Pirates of the Caribbean 4: Interview with Keith Richards, who plays the father of Jack Sparrow
http://tinyurl.com/6h98m7yOn the occasion of the
Pirates 4 presentation at the 64th Cannes Film Festival, out of competition, Disney delivers an interview with Keith Richards, who returns in this sequel, still in the shoes of Captain Teague.
Keith Richards admits to have had no trouble diving back into the fantastic world of
Pirates of the Caribbean 4: The Fountain of Youth. "Captain Teague is not a complex character, he says. You put on the costume, and in less time than it takes to say it, you become Captain Teague. Somehow, it's a little suit that makes the role ... "
A true rock legend and close friend of Johnny Depp, Keith Richards had already camped out the amazing captain in 2007 in the third installment of
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END. He had a great time and was enchanted with the idea of reprising his role for the fourth episode,
The Fountain of Youth, directed by Rob Marshall and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Johnny Depp had said at the beginning of the project that he insisted his friend be part of what promised to be another great adventure, both on and off the trays.
Johnny Depp says: "Keith had participated in the third movie, it was imperative for him to return. So I told Jerry and writers early in the project: "Captain Teague will be back, no? He absolutely must be there. I'm very glad it's the case, and the circumstances of his return are really great.
"The presence of Keith in the role of Captain Teague in
AT WORLD'S END had been really well received, it was amazing. Everyone wanted him to resume his role. And I of course said it would give us the opportunity to spend time together ... "
Guitarist and member of what is arguably the greatest rock band in the world, the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards has lived under the spotlight for nearly fifty years. Musically, he's seen everything and done everything, and he recently told his incredible journey from a suburb of London's status as a rock icon in a sober autobiography entitled "Life." You can hear the voice of Johnny Depp at the beginning of the audio version of the book.
Both men are very close. In the first installment,
THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL in 2003, Johnny Depp had said his friend inspired his interpretation of Jack Sparrow, the charming scoundrel. It seemed logical to call him when the opportunity arose to introduce the story of Jack's father, Captain Teague.
This experience has greatly amused Keith Richards, who admits with a laugh: "The only time I call Johnny "Sonny" is when I wear all my gear. Normally when I speak to Johnny, I don't tell him: "Hi son!"
The complicity of the two men and their mutual respect is found in the relationship of their characters. Keith Richards says about this: "It's quite true, but it's something perfectly natural, it's never calculated."
He explained: "I wondered how I could play the father of Jack Sparrow. The secret was to constantly rely on my instincts. I just hope it works. But ultimately, it's easy to work with Johnny, it makes things so much. I mean, it's his job - I'm doing this for fun!"
In this new adventure, Jack Sparrow is forced to ally with one of his worst enemies, Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), to search for the mythical fountain of youth hidden in the heart of a mysterious jungle.
Along the way, Jack will face one of his exes, Angelica (Penelope Cruz), the dreaded pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), and an armada of bewitching mermaids, zombies and other figures determined to stop him.
Keith Richards found that being with Johnny Depp and the
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH team was like being back home. He says: "It's really a great team! Everyone knows, everyone is there for a while. On the set, I always feel a great bunch of mates and friends. Everyone supports me a lot and I didn't encounter attitudes like: "let's see what you can do" ... For me, it's like being part of a great band, and it makes things easier."
According to Keith Richards, there are similarities between the worlds of music and film, and links a bit more distant, but real, between the pirates and rock as both gravitate to the margins of society.
He explains: "Rock, at the bottom, is folk, and it's found in folk songs of sailors and other kinds of popular music. So there's a strong link somewhere. It's a question of roots."
Keith Richards said: "Why do pirates fascinate us so much? There are still real pirates these days, it's not as if they're gone. I guess the pirates and rock are somewhat synonymous with rebellion - they are outside the norm, outside the circle. I think the link is there.
"The theater, acting and film are intimately related to the music because everything is in rhythm, in knowing where to place emphasis. I'm new here. Johnny knows more than me on that. But everyone made it easier for me and it's great to work with Rob."
Being part of such a big production helped Keith Richards behind the scenes of making a movie. He said: "The process of creating a film is fascinating, and it is of course very different from what I do. Basically, I go on stage and I give everything, there's no second take."
For Keith Richards, the process begins when he dons the costume of Captain Teague, created by costume designer Penny Rose: "You look in the mirror, and slowly, before you even realize it, you're Captain Teague. Keith Richards has disappeared!
"Teague is a very interesting character because he's directly linked to his costume, and when you wear all the gear, you become him - it's stronger than you! So it really makes things easier because when I'm on stage, I become Captain Teague. Give me a pair of pistols and a sword, and off I go! Boarding!"
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