DH Radio | The Lead: 'Contagion' actor John Hawkes talks about the movie, career choices

In this episode of The Lead from DH Radio, the actor who played Roger on 'Contagion', John Hawkes talks about his other films and what makes him choose a movie.

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

Nina C George: Hi, John.

John Hawkes: Hello, how are you?

Nina: Am good. How are you? How are things there?

John: I was about to ask you too. Things in Los Angeles are pretty good and we are slowly making our way I think out of it. I don't know if they'll ever be a moment where they say everything is fine... It's difficult. How are things, there?

Nina: It's almost the same here as well, john. It's no different. What did you do during the pandemic? I mean, are you working on some script? Or were you listening to scripts?

John: Not so much? You know, I have a lot of other interests. So I was playing, you know, playing music and writing a bit and up so much. I actually did good work on on on a script, I'm going to make a short film with a friend, just something to do. And... Yeah, I've been reading and golfing a little and just trying to be outdoors as much as I can.

Nina: Okay, great. I think 'Contagion' that's the movie that you worked on so many years ago. But looking at it now.

John: Yes

Nina: The situation is so similar. And when you observe is quite popular now.

John: Yes. Yeah.

Nina: And it's also the most widely watched cinema on OTT. But did you think you know, when you chose the script, what made you accept contagion?

John: Well, I'll tell you the director Steven Soderbergh is one of my favourite directors. I didn't know him. But when my agent called and said, Steven Soderbergh would like us to be in, in his movie, I said, I will do anything. I will sweep the floor if I have to. And my son, what's the role? And they said, I think the guy's name was I can't remember his name, but it was a janitor... I remember.

I hadn't been, I don't know. I've been very lucky to not have been able often in my life. At that moment, I was very sick. I went, didn't go to the hospital. But I had just had a flu that lasted a couple of weeks. It started at the Sundance Film Festival. I got very, very, very sick.

And I remember as I was reading the script, I felt you know, it was hard to reach sort of, and in truth, I've ever seen the movie. I need to watch it, I'm embarrassed to say it, but it kind of scared me so much to read that I didn't really need to watch it.

Nina: But at that time, you know, it must have seemed like just another, you know, fiction movie, right? Something that it would be interesting for the audience. But today when you look back, it's like everything that is said in the movie is true. It's happening. It's happening for real.

John: So true. I did, yes, I did have a feeling that it was something that could happen because we shot scenes at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta at the CDC. And those people are very smart. And I knew that there were, I hadn't read any but I knew there were books called the coming pandemic and things like that, you know, it's like it came completely out of the blue, but still, it's a shock when it's when it happens.

Nina: Really coming to maybe your career really, john, you've done some of the most critically acclaimed films, 'From dusk to dawn', 'Rush hour' and possibly every role in every, you know, big Hollywood blockbuster. So what was it like for you, when you accept the role? Did you just grab it because the director was good, the script is great. You just want to be a part of it. What was it?

John: Yes, I think that most of my personal smaller movies, I believe, you know, as well over here.

I.. when I am choosing a project, I am looking for a really great script. That's well written a good story. And also, I'm looking for a role that really matters in that story. And then also, I'm looking for amazing people who are telling that story. to collaborate with those three things.

Nina: Between 'Winter's Bone' and 'The Sessions' which is more thrilling and exciting for you?

John: Wow! That's so hard to answer. I think that because 'Winter's Bone' was the first project that I was in where I was nominated for a lot of awards. And suddenly I was doing a lot of press and I was travelling all around to promote it was very exciting in that way.

I think 'The Sessions' was exciting on another level, I guess because I was the lead in the film. And it was also fun to be nominated for a Golden Globe Awards. That was great. So they were both really exciting but maybe because it came first, 'Winter's Bone' was more exciting...

To know more about the conversation, listen to the podcast.

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