The Deadbolt Interview - Clifton Collins Jr. Talks CMT Success, Michael Jackson, Boondock Saints II and Star Trek

Clifton Collins Jr. Talks CMT Success, Michael Jackson, Boondock Saints II and Star Trek
by Troy Rogers

Movie fans certainly know Clifton Collins Jr. from his diverse roles in such movies as 187, Traffic, Babel, Capote, Crank 2: High Voltage, the new Star Trek, Sunshine Cleaning, and next the upcoming Boondock Saints II. Although Clifton Collins Jr. has made a huge name for himself on the big screen, many fans may not know that the Los Angeles born actor is currently working behind the camera as a director, having helmed videos for The Soul of John Black and recently winning a Country Music Television (CMT) award after directing the videos "Chicken Fried" and "Whatever It Is" for the Zac Brown Band. Interestingly, unlike the conventional actor transition to director, Clifton Collins Jr. can now add the credit of chart topping Country video director to his resume since "Chicken Fried" went to #1 on the CMT.

Fresh on the heels of his #1 CMT video success, we caught up with Clifton to find out more about his budding career as a director and to learn the tricks of the country trade of how Collins Jr. put his eye for visuals to use for Zac Brown. With our pre-scheduled interview set the day before, we had no idea what was to come the day of our interview with Clifton Collins Jr., as only two hours before the world learned that mega-star Michael Jackson had passed away. Since we were about to talk to Clifton about his music career, it was impossible not to start the interview on the topic of Michael Jackson. However, what we unexpectedly found out was that the death of the "King of Pop" hit close to home for Clifton.

With Clifton Collins Jr. fresh off his role as a Romulan villain in Star Trek, pulling double duty both on camera and behind the Country video lens, the versatile actor is currently working on a number of films, which include Mike Judge's upcoming Extract and the long awaited Boondock sequel, Boondock Saints II. In one of the more candid and casual interviews we've had in a while, Clifton Collins Jr. shared his thoughts on everything from his work behind the camera for the Zac Brown Band, the process as a director, and the patriotism within "Chicken Fried" to how he's a changed actor after playing Perry Smith in Capote, his thoughts on the upcoming Christopher Nolan film, Inception, and his time on Boondock Saints II.

And if you're a fan of the latest Star Trek movie, Clifton also shared his most interesting (and awesome) story of the first time he stepped on the Star Trek set with make-up.

[Interview conducted the afternoon Michael Jackson died.]

THE DEADBOLT: I guess you heard about Michael Jackson?

CLIFTON COLLINS JR.: Yeah, rest in peace. My dear friend, he lent me his post [production] house to cut "Chicken Fried" and "Whatever It Is" for Zac Brown, the two songs that went to number one and the song that we won a CMT Award for. He did the 3D of Michael Jackson’s revival 3D piece that was supposed to bring his career back. I got off the phone with him yesterday and he just got off the phone with Michael and told me how happy he was and overjoyed. He and I had a pow wow for like 40 minutes, talking about, "Oh, my God! You’re going to revive MJ’s career. How iconic! I mean, we grew up watching this guy." He’s got like this state of the art 3D facility. He was so proud of just being able to work for somebody that is so incredibly iconic and has such an incredible body of work that we’ve all grown up to and gone through puberty to, conceived children to, danced to, and have memories of. God bless the family. man. I hope they have some kind of peace.

THE DEADBOLT: I’m still in shock. I don’t think it's completely sunk in yet.

COLLINS JR.: Yeah. I just found out a couple of hours ago. I was supposed to fly out tomorrow, but I might have to go to the post-house. Like my buddy said, he can’t even put it into words. He’s completely destroyed right now.

THE DEADBOLT: So how did the collaboration on the videos happen? Did you know Zac Brown and the guys beforehand?

