You think Leatherface is scary? Try sitting down with the madman who plays the iconic killer, Andrew Bryniarski. Andrew whom reprises his role as ‘Leatherface, has has combined brawn and humor in his performances to singular effect. His motion picture roles have included Scooby-Doo, Rollerball, Pearl Harbor, Any Given Sunday, Necessary Roughness, Tim Burton's Batman Returns, John Singleton's Higher Learning, The Program, Hudson Hawk, Street Fighter, Cyborg III and the upcoming Be the Man. Andrew, a massive human being both in height and muscle mass, was a delight to interview and as nice as could be. Below you can read all qbout his role as Leatherface and his other upcoming performances The Forest and hopefully one day, Lobo...
BD: Is it true that you like to stay in character even when you're not filming?
AB: I hate this shit like crazy. It causes me all kinds of drama in my personal life. I'd love to leave it at work but I come home with blood on my hands everyday. Thomas Hewitt and I, we're in a love/hate relationship. I love to hate him.
BD: So does the audience, so that works. How much fun is it though, scaring the shit out of people?
AB: It's great. I mean if you're going to be an entertainer, entertain thoroughly. If you're going to make a scary movie, scare people well. Don't set out to make a scary movie and then flinch every time you're supposed to scare somebody because you're afraid of being MPAA or you're afraid of your own demons or whatever. Remember they green lit the movie because it was scary. Enough people just goofed up and (unintelligible). I hated that. I hated going to the movies to see a scary movie for escapist entertainment and then seeing Basket Case you know after the first Nightmare on Elm Street. Shocker came along, that had promise. And then what? You going to wait 20 years for a real scary movie because they come along with Scream and all that nonsense to the point where it's funny not to be scary.
BD: And for a good chunk of the movie you can't be full-blown Leatherface. How is it playing a toned down Leatherface?
AB: I don't have to give any story points of interest to tell you that you are out of your mind. That's how you're perceiving it with the information that you're not having right now. This movie is not toned down. It's a really bombastic entrance for the origin of Leatherface and the story of the family. It's a chance to see [how it] is going to go wrong sooner or later. You can fix the blame all you want and it doesn't change the problem much. Things were about to go awry and change is forced and affected upon us all whether we like it or not. Comfort is an illusion.
BD: I think what he's asking is how cool is it to be able to get background for this character?
AB: It's amazing. The thing that I know that I have to be real careful dancing around not to tell anyone, is that this movie hits like a brick. In the beginning he was something less than Leatherface. Although that's very true, the story is not less for it. It's really a great story. It delves into the origin of this family and this character and the nature...I mean we're going to explain more than you even know. You're going to see the origin of the mask, you're going to see the origin of the saw and you're going to see the origin of some of the horrific things that you've seen this family do. You're also going to see the origin of things that you really needed and wanted to always know but that I'm not going to give you up now.
BD: Did you want to have input on the character or did you pretty much follow?
AB: Absolutely. It drove me nuts that these guys wanted to do it all without me. But the fact of the matter is that when I get here they give me a lot to work with. And when I get here I do appreciate that. It makes it easy to walk right in and you know if they've thought it through to the point where they've got all those good things covered for me it's like jumping into a big buffet. And I'll tell you it surprised me in this as the development went along I really thought I should have been consulted with more and that it might be a mistake. But when I read the script I mean it didn't even hit me the first time. I just said "I don't know if I like it or not." I almost wanted not to like it. But when it hit me and things started coming back to me that I'd read that I was doing and then it all sank in. I thought "Wow." The story had to come together the way this one is. This is all the whys. Everything that you didn't ... we reestablished the character and we reestablished the original and we show the power of the franchise again. The one thing that nobody got to know and everybody needs to know is WTF. [laughter] You can't ask the Leatherface from that last movie that. There's just no time...he's going to kill you. You're going to do your best to acknowledge it in a minute and run to save your life and we're going to get caught up in the tension and the danger of that. But nobody gets to know why. You leave that movie going to your friends "Yeah but WTF about that? And what about that? And this? It's driving me nuts because what's wrong with these people!?" You're really going to know. And the way the story came together is really beautiful because it had to be. We talked about doing a prequel for a long time. Everybody was "What are we going to do? How are we going to come?" And there was a lot of that in the beginning. But the movie that you guys are gonna all get to see that and that we're making now came together the way it should have and it's the answers. This movie is all the answers. All the answers about the family that you wish you could have known but you couldn't ask and nobody was going to tell you because it was never established. We're establishing a lot of things that you've seen pieces of that have tormented you and bugged you and made you really wonder. It's really clever how many things we're going to show you along the course of our business for the fans that need to know and for the people that really want to be entertained deeply. Other people will just be scared senseless like the last one and have to go home. And ambulances will come and check people's blood pressure outside the theaters and send them home with some Gatorade and cookies.
