Interview: Ryan Reynolds
IGN Movies
We talk to the star of the new Amityville Horror.
by Edgar Arce

US, April 13, 2005 - The Amityville Horror will probably go down as one of those famous ghost stories that no one ever really knows is real or a hoax. There've been all kinds of testimony by the Lutz patriarch, George Lutz, as well as famous investigators, all stating one thing for certain: there is definitely a dark force that dwells inside that house. Years later after those events in 1974, there has never been any more activity and someone new now lives in the house. So was it a dark force? Was Ronald Defeo really possessed by something not of this world to kill his entire family? Did the Lutz family really come face to face with something so evil, it drove them out of their house leaving behind all their possessions (excuse the pun)?

Well one thing that's for sure and can be documented is that the new, improved Amityville Horror stars one of the fastest rising stars in the biz, Ryan Reynolds. Coming off his success working on Blade: Trinity, Reynolds is now ready to sink his teeth into anything that comes his way. IGNFF was able to sit down with Reynolds while doing publicity for the movie and talk to him about Amityville and everything else he has coming up. Enjoy.

Q: Are you still working out?

RYAN REYNOLDS: Not to the level I was on Blade, no.

Q: Were you surprised that you got the part in this film?

REYNOLDS: The producers respond to people that are genuinely passionate about something, so I think they wanted to see why I wanted to do this movie so bad. I had to fight for it though, and actually had to read for it.

Q: Why? What did you like about it?

REYNOLDS: I liked that the movie had all these supernatural things happening in it, I loved the fact that I didn't have to worry about that, the director would shoot the horror film and all I had to worry about was this guy psychologically unraveling and going from point a to point b in the film. I liked the fact that this guy had rage and the ability to just burst and explode and not really know when it was going to happen, I don't know why but it was just some huge compulsion I had to play this.

Q: What did you have to play off on that rage?

REYNOLDS: Well, I think everybody has been wounded at some point as a child, or marriage and relationships. Those are the things we usually avoid. You know you map it out in your head like a musical.

Q: You had some dark moments in this film and the producers said you actually smacked your younger costar, Jesse James, in the face without him knowing, can you talk about that?

REYNOLDS: Yea, Billy, Jesse James, he had it coming. It was actually horrible, I didn't meant to, I mean that's what I mean by you never know what's going to come out of a performance. I mean it wasn't a hard slap but it was enough to, you know, rattle him. Actually he thought he had hit the lottery when it happened, it's so cool to him, and the script supervisor was crying, and you know, it was one of those great moments that was caught on film and it came out organically enough, and then not so organically whereas to hurt him.

Q: You also made the conscious choice not to talk to the children?

REYNOLDS: [That's right,] I didn't [talk to them].

Q: That worked good in the movie.

REYNOLDS: Well thank you, I didn't want to get to know those kids, I didn't want to love them or get attached, and I wanted to stay as far away as possible from them in order to do my job right.

Q: How did they respond to that? They did understand why you did that?

REYNOLDS: They're little adults; anytime you work with child actors, they are always talking about things off camera like backend gross and points and stuff like that. I think that they were fine. In fact one of them is my financial advisor now. And also they have their parents there and they are very hands on, so they knew what was up.

Q: How familiar were you with the original movie? Did you read the book?

REYNOLDS: Well I've seen it, and I think for its day it certainly was very good and the story was intriguing, [although] I don't think that it's aged very well with the times. I think that by all means it's a perfectly worthy remake. I think the new technology and effects will improve the film and there are plenty of fans of the film that would support a remake.

Q: Are you a fan of horror movies?

REYNOLDS: Not as much as I'd like to say in this interview, I mean I don't actively seek horror movies to be in them, I actively seek good movies, I mean they could be of the horror genre or action genre, you know? I don't relax to a nice porn every night, but if it's a good movie it's a good movie.

Q: Did you have your own experience with the supernatural?

REYNOLDS: I believe in dark energy, anytime you enter a house or something where something tragic has happened, you would probably imagine that something dark is there, and I know that this family had something there, and you know it's not for me to decide if something happened but you know they definitely were there for only 28 days and then decided to get the hell out, so something must have drove them to do that. But my opinions on what happened aren't completely formed so I couldn't comment on that.

Q: There've been reports while filming that some suspicious things occurred, like a dead body washed up on the lake...