COLLINS JR.: I met Zac Brown through my manager, Will Ward, and Zac was in-between record labels, and ‘Chicken Fried’ was climbing the charts and I’d already directed two other videos for The Soul of John Black who’s a progressive blues artist, who was mentored by Miles [Davis]. I’ve always been a fan of his music. So it inspired me to create some stuff that Will Ward showed to Zac Brown, and then Zac had met some other directors. But as you can imagine, the budget for some of those videos are insane. And if you don’t have a record label to back up the video, it’s difficult. So David Kenneth over at IE Effects said, "Cliff, I’ll help you out with this video." So he literally did it for a bare bones budget. And when Atlantic signed Zac, they liked the video so much they paid our deferred rate, which rarely ever happens, But they were so passionate about working with Zac who is such an incredible artist. Talk about a well rounded artist, the guy writes, composes, and arranges. He’s phenomenally talented. I can only compare him to the masterful veteran actors that I’ve worked with.

THE DEADBOLT: Were the videos born out of a love for country music or a love of directing?

COLLINS JR.: A combination of both. I’m going to be moved by anything that inspires me and Zac’s music is certainly inspiring. So if it’s a country or rock and roll song, every now and then you hear a certain song that moves your heart chords. So budget or no budget, I was determined to get this video. In fact, there were so many missing variables to getting this done that I couldn’t really lock down Brandon Trost, my D.P., who also shot Crank 2 and the new Halloween. He ended up taking on this new Nike commercial by the time I had already called him.

But I called him anyway and said, "I just need to know the five major things about this camera I want to utilize for this particular docu-style country music video," which is docu-style by design and something I wanted to capture an authentic slice of life. So much so that when certain people told me that they wanted me to make sure the scene with beers, they were prop beers, I said, "Well, with prop beer it would indicate they were fake beers, which furthered my take that this is a fake BBQ. I want this to be a real BBQ with real friends and family and real beer, and I’ll do it like Snoop Dogg does. I’ll blur the labels." Everybody knows that everything in Snoop’s videos are very real. You don’t question what you see there.

THE DEADBOLT: Who are the other people in the video, real family members?

COLLINS JR.: All very real family members, family and friends. It’s just true and it was just truly a labor of love. You know, there are so many aspects of the story that were tested by different people involved just to prove to them that we were dedicated. My editor at IE Effects, Mike Beegle and myself, we would do 24 hour days just to prove to certain powers that be that, "Okay, we got your notes, and let’s try them anyway to show you that they don’t work." But oftentimes in employing that way, that thought process and that work ethic, it can also inspire you to do something else.

My directing is very much of the same philosophy as my acting and I think it’s just my artistry. How I work is that I like to explore. And I think that’s the only way you can really learn a character and an environment, a mood or a setting. So to do that we immersed in Atlanta, Georgia, which Zac I consider like a second family. It’s like the hospitality and support, the creative artistic collaboration - I can’t tell you. I’m so proud of our endeavor and so proud of the fact that not only were we nominated, but we actually won one. When you put that kind of work in, it’s such a cathartic experience. It’s almost out of body.

THE DEADBOLT: With the "Chicken Fried" video and the patriotism after the 9-11 attacks, how are the emotions you feel as a director different than as an actor?

COLLINS JR.: It’s funny. I’ve got to thank Alien Army, too. He did that for me as a favor. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Son," because I called him. His manager, Billy Rogin, is a dear friend of mine. Eventually it helped to carve out the treatment that I came up with to support the line of thanks to those that fought back, that whole military section of the piece. Arli, all that he said was, "Son, is this a patriotic song?" And I said, "Yes sir, it is." - "Well, I’ll do it then." And I said, "Thank you, Arli. What’s this going to cost me?" He said, "Don’t you worry about it, son. Just give me an autographed album." He’s always been so good to me, so I was really grateful for that.

But for me, I listened to Chicken Fried 30 to 40 times and I’m like, "Chicken Fried. What does it mean?" It’s so easy to take it literally. Who doesn’t like fried chicken? But it’s not that it’s a state of being, it’s a state of being grateful for what we have. I think so oftentimes the song became very special to me in that I loved Toby Keith’s "The Angry American." It was so poignant and timely when he wrote it and released it and it was like a sentiment of our nation as a whole. Right or wrong, the patriotism was certainly there and the pride and all of that. I love that song, but I think it’s so easy to get in there and try to make a wrong situation right and kind of get lost within the cause that we almost forget the cause, and also forget what you do have. You know, we still live in America. We’re not perfect but we certainly have it way better than so many other countries. I think Chicken Fried is a beautiful bookend to a new period of hope and a new bunch of things, and it’s going to take a little time to change eight years of bad service.