BD: As a horror fan, how was it working with Liebo who had only done PG13 horror before this?
AB: I didn't know Jonathan when I first had to have a meeting with him I was waiting outside this restaurant that they had scheduled it for and the place had been closed for the season and nobody knew it. And here's Liebo who looks like he's 21 years old standing out there before I got there. Maybe he didn't know so much that it was me but he's kinda looking at me like "Ah, that must be one of the new kids. That must be one of the fresh meat guys that I'm going to kill in this movie. He looks about the right age." And I go" Couldn't be the director. Nah, it's gotta be one of the kids I'm gonna kill." He's like "Hi, I'm Jonathan." I'm like "Man, that's too funny." And I said "It's nice to meet you." He goes" It's great to have you here. I really want you to do it. You're the only guy." And I'm like "I was never going anywhere." I said "By the way I saw your movie Darkness Falls." He goes "I'm sorry." [laughter] And that broke the ice. So I'm like "That's funny. That's cool." And I'm like "Why would you want to do this movie?" And he just went on and on in layers and discussed all my thoughts on the character and really took copious notes about my feeling on the psychology and my feeling about things that needed to be included. Once I realized how earnestly he was gonna work ... he's very different than the last director, but that doesn't mean that he's not going to be a great choice for this movie. So far, after more than halfway, he's proven that he really is. He's got his own style but he's unflappable. He's very ... you might not know it because he's directed PG13 horror films, he might not know it either but I know it because I see what he's doing, how he's running this smoothly and the way some of the footage looks. I mean he's got a very steady hand and he's thought this thing out very effectively and all there is to do is come and execute [laughing] Pun intended.
BD: How much, if any, dialogue do you have this time around?
AB: [makes loud sound] Action, my friend, speaks much louder than words. This guy has nothing to say with his mouth. He's not talking. The time for talking is done.
BD: We know there's flashbacks to a younger Leatherface, obviously not played by you. You think the flashbacks… (interrupted by Andrew)
AB: There's actually a sonnet from Romeo and Juliet. Then there's the other scene that takes place like Star Trek. The one movie where they're on Mars and Shatner's doing Shakespeare. There's some of that. That's film school stuff. You guys don't want to hear about that. I mean, I'm not going to tell you what I say in the movie except action speaks louder than words. And the saw speaks with teeth.
BD: What was it like for the character to put the mask on for the first time and pick the saw up for the first time?
AB: I'm not going to tell you. You're going to have to figure it all out about the new masks and all that stuff. I'm not giving you anything.
BD: It's more like it's an iconic film moment when Leatherface (unintelligible)
AB: Sure. Well, I will tell you without telling you. There's a scene we did over the last couple of days and there's something that...Well, there's a scene we did tonight where I walk into a scene and for the first time some members of my family see the mask for the first time.
BD: Something about the reporters having seen that but not reporting on what they've seen.
