JOHN MICHAEL BOLGER - the 2nd part of our chat, A message to his fans

[Karen]

AGAIN, this part of the interview contains spoilers, nothing that's not a part of history, but I have to warn you, if you don't know the story? Save this to read after you've seen the film.

I have to thank the same people today, Karen Ross, JMB's publicist, Jill and Rachel for making this happen.

6/12/09 Check out the newly updated www.johnmichaelbolger.com fansite!

Check out JMB's new Facebook page and be sure to friend him, access your Facebook acct and search for John Michael Bolger


The photos of John with his fans copyright Elizabeth Herzog and Michelle Martin, used with permission

And I have to add on a personal note, that this man was completely open and giving, I did edit out some personal chit chat between us, but other than those things, this is exactly what he said to us, the fans. Towards the end of the interview is a special message that he wanted shared with you all, his fans. So John, I am fulfilling my promise to you with humble honor.


copyright Michelle Martin, photo used with permission



Johnnydeppreads talks to JOHN MICHAEL BOLGER part 2

JDR: Let me ask you a different type of question, do you know why I wanted to talk with you?

JMB: I don't.

JDR: It didn't have anything to do with Depp, but it did. It was when I saw a clip of you on youtube saying so many really gracious things to the fans. Next to Johnny, you were the one who was out there with the fans after filming day after day. Being such a gentleman to the fans who were there, you gave of yourself. I said to myself that I wanted to try to contact this man, that this man was kind to the fans and we thank you for that.

JMB: Thank you, as I said to the fans, without them, I'm nobody, I'm just another John Doe on the street. And those fans were my safety net. I knew that whenever I came back from wherever I'd been, if I fell, that they'd be there for me. And I knew that their love and their support and their smiles and all their faces were all apart of the experience. I would see them, they were just a whole part of the experience. They kept me going so many times that you don't know.... My credo is I've never met a fan I didn't like, if somebody is going to take the time to walk over to me or say hello to me or smile at me or look for my attention...you know actors, we're all little kids who didn't work our stuff out so we're trying to work it out now, we're turning our pain into art and the fact that anybody would go out of their way on the planet to be nice to me or get my attention then they can approach me any time they want.








JDR: YOU are quite a remarkable gentleman!

JMB: Thank you very much.

JDR: May we speak about Michael Mann? You've worked with him in television and twenty years later in the movies, is he the same man?

JMB: When I worked with him in television he was the executive producer he wasn't the director, although he was around. Do you want my opinion of Michael Mann?

JDR: I'd love to hear what you'd like to share with us!

JMB: My opinion of Michael Mann is George Patton on top of a jeep driving through the snow with bullets flying. I would work for this guy anywhere, anytime, any place, for any amount of money, anywhere. I don't know anyone else's opinion and I frankly don't care about anybody else's opinion, this man treated me with respect, gave me an incredible part, put me in a great position and I have never seen a dynamo and this isn't and actor sucking up to a director. The job's done. I've never seen a man like this in my life. We were out one night filming on the famed, fabled Lake Michigan and within four seconds the weather went from being pristine to like the end of the world. And I watched this man running with equipment in the wind, this man is "first in and last out" he was, if he called me right now and said "John start walking to Chicago, I've got something for ya" I'd say, Karen, I gotta go. That's my opinion of Michael Mann. I can't say enough about Michael Mann and that's the truth, that's from my heart, that's not hoping he'll hire me again. I mean that. Michael Mann is one of THE most passionate, driven people.

I want to tell you as I'm talking to you right now I'm looking at a poster that's been on my wall my whole life and it's called "Public Enemies" ...it's a James Cagney movie that I've had in my possession forever. And I'm in a movie called "Public Enemies" I mean you can do the math any way you want. Michael Mann... I got to stand there and watched him in the most unbelievable situations whether it was ego or weather or demographics or logistics or all of the above at the same time coming down with the unknown, he handled it. He handled it with aplomb and grace. The man is the bomb. And I mean that. The man gave me permission, what do we look for in life, we look for an "atta boy" - we look for permission, we look for somebody to take notice of us, we look for somebody to see us across a room.

JDR: So you feel that as an actor, the way he treated you enabled you in the role?