THE DEADBOLT: So what would you be doing if Mike Judge didn’t give you the break from Extract to direct the videos? Would you be directing country music videos or something else?

COLLINS JR.: Well, I’d certainly continue to be directing The Soul of John Black videos. I mean, I’m developing a style and honing it to support the song and the sentiment of the piece. So I’m learning to adapt my style and what I pull from my film knowledge to complement the tale and the lyrics, and stuff of that nature. So much in the same way that I apply what I know as an actor to the diversity of different roles is what I apply to different songs and different genres that I might write a treatment for if I decide to direct a video.

THE DEADBOLT: How were you a changed actor after playing Perry Smith in Capote? Is there a part of him still with you?

COLLINS JR.: Gosh, it’s a funny thing. Most of these roles stay with me in a different way. I try to grow both professionally and personally with every role I take, providing it’s one of those roles like Perry Smith or 187 or Traffic, where I’ve done the research and I learn about real people and people in similar situations. The Winston character in Sunshine Cleaning is missing an arm and I deal with people that are amputees or stuff of that nature. So that said, something like Perry Smith, and the company surely that I was with - Phillip [Seymour Hoffman], Chris Cooper, and Catherine Keener - it’s all of these people. You know, those experiences are experiences that stay with you for a long time.

Not to mention, I did get really close to Perry Smith. When you walk away from these productions once you wrap, so oftentimes you’re saying goodbye to a dear friend that you used to hang out with every single day because you know them so well. You take on their characteristics and their traits and it’s like having a girlfriend, you start sharing each other’s catch phrases. Or with best friends you usually say the same things. It’s that kind of thing.

I delved pretty deeply into the book. In Cold Blood became a bit of a bible. Dan Futterman, the writer, who’s also a hilarious, brilliant actor, was able to acquire some of the original letters that they wrote to one another, that Truman and Perry wrote. So to be able to read this man’s words and to read his handwriting and see his handwriting, and to see his letters and the way he wrote these letters, to look at pictures and see the shame in his face and how he stood, his crooked little smile and things like that, yeah, there are pieces that stay with me. And I miss psychologically being in his company, if you will.

I don’t believe him to have been a bad person, albeit he did a terrible thing. I understand how this happens. I have a lot of friends in prison right now. So it’s like I easily could’ve been one of those statistics. And statistically speaking, I probably should’ve been one of those statistics.

THE DEADBOLT: Well, it only takes one stupid mistake.

COLLINS JR.: Believe me, I’ve had plenty of stupid mistakes. I’ve been shot at one too many times and attempted car jacked one too many times. So I, by the grace of God; I think he always had a greater plan for me.

THE DEADBOLT: Are you sad that you didn’t get Inception?

COLLINS JR.: Am I sad? No. I’m very much looking forward to working with Chris Nolan. My goal is just to do that job in the [audition] room, not so much to get the job. Obviously you’d like to get a job, but I’m a born entertainer at heart and that’s it. I just love to entertain. So if I can go in there and showboat a little bit and bring something to the character in that I can be considered for a role that’s beautiful, I hit the bull’s eye. I’m in the mix. At the end of the day, you don’t know what is going to influence the decision. Maybe they want to go middle eastern, or maybe something else. You know, if they think they want to go middle eastern, I can’t play middle eastern. Maybe they’ve met with real middle eastern people? You just never know what’s going to influence or sway something.

I’d love to work with Leo [DiCaprio]. I’ve known him a long time. We actually talked about over Memorial Day weekend and we had a great talk. So I’m not that guy who says, "Hey, make sure it happens." I’m that guy that does the work. I can talk to the artist involved with the piece, but I don’t want to sway the tide one way or the other. I kind of feel like I’m cheating my own destiny and I’m cheating the challenges and obstacles that are supposed to be out there by missing the lessons.