AB: Ok, well I'm trying to give them something to report. So you guys, that was for you. Don't go too far. Jonathan was saying, you know, "This is the moment where you feel him, you touch him, you connect with him." And nobody wanted to touch me. They just weren't getting it. It was like all night long I was like "He wants you to touch me." You know, it all comes together. But it is so shocking. It did play out really well. The first moment with the mask, I made a real effort. They're always telling me not to reveal, "Save the reveal, save the reveal" and I'm always trying to cheat a little profile.[laughter] But not really. This time I really came up with something for the first mask that is really kind of a sweet... I chose not to reveal it right away the way I played the scene. There's a moment where somebody says "Look at me" or something like that and I reveal there in the light. The first mask, the origin first mask, that is so grotesque. The first human flesh mask. It's the best mask of the series in my opinion. I don't know how long you guys have been here...the one I was running around with this afternoon is not the one I'm talking about.
BD: We saw the one when you were up there earlier. Is that the one?
AB: Yeah, that's the one. As far as I'm concerned this is...this is really heinous. Because it looks, unlike this which really looks like (unintelligible) it looks enough like the kid but you know it's got a real little head. [making noises]
BD: You do something really creepy with your eyes.
AB: I was lucky to work with Christopher Walken when I was young and I picked up that that's a real good tool. It's helped me do a lot of stuff. People are like "When are you going to do a real acting job? Do you have any lines in that movie?" I'm like "Idiot." They take away everything and you have your eyes. You have to act in every scene and not be one note. And try to make this character multidimensional. And all you have is a chainsaw, which is pretty one note, and your eyes. I've said that this guy is not a big dumb retard. This guy is very complex but he's never had a chance to develop because nobody ever let him. Everybody rode him so hard and is so mean to this kid. This kid never found out what he could be or who he is. But you can't have any sympathy for him. And you don't, and it's too far gone for all that. All the nice stuff is over. So now what are we going to do? Accident happened, somebody broke him and it's on after that. There's nothing that can be stopped. Family is blood and blood is thicker than water. And that's where the movie goes.
BD: When did you discover that staying in character for the period that you're working this film was what works for you?
AB: I don't do that. I run in my trailer and play rock guitar. [laughter] No, I don't stay in character. I'm a rock and roll machine, not a killing machine. I give at the office and I leave. I get all my serial killer issues out and I go home. I mean aside from like listening to Raining Blood from Slayer. Which is kind of along the same lines. I'd never thought of it that way until I got this job.
BD: What it like working with R Lee Ermey?
AB: He's great.
BD: Quite a character. We talked to him earlier.
AB: Quite a character, huh? If we had come in this movie with no director, quite frankly, R Lee Ermey and I could have almost done it ourselves. Not that we would want to but I mean R Lee is just so R Lee and this character is such a great stretch. It's not a stretch for him at all in one respect but in terms of stretching his legs and getting to run with it, it really is a stretch because he's playing all that gruffness that they've always hinted at and he's always had memorable moments in a lot of great films and now he's really found the character. I told R. "To me Full Metal Jacket and s down your neck and all that stuff, that got him here. But that last movie to me, I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but I love this character. I think it's one of your finest performances to date. I expect nothing but better great stuff." I'm not just saying this, this is just the first chance I've had a chance to. Marcus Nispel was a great director and it was incredible having him pilot that last film. In this film Jonathan was really a question mark. You know I don't have any problems saying for the first time to the media that this is a powerful movie. Things in the movie, the layers and the depth of thought that have gone into this movie so far, we're just going to finish stronger than we started. It's going to be better than the remake and it's going to be the best movie in the series. You can quote me on that. Everybody can tell me I'm an idiot that wants to will anyway but that's what they said before we did the last one too. So if that crow is still in the refrigerator they can pull it out and eat the other half.
BD: The IMDB says that you've got a movie coming out called The Forest?
