< Continued from page 1

Page 2

Was there any bonding by the cast off the set of Alpha Dog?
?We had such a good time on this movie. It was like a group of hungry guys. We all knew it and we were all like, 'Wow, this is really remarkable. All of us are here for the same reason. We want to tell the best story that we possibly can,' and encouraging each other to raise the game. So we were pretty much with each other for two or three months prior to shooting, just working out every day for four hours, which was part of the Cassavetes boot camp.

Instead of rehearsal, he just had us lifting weights. And then when we were on set, most of us wouldn't be in trailers. We were just on the set hanging out.

When we'd move around town, we'd be in the same hotel, eating, when we weren't working just hanging out with each other. It was a real special gang of guys. Timberlake proves himself to be just a wonderful actor and team player. Shawn Hatosy is an exquisite character actor. Chris Marquette, just these wonderful people coming in to do their very best. To tell a story that feels relevant to our generation.?

Would you recommend that fitness program for other movie sets?
?You know, yeah, actually. It was amazing what it did.?

The film?s been pushed back a couple of times. Are you frustrated with the delay in Alpha Dog?s release?
?Absolutely.?

Is now a good time?
?It's hard for me to tell. I don't know. I think it's just as relevant and now also going to court. It's definitely on people's tongues. But it's been interesting talking about it because we did start shooting this about two years ago.?

Would you worry if people look up to your character in Alpha Dog?
?Well, again, that further informs the problem, which is not the movie and it's not the video and it's not the video game. It's the lack of guidance because there's always been violence in culture. There's always been violence that serves as entertainment in our world. Men being eaten by lions. But in the past, before the civilization crashed, there were teachers, philosophers, shaman that provided insight and leadership into negotiate these images and these experiences and be able to develop into strong human beings. Where these days, we have a touch-and-go relationship with our parents and come about that with images that without proper space to discuss and evaluate and consider, can be very destructive. It can be very destructive.?

Are people intimidated when they meet you?
?Some are, some aren't. Some people are really affected and think that the roles that I play are who I am. Other people are just happy to be like, 'Oh, you're the guy in the thing.' And it's nice if anybody sees something and is affected. I think that's a good thing.?

On a completely different subject, have you signed on for any X-Men spin-offs?
?Not that I've heard of.?

Any chance you?d be back if the storyline involves the younger mutants?
?You know, man, they don't really tell me. They don't tell anybody. They say, ?Okay, we got a script. We're shooting next month.??

Would you want to?
?If the material felt like it expanded on the character, yeah.?

You?ve also got 30 Days of Night coming up. How did that go?
?Really good. David Slade is a friend of mine and he directed Hard Candy, which is just a fantastic independent. I had been a fan of the graphic novel previously. He just said, 'Well, I want you in this movie. I don't know where.' I said, 'Well, that's cool.' I've got a bit of a vampire fetish so he showed me some footage that he did of the vampires and I had never seen anything quite like it. It's really remarkable and different and maintains the authenticity and respect to the original material. But I just came in and a full makeup job and became this Cajun drifter, basically a modern Renfield. It was just a fun month of work.?

So you don?t have to wear vampire teeth?
?You know, I'm not a vampire. I really want to be turned. Like a foot soldier fanatic, a foot soldier who wishes for immortality and dismantles a town for them.?

How well could you handle the Western guns in 3:10 to Yuma?
?I have to say pretty well. I really am taken with this project. I hadn't rode a horse before so this has been a great learning experience and super fun. Either work out with your actors or have them ride horses because you've got to tune into the frequencies of the horse. You think and the horse reacts. If you get nervous, it gets nervous. It's meditative. It's beautiful.?

Is there any connection between violence back then and now?
?That's a very good question. I think young men have always tried to prove themselves and it hasn't always been the best decisions. But I can't say there's a [connection]. I don't know how to answer that.?