[Watch the video interview on YouTube here]
Film Courage: Hugo Weaving, also known as Agent Smith from The Matrix movies is given credit for playing V, but there are several actors and stunt people that played him.
Did you have to fire a previous actor?
James McTeigue, Filmmaker: Yeah. So, the film started off with James Purefoy. He was the character of V in it.
It became apparent after like a couple of weeks of shooting that it just wasn’t working.
And the reason it wasn’t working, because James is a great actor, actually, was the mask.
And as soon as you put someone who’s used their face or their visage for 40 years of their life as their tool, all of a sudden you don’t have that face.
You don’t have that face to express all the emotions you might need to express, whether it’s whatever it is, running the gamut of emotions.
And I think James just felt uncomfortable in the mask.
It made his physicality awkward in the mask.
It made his performance in the mask kind of weird.
So, we just said, “Hey, this isn’t working.”
“And yeah, let’s part ways.”
And he was good about it because I think he understood, right?
I mean, I think it set him free a little bit.
Because it was difficult, it wasn’t difficult between us, but it just was apparently I’d gone to watch dailies and go, “Oh my God, that’s not working, right?”
And look, I don’t know how many films I’d done by then, but I’d never fired the lead actor on a movie.
Here I was directing my first movie, and…(Watch the video interview on YouTube here).
Freedom! Forever! Tickets are on sale for V for Vendetta 20th Anniversary, returning to theaters nationwide November 1 & 5.
Stand with V & get tickets now at https://hubs.la/Q04yXwMW0
SPECIAL THANKS TO PANAVISION
Thank you to the good people at Panavision who provided us this beautiful theater as our filming location! – Panavision.com
About:
James McTeigue is a visionary filmmaker whose distinctive blend of striking imagery, provocative ideas and visceral storytelling has made a lasting mark on contemporary cinema. His directorial debut, V for Vendetta, became a global cultural touchstone, establishing a bold cinematic voice that runs through Ninja Assassin, The Raven and Breaking In. His work spans the ambitious television series Sense8, Messiah and Marco Polo, alongside his role as co-director and producer of The Matrix Resurrections. With experience across landmark productions including The Matrix, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Moulin Rouge!, McTeigue brings exceptional craft, scale and creative conviction to every project.
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