AB: Oh, IMDB, that's an accurate source for information [laughter] All I know is that I paid the IMDB $35 once to put my picture up there and sent it to them. It's still not up and they never gave me my money back [laughter] IMDB...Next! We're talking about The Forest? OK, I'll talk about that. The Forest is a movie that has a bunch of great people attached to it so I would be crazy not to have wanted to be a part of it. They've done the best Superman franchise that's been done. One of the best comic franchises before the current crop of maybe good/maybe horrible stuff. I mean, they did the Three Musketeers. I grew up on those movies and have all the respect in the world for that company. The people over there are topnotch. They've got Bill Moseley in the movie. They have Gunnar Hansen. Tom Savini is directing the movie. It's only a horror movie. What do I need to do it? We'll figure the rest out when we get there. I haven't read a script but that's what they're working on and they keep that stuff real tight under wraps. They're good movie makers. I expect it will be a great movie when we get around to that.
BD: It will be interesting to have a scene with you and Gunnar together.
AB: How about that. How about me and Gunnar and Bill Moseley and Kane Hodder and Tom Savini harmony, Along with Ken Foree? I probably forgot some other huge names in the horror business that will probably be there before we shoot. That's the whole point of that. This ain't the Last Horror Picture Show...this is the Next Horror Picture Show.
BD: Can you talk about Lobo feature film?
AB: Yeah, you and me right now. Let's tell the world again not to forget about the Lobo feature film, Joel Silver. [laughter] Me and John Singleton and Lorenzo di Buenaventura had a great talk about the Lobo movie when they were getting ready to do Four Brothers and I was originally going to do that. John goes "Hey what about Lobo, man? I love that shit. Best thing I ever saw." And I go "It's already the best Lobo movie in the last 10 years that's ever been. Just hearing it brought up in a room with Lorenzo who used to be in charge with developing that thing over there. He jumped off and now I don't know where it is stuck. And Warner Brothers won't not do the movie without Joel Silver and they don't care if he doesn't renew the rights. But if [they don’t] maybe they'll let me make it. Please!!
BD: Is there a screenplay out there?
AB: Yeah and it's awesome. [The screenwriters] are my friends and I wouldn't do anything without them. And the problem with the development on that film, not to go too far into another movie, is that they never want to consult the creators of the comic. It would be like doing Batman without Bob Kane. That's why they shouldn't get it. And ultra violence and black humor, that's something that this movie and Chainsaw origin has too. Ultra violence and black humor go hand in hand when you're talking entertainment. Sin City has proven it and now Lobo should be made. Robert Rodriguez, Austin Texas, Quentin Tarantino, are you listening? [laughter] I tell everybody in the media as soon as possible that I want to do Sin City 2. Robert Rodriguez reads all this horror stuff.
BD: This movie is not really supposed to be a comedy but there are some comedic moments in it...
AB: Who said?
BD: The director.
AB: Really? He's funny. That's all I have to say about that. I don't know. You know what? Somebody said today about over the top "Oh we don't want to go over the top" I go" Now you say it. You might want to have thought about that before we just sprayed a room in blood and we just cut another person in half with a chainsaw." But there's a fine line between less is less and less is more. And some people are just going to laugh at it anyway because some people [making crazy laughing sounds]. Those are all your guys' fans you know, and mine too. So some people are just going to laugh whether it's supposed to be funny or not. But the movie's not funny, we're playing it straight dead.
BD: You said you hate camp, earlier.
AB: Yeah, I do. I don't think that's campy. I think sometimes less is less. Sometimes more is ultra violent. Sometimes ultra violence becomes black humor because people doing ultra violence had to be out of our minds. And say things that are just out of their mouth without thinking because all bets are off when you're doing stuff like this. And people think that's funny until you're the one under the chainsaw and then it's not so funny for you but the next guy's laughing.
BD: We were told that you have several different saws by the prop people. Which one is your favorite?
AB: [whistles] Wow, we got some top of the line prop saws on this movie. It's not like that last low budget movie we did. I mean last time we had blades falling off and couldn't use this and had to hide that. A blade with no teeth shows up on the (unintelligible) because they brought the wrong one to the photo shoot. Stuff like that will never happen again because now these prop saws look bad to the bone. I've never seen nasty fake blood look any more real or any more nasty. I've never seen fake chainsaws on every level look so good. They got it real good for me, they got the chainsaws with no blade that start. When a guys got to be a part of one and you know all different kinds of tricks. We had all kinds of tricks in the first one. That's where some of this money goes just to baffle you with brilliance. And the saws are brilliant in this movie.