REYNOLDS: That was my fault. (Everyone laughs)

Q: Kathy Lutz died; did you have any personal experiences that you would classify as supernatural or suspicious?

REYNOLDS: That were some awful things that happened and certainly none of them were treated cavalierly, but this was a densely populated lake, it's not like it was some sort of secluded pond, and this f***'n mafia member floated up, I think it was from some sort of legitimate accident, but no I didn't have any kind of supernatural experience. I know it sells an awful lot of tickets to say I did, but I just didn't. Again, I was never in tune with the supernatural theme of it all, I was just focused on George's psychology deteriorating.

Q: Now most films are shot out of order, so how did you keep up with what phase George was in and keep it all together like that?

REYNOLDS: My hotel room was a mess; I had this huge time line strewn throughout the walls. I had cards, in an alphabetical system with notes telling me what day was which psychological phase.

Q: And your eyes?

REYNOLDS: Yeah we used these huge contacts that were like dinner plates and they were just brutal to wear, so by the end of the shoot I used these menthol crystals and just would rub them in my eyes to get that red look.

Q: What's happening with Nightstalkers? Is that actually going to happen?

REYNOLDS: I don't think so, that's something that they kind of gauged our interest on because of Blade, you know? But I don't think its going to happen, I think if people are going to see Blade films, it's because of Wesley. I actually suggested to New Line to take these characters from Blade and spin them off, but outside of realm of the vampire world.

Q: Is that something you might want to pursue though?

REYNOLDS: No I don't want to pursue a Nightstalker movie.

Q: And Just Friends?

REYNOLDS: It's a romantic comedy, a sort of fun, physical comedy, I basically wear that same suit from the Nutty Professor, that fat suit, and it was a lot of fun. And just playing that character during the span of ten years from 8 to 18 was fun and of course the movie was just a blast, and Roger Kumble was just, he is going to be my hetero friend for life. I want to do every movie with him.

Q: Who's your non hetero friend?

REYNOLDS: God, I don't know... Andy Dick?

Q: Now you say there's been a specific craving from fans of the original Amityville for a remake. There are those that will shun this and say there should not have been one done. What do you say to those about this film, and why should they go and see it?

REYNOLDS: Well I think I can only speak for the character of George and say that you get to see a man unravel in a fairly linear way, I mean, you see the progression, and to me that's interesting. Human nature for me has always been fascinating, and I think a lot of film goers will like that. And I think this movie will have legs and word of mouth will carry it, because you know horror movies have a specific formula which I think this one has, and this one has its jumps.

Q: Did you take anything from The Shining?

REYNOLDS: Jack Nicholson was just incredible in that film and I don't think I could take something from someone that was just incredible like Nicholson. Jack's character revels in the fact that he's going out of his mind, George is not enjoying it, and it's almost symptomatic of becoming a schizophrenic. Jack is Jack and he is the master.

Q: What else do you have coming up?

REYNOLDS: I have a movie that I'm going to do with the Rock called Ride Along, kind of in the spirit of Midnight Run, I play a cognitive therapist marrying a woman that I love and she's is The Rock's sister, who is a cop and very protective of her. He lives in another city and I have to go down there and meet him. And he ends up taking me on a "ride along" that I never forget. My character is a guy who is a therapist, so everything he does is like methodically thought out in a nonviolent communication, that sort of thing and he gets stuck with a cop whose whole life is about reacting with his gut and busting balls when you have to, you know you get these two together and it's oil and water.

Q: Have you seen him in Be Cool?

REYNOLDS: Yeah, he's so great in it.

Q: Have you ever been scared of being famous?

REYNOLDS: Well I think I have had to come to grips with that because I've never been comfortable with giving up anonymity, and I think what's helped that has been like having a famous girlfriend.

Q: Did she [Alanis Morissette] write any songs about you?

REYNOLDS: Alanis? Yeah I think maybe there's a couple of songs out there that have something to do with me. 

Q: You still listen to any of her music?

REYNOLDS: Oh yeah, of course. It can be awkward though when I'm listening to it and she walks in and I'm dancing in my underwear. (Laughs) I love her music, and I love her as an artist. Her music is so autobiographical which is what I love and respect about her.

Q: Were you funny growing up?

REYNOLDS: No, my older brother was the clown growing up.

Q: Where did the actor in you come from?

REYNOLDS: Probably wanting to be the clown growing up, you know, trying to be my dick head brother. (Laughs)