked me into a black hole of a vortex so I’ve sworn off video games.
AFC: That might be good, not to get addicted. Do you watch a lot of action movies?
SPF: Yeah, I love movies. I’m going to see The Expendables; obviously I’m going to see that. You know I saw The A-Team, I mean I like movies! It’s a release. You go in there and you enjoy yourself. Even if its not a perfect 10 film I find enjoyable things about pretty much all movies even if a movie sucked I can find some redeeming qualities. I like action films, I like chick flicks too.
AFC: Really?!
SPF: I really do. I mean, there’s all kind of movies that I like. I’m a fan. I’m a movie fan.
Q: Why don’t you do mainstream films?
SPF: Because they don’t give me mainstream films! You know most actors are going to come in here and say, “Yes, I really avoid the media because I don’t want fame and glory.” Bull****! I do the movies that they give me. If Universal came to me and wanted me to helm a 100 Million dollar pic, roll camera! I’m there! That’s the honest answer, for pretty much every actor.
Q: Why do you do only those roles?
SPF: Because they are the ones they get. It’s not like Sly Stallone is offering and I’m like, “No, no, no, no, no – I want to be an artist true to my core!” Bull****!
Q: The best thing about working a horror film like Saw?”
SPF: The fact that you are doing a movie and you know that people are going to see it.
AFC: Yeah?
SPF: That’s really the best thing. I mean, its wonderful doing something on the day that you know people are going to see. Independent film I can go and pour my heart out in a scene, and I mean some of my best work – in my opinion – has never been seen! Because it’s for independent films that have never seen the light of day! In this, I know people are going to see it. You know? That’s really, if I’m being honest, that’s really the best part about being a part of a film that you know people are going to see it. You know? That’s it.
AFC: All right, you want to do one last one?
SPF: Yep, let’s get one more question and we’ll wrap it up.
Q: What did you think about the last Indiana Jones [the movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls] and the reference to your series [Young Indiana Jones] that was in it, in riding with Poncho Villa?
SPF: I thought it was a killer shoutout! Yes, and shooting that Poncho Villa episode was one of the best days of my life you know on the horse (pretends to gallop), reaching for the dress, reaching for the dress and finally getting it. A little story, my horse, his name was Hurricane. And on that we were following a tracking vehicle for the shot. But what they referenced in Indiana Jones when I’m retrieving the girl’s dress that Poncho Villa’s gang stole. We’re following a tracking vehicle at a full gallop, and Hurricane’s hoof hit the back of the tracking vehicle – the camera mount – fell on her nose, I flew out of the saddle and actually landed on my feet standing up. And then Hurricane immediately got up and came to see if I was ok. And we were like, yeah, that was close. And they got it all on film. That’s somewhere in the vaults of Lucasfilm. So I thought that was a wonderful shout out! That was a shout out, 400 Million dollar film shouting out to something I did! That’s like (raises arms) rock and roll!
AFC: That’s awesome! I’d love to see that clip.
SPF: So would I!
AFC: (laughs) Thank you so much for talking to me.
SPF: You’re very welcome.
AFC: And thank you [viewers] for watching.
SPF: (points to Katrina) Action Flick Chick!
AFC: Action Flick Chick! And Sean Patrick Flanery, hello!
{Note: I already knew the answer to the first question because I’d seen him at Comic-Con before.}
Previous posts:
* Why Saw 3D? Sean Patrick Flanery Discusses Movies He Loves
* Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Prop Giveaway WINNERS – So Who Wants This Tombstone in Their Living Room?
* Saturday at Dallas Comic-Con: The Year in Geek Panel; and on Sunday: Sean Patrick Flanery
* The Saints Come Marching Ink: The Boondock Saints Tattoos Plus Posters and Film Prop Prizes
* The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009)
* Interview with Boondock Saints II Actors Julie Benz and Clifton Collins, Jr.
* The Boondock Saints II Premiere
* Single-Shot Interviews: Worst Superpower, Celebrity Takes
* The Boondock Saints (1999)
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How have I never read this before? I too like “nuked the fridge” over “jumped the shark” as well.