In a conference call this week, Street had the chance to sit down with actor Barry Pepper of Saving Private Ryan, 61*, and, most recently, Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers. The critically lauded film charts the American assault on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during World War II.
Can you speak about your unusual childhood? Did it drive you into acting?
Barry Pepper: When I was young, my father built a sailboat in the backyard and as a family we went on a three-year expedition in the South Pacific Islands. We were able to experience all the different religions and cultures and other ways of lives outside of North America. It really opened our eyes as children and taught us that other people live on far less. The reason I think I got into the arts was through not having TV and being exposed to reading, writing, art and imagination skills while being trapped on a boat for months at a time.
You've played many historical roles, be they Roger Maris in 61* or Sgt. Michael Strank in Flags of Our Fathers. How much research goes into portraying these real people?
BP: Personally, there's a tremendous amount of research that goes into these roles. I feel a genuine responsibility to the family of the character, and of course you have the desire to do the best possible job you can. You want to continue to raise the bar for yourself so you can learn and grow as an actor. For Flags, I read and studied the James Bradley book of the same name, and it was an incredible source. Also, there are other books about Iwo Jima and documentaries that were a great deal of help.
What was it like filming in Iceland?
BP: It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. We filmed in September, and when you get into the glaciers in northern Iceland, you have boiling hot geysers and beautiful hills. We shot there because it's one of four places on earth with black sand beaches. The only shots of Iwo Jima in the movie were aerial shots, since the actual island is a military memorial and is rather inaccessible. As a result of the isolation, we really bonded as a cast and were able to get into and stay in character.
Do you like this war movie better than your last ones?
BP: All the war movies I've done are equally important with equally powerful themes: friendship, love, and sacrifice, being a few. One, Saving Private Ryan, while based on a true battle, was a fictitious account. Being Joe Galloway, the war photographer in We Were Soldiers, was unique in that I got to spend time with Joe and hear his story. For Flags I had a very different approach. Sgt. Mike Strank was mortally wounded a week after he raised the flag on Iwo so I had to read books and documentaries, study photos and talk to veterans to formulate characters. They were all incredible experiences with amazing directors and actors.
What do you want people to walk out of the movie with?
BP: I want this movie to open dialogues between people. For some it will be closure, for some it's to discuss the horribly archaic nature of war and to help learn from our mistakes.
What draws you to war films and what challenges you?
BP: I've never had any conscious design to do war films in particular. The stories draw me to do a movie, so it doesn't matter what the backdrop is. I feel drawn to the movie due to the timeless themes they represent. It's not about playing soldier and running around and shooting a gun. It becomes clear to you as soon as you read the script that it's something you need to be a part of.
What is unique about your character in Flags?
BP: Michael Strank was unique in that he wasn't a prototypical Marine sergeant. He was 24, leading other young men into battle, and they had a profound respect for him. He led by example and loved his men, and promised, perhaps naively, to bring them home to their mothers. I didn't know I got it right until I received a letter from the family thanking me for an honest and accurate portrayal of their relative.
How would you define a hero?
BP: I was watching CNN and there was a family in Alaska whose loved ones in Iraq had been killed just before they were supposed to come home. Just watching those young families at home waiting for their loved ones and seeing the disappointment and sacrifice, it quickly redefines your definition of hero. You see things like that, you gain a different perspective really quick.