BD: So what is next for you?
AB: I sold a reality series to Mike Fleiss and Next (?) Entertainment, one of the producers of this movie. And I have several other reality series that I'd like to endeavor to get started and to finish. Some of them related to my current occupation. I'm working with a cool chopper company, 357 Customs. I'm doing a Leatherface bike. You know, all kinds of stuff like that. I'll be promoting some products and playing rock and roll with Black Label Society and Zakk Wylde. Hanging out with my friends like Kerry King from Slayer. Doing what Andrew Bryniarski does best when he's not playing Leatherface and that's hanging out with his friends trying to take a little time with his friends and rock and roll.
BD: Austin has a great live music scene. Have you gotten out and played or seen anything?
AB: I haven't had a chance to play. I just got my Line 6 amps in and just got my Schecter guitar with the strippers on it. And I'm already getting it all gunked up with blood so it's getting harder to play a little bit.
BD: I want to know who your favorite victim is in this.
AB: They all kill good. That's all I have to say. Victims schmictims. The kids are all young, pretty and beautiful...deserve to get famous after I cut them to ribbons and they die good.[laughter] Big careers for all these kids after I bloody them up and make them look uglier than they ever will for the rest of their life. It's hard making kids that pretty look this ugly for a movie. Don't forget we've got a Playboy playmate, we've got a hot young actress, we've got kids too good looking to walk the street. We put them in a movie so we can bloody them all up and try to camouflage it. Doesn't really work. But after I'm done with them, they'll deserve to be famous.
BD: What are the odds that this is the last time you're playing this guy? Do you think they'll do another movie?
AB: I'll say this, I should probably walk away. But what am I going to do? I love this character. We'll do what we have to do to see if this legacy will go where it wants to. Pretty much the way this movie came together I wouldn't have thought it ... you know, I never doubted it. But when Marcus wasn't coming back that wasn't good news for me at first. I thought he did a really brilliant job definitely making that movie. But it's good working with Michael Bay and these guys Brad Fuller and Andrew Form. You know what, they're new to this producing their own movie business too. We started it together and they've really done great movies and done a great job. So I want to keep working with those guys. There were 33 murders at the Hewitt household when last you saw me. We killed off about six victims and another cop or two last time, right? All together, how many did we get, six bodies? Whatever the body count is in this, I don't think we have time to get up to 33. So there's still time between this movie and that movie to kill some more people if the box office and the audience demands it. I think that's it.
This is the start of it all!
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Origin hits theaters October 6th, 2006. Read tons of interviews below!
AB: I hate this shit like crazy. It causes me all kinds of drama in my personal life. I'd love to leave it at work but I come home with blood on my hands everyday. Thomas Hewitt and I, we're in a love/hate relationship. I love to hate him.
AB: Sure. Well, I will tell you without telling you. There's a scene we did over the last couple of days and there's something that...Well, there's a scene we did tonight where I walk into a scene and for the first time some members of my family see the mask for the first time.
AB: Yeah, you and me right now. Let's tell the world again not to forget about the Lobo feature film, Joel Silver. [laughter] Me and John Singleton and Lorenzo di Buenaventura had a great talk about the Lobo movie when they were getting ready to do Four Brothers and I was originally going to do that. John goes "Hey what about Lobo, man? I love that shit. Best thing I ever saw." And I go "It's already the best Lobo movie in the last 10 years that's ever been. Just hearing it brought up in a room with Lorenzo who used to be in charge with developing that thing over there. He jumped off and now I don't know where it is stuck. And Warner Brothers won't not do the movie without Joel Silver and they don't care if he doesn't renew the rights. But if [they don’t] maybe they'll let me make it. Please!!
