Michael Fassbender may be one of the hottest actors on the scene right now,but he isn't letting that deter?him?from keeping his indie cred firmly established.
Once again teaming up with British director Steve McQueen (no known relation to the American film legend of the same name, though of course, you never know), for 12 Years a Slave, slated for a December 2013 release, the two are at it again in their bid to be called ?The Independent Film World?s Answer to Scorsese and Dicaprio.?
At a recent film festival panel, Fassbender who usually sports a scruffy slightly-past-five o?clock shadow, was wearing his facial hair in a slightly off-kilter goatee, the signature look of Leonardo Dicaprio in his off-season since he passed age thirty. McQueen arrived in a sharp suit, wearing notably thicker frames on his eyeglasses than the ones he was seen in at The American Society of Cinematographers 27th Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards last month.? He gesticulated more wildly than is usual for the understated director.
Asked by a correspondent from Variety to describe how they brought together their all-star cast, McQueen was quick to jump in to say, ?Oh, this gang wasn?t hard to convince once they read the script,? as he hoped in vain that the reference to Gangs of New York would not be lost on the assembled press.
Seeing the reference fall flat, Fassbender was quick to jump in to answer the next question which was about him not taking on the leading role in this latest project.? ?Well, as a team, we've really departed from where we were with Hunger a few years back and I'm happy to just play a supporting role at this legend-in-the-making?s latest film.?
Several side glances were exchanged among the gathered audience as the interviews continued, with Fassbender?s reference to The Departed being caught by more than one savvy reporter by that point.
Hoping to get a straight answer about the film that did not involve a reference to the much-more-famous-and-prolific duo, a New York Magazine reporter asked, ?Michael, you seem to be drawn to tortured souls in your acting choices.? Will this role be a continuation of that theme in your career??
Unable to quickly come up with an apt use of the metaphor for himself as an aviator, navigating the Hollywood skies for this question he changed the subject to say, ?Well, for one thing, you should know that this production was nearly shuttered before it even began.? When she pushed for details about the potential shutdown of the production, the two stammered nonsensical answers about controversial topics and funding.
As the panel drew to a close, few reporters had any more idea what the new film was about than when they had arrived.? As McQueen and Fassbender left the stage, Fassbender leaned in and said, ?Sorry, but I couldn't work in the reference to you being a real wolf on set.?? McQueen sighed and said, ?It's alright, Wolf of Wall Street isn't out yet. It wouldn't have pushed them to say it.??? ?We?ll get ?em next time,? Steve continued. ?Sure thing,? Stevie.?