Saturday, February 27, 2010

Woody Harrelson is a changed man after Oscar role


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Environmental activist, hemp promoter, peacenik, surfer dude. Woody Harrelson has been called a lot of things, but until recently it is unlikely he has been called a friend of the U.S. military.

The actor says he is a changed man, however, after working on his movie "The Messenger," in which he portrays an officer in the army's casualty notification service -- officers who tell families their loved ones have died serving their country.

Harrelson, 48, has been nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Captain Tony Stone, though winning seems unlikely. Yet he believes he may already have won just by being nominated for his supporting role and by being able to tell the tale of soldiers and their families.

"It's a big thing to say, but I really think it changed me on some fundamental level in my heart," Harrelson told Reuters. "I felt a powerful connection to these servicemen and women, and those experiences of notifications."

To prepare for the movie, Harrelson visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center to talk to wounded soldiers and notification officers, and since that time, he has returned on his own just to say "hi" to the "friends" he made there.

It seems a far cry from the man who has spoken out against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and whose liberal political positions are well-known. Yet, like others, Harrelson is quick to separate the wars from the men and women fighting them.

"It (the movie) helped me see them for who they are, people who don't make a lot of money and do this out of profound love for their country, profound patriotism I admire," he said.

A VETERAN DELIVERS

As Captain Stone, Harrelson plays a veteran officer paired with a young sergeant (Ben Foster) just back from combat and assigned to the notification service.

"The Messenger" focuses on Foster's character and how he deals with the families he informs, their grief and the often angry reactions when notified of their loved ones' death.

While he is conflicted, Harrelson's Stone maintains stiff military discipline when mentoring his younger colleague.

"When we met, (Harrelson) described himself as a hippie from Maui," screenwriter Alessandro Camon told Reuters. "To my knowledge, he had never before played a soldier...that kind of character is really a stretch from who he is."

Other actors who received Oscar nominations for their supporting roles include Christoph Waltz of "Inglourious Basterds," Christopher Plummer of "The Last Station," Stanley Tucci for "The Lovely Bones" and Matt Damon in "Invictus."

Oscar watchers think Waltz is favored because he has won several other honors already. And Harrelson is quick to say his odds of taking home the top film award on March 7 are small.

"I don't have much of a prospect of winning," he said. "But sometimes people see nominations and think, 'I should watch that movie,' so I hope it gets people to see 'The Messenger.'"

The Oscar nod is Harrelson's second, having been nominated for the lead role of adult magazine publisher and free speech advocate Larry Flynt in 1996's "The People vs. Larry Flynt."

He said back then he was nervous to be at the ceremony, but not anymore, now that he's a Hollywood veteran.

"I really feel like I'll be capable of going there and just having a ball," he said. "It's not whether you win or lose, it's whether you have fun. I think I'll have maximum fun."

Reuters

It must be the apocalypse, earthquakes, Harrelson, the "O"ne, can't all be coincidence, right.

5 Comments:

Blogger B Will Derd said...

Harrelson is a scary dude. I have always liked him, but he is the epitome of the acting class who think intellect and reason are given with fame. I'm glad the thinks he 'understands' military service in wartime and the experience of family members involved now, but he also 'understood' pathological serial killers after he played one in a movie.

11:25 PM  
Blogger madtom said...

I think he's just playing the patriot card for the benefit of the Oscar's awards committee

11:45 PM  
Blogger madtom said...

I forgot to add, the military is enjoying high polling numbers at this time. You guys are popular, everybody wants to be you now.

11:52 PM  
Blogger B Will Derd said...

Well, you know that his O'liness makes everything go better. He just reupped the Patriot act and not a word from the lefties that used to wet their pants over the abuses contained in that bit of legislation. That was a pretty remarkable bit of legislation. Rushed through with great opposition and predictions of disaster, and 8 years later with all new congress and party involved and it stands largely unchanged.

10:14 PM  
Blogger madtom said...

I had been watching the Patriot act get re-approved,,,but after having it forced down my throat by the last admin, I don't know what to do with this one either. I guess the fact that it's got a one year sunset makes it somewhat more palatable, but not by much. I think I remember arguing with you about the damage passage would do once the administration changed, and how dangerous it could be in the hands of a radical administration. I remember you poo pooing my concerns claiming that no one had been hurt by it to date...

7:47 PM  

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