THE DEADBOLT: What do you think fans can expect from what you know of the script and how Christopher Nolan will bring it to life?

COLLINS JR.: Nolan is a bad ass. I mean, look at Memento. I’m going to take you back to Memento. I mean, look at that and then follow his body of work forward. He is just an incredible filmmaker and I think that statement says volumes. You can put everything on that one, it’s going to be bad ass.

THE DEADBOLT: What’s the most interesting story you have from the set of Star Trek?

COLLINS JR.: Gosh, so much of Star Trek is a big blur; 18 hour days and 9 hour turnarounds. I mean, for me personally, I think it was showing up to set. I got my Romulan make-up, I showed up, I was there. J.J. [Abrams] walked me to the camera and he told me to look down at the barrel until the Starship Enterprise said they need to board our ship or be destroyed. So I said, "Cool." Then I looked around and I thought, "Wow! This is a pretty giant sci-fi set." And I said, "It’s J.J. and there’s a camera. Wait a minute, what did he just say? Wait, is this Star Trek? My ears are pointy. Oh, my God! This IS Star Trek."

Suddenly fear just shot through my body and I got really nervous for a good three minutes. He said, "You all right Clifton?" I said, "I’m totally fine J.J.. In fact, you know, give me fifteen seconds to just get a quick breath of fresh air." And when I did, I’m like, "Holy shit! I’m doing Star Trek. It’s STAR TREK! It’s Paramount. It’s a trip. Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" And I came back and said, "Cool, cool, let’s do it," and we knocked it out. But my heart was racing like my very first job. It’s part of the fun, you know? You still get excited about stuff or nervous about something. You hear this voice suddenly, and it’s like, "God, that sounds like ..." I used to watch this show called In Search Of and I’m like, "Wait a minute, that’s Spock! He’s eating a mocha ice cream while he sits in his cast chair and I’m doing Star Trek because I’m Romulan." Wow! It’s like you’re just waiting to wake up. It was just very surreal.

THE DEADBOLT: So I've spoken to Troy Duffy a couple of times and I'm looking forward to Boondock Saints II. Do you still have work to do on it?

COLLINS JR.: Oh, we’re done. I did the looping two weeks ago and I saw pieces of it, the new cut. I saw the old cut on Saint Paddy’s Day and that was a friggin' thrillride. This new one is even way tighter. I had no idea. It’s truly great to see. Troy has been a friend of mine since the first one. Just to watch him really calm down and not be as pompous but still be as fun and charming and to also learn to give a little and learn to use the people around him yet, more importantly, to work with each other, it was really great to see him grow in this way. It’s like I think Troy is back in a very big fashion and I think you’re going to get a kick out of this.

THE DEADBOLT: So what's the latest on Thor?

COLLINS JR.: Absolutely nothing.

THE DEADBOLT: Really?

COLLINS JR.: Yeah, I have nothing to do with that piece.

THE DEADBOLT: But you were reading for it, right?

COLLINS JR.: That was a long time ago. I wasn't really getting into it. I was just preparing stuff. It's a fantastic director, a great piece, but I have absolutely nothing to do with it.

THE DEADBOLT: I noticed on Twitter that you were studying it a lot.

COLLINS JR.: Yeah, I study everything a lot. I like to get into it and it's been hard to juggle stuff with the videos and everything else. But I'm learning and I'm getting better at it.

THE DEADBOLT: So when you were studying the role, were you looking at a specific character?

COLLINS JR.: I'm actually not allowed to speak about it.

THE DEADBOLT: So what's the new project you're working on?

COLLINS JR.: [laughs] I can't talk about this either because it's a surprise, so I know. But it was dope to come back out here. Troy Duffy was out here doing pick up shots on Boondock Saints, so it was great to hang out with him. Coincidently, he happened to be out here at the same time so I got to spend some time with him and Julie Benz.

THE DEADBOLT: Cool. I'm looking forward to seeing the surprise project.

COLLINS JR.: This one is cool and the next one may see some awards. It's pretty dope.

-- Troy Rogers