JMB: ABSOLUTELY! And you know he's got a method to his madness, he knows exactly what he's doing. He would have you psychologically set up to be right where you were supposed to be without even knowing it. It was just brilliant what he was doing and he couldn't have been more graceful with me, sometimes he wouldn't talk, he'd just come over and put his hand on me and that was enough. A lot of people in this industry need to realize first that we're blessed when we get to do this and second we have a responsibility to humanity because we get to portray the human spirit, we go where other people don't get to go. And that there needs to be a little more respect for the craft and a there needs to be a little more respect for people called directors because they're the ones that are ultimately going to put it all together in the end and that doesn't just pertain to this project, it pertains to every project I've ever done. Michael Mann ran a first rate, first class operation, where we didn't want for nothing, we didn't need for nothing, we were treated like gold. All the way, first class from the beginning to the end. Given everything we needed to live, everything we needed to be creative. Everything, everything. The top, the best...cameramen, costumers...everything was the best.

And I hope Michael Mann gets the Academy Award for it, he has quite a body of work and he deserves it for this.

JDR: Well Universal has this film as it's tent pole film next summer, so I hope there's a big push for the film at awards time.

JMD: Gee I'm feeling like Will Smith all of a sudden! (we laugh)

JDR: Zarkovich was a bad dude, but was there any joy there at all for you?

JMB: Let me see, my first scene in the movie, there was a lot of joy because I was awaiting him and I was with her (Anna Sage) and I knew once I saw him we were going to get a pile of money and I was going to be able to eat steak with baked potatoes, carry on, buy a new suit, act like a big shot and treat my baby nice and life was going to go along swimmingly. That's about it though. From there on it was a battle for Zarkovich's soul.

JDR: As an actor knowing the outcome, was it that much harder for you?

JMB: I tried to sort of hypnotize myself that I didn't, that I was going to go moment to moment. And you know it was so disjointed for me, it wasn't like I was there and we did it chronologically so I had to sort of psych myself up. Zarkovich was with me all the time and when I would come back to NY, he was with me and people would say to me "what's up with you?" and it was too much to explain. Colleen Atwood, the greatest costume designer on the planet, when she would give me some of these clothes, shoes and just these little things, like the uniform..so I tried to take it moment to moment, I tried to imagine what he went through. It's in your soul, it's a deep, dark place. I always look at acting as if it were an Olympic swimming event and there's three types of actors, you have the first type of actor who wears the speedo, looks great, dives in the water, barely makes a splash, swims end to end, comes out, doesn't even look wet. Looks great. You have the second kind of actor, wears the speedo, looks great, but does something else in the water, does the butterfly, breaks it up a little bit, then you've got the actor that I am, that I think I am, the actors that I really care about you show up, you're probably not in a bathing suit, you find the deepest end of the pool, you dive in, you make a really big splash and you hope that people wait for you to come back up. If that makes any sense to you at all.

JDR: That makes great sense and so that also gives me a question, what swimmer is Johnny Depp?

JMB: He's my swimmer. Absolutely my swimmer.

JDR: Can you give something about him, a one word description maybe?

JMB: Soul. Soul. Soul. You look in eyes and there it is. Right there. There's no mistake in why he's a movie star, he's a gorgeous guy, he's got the suave, he's got the look, he's got the grace, he's got the moves but...when you look deep in his eyes? There's the soul. It's like a mine of gold. And that's what Tim Burton and anyone who uses him, they know. It's his soul, it's right there.

JDR: I hope that we can visit again maybe when the movie comes out? You've been such a great man to talk with!

JMB: I would like that very much! Now, could you do me a favor?

JDR: Yes of course!

JMB: I would like you to give my love and my best regards to all the fans and tell them that the brightness of their eyes and the depth of their smiles will stay with me forever and that I wish them well and I hope that we meet again.

JDR: I will get great joy out of doing that!

JMB I mean that. While we were doing this film, I mean we worked inordinate hours, there were people all around at the hotel, the Starbucks...and they got to know me and I got to know them and then we knew each other by name and they would see me like sleepwalking, staggering through the street. It's just part of the process, the hours, it's just part of the deal, no complaints. There were just fans there, the things they said, they'll never know.. little things they said, or did.

JDR: They will know because I will tell them.


JMB: It's the people who you remember along the way, that may say something to you or change your course. The fans, where ever we went? There they were and they'll never know how much they played a big part in keeping me going.

JDR: I promise you, they WILL know it because I will write it for you. Fans react to you because of what they got from you. You gave to the fans. It's an interaction. You shared with the fans and that's why I wanted to talk to you.

JMB: One of my favorite sayings comes from William Faulkner when he accepted his Nobel Peace Prize in 1956, I think, the year I was born, he said "when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tide less in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny inexhaustible voice, still talking.". And that's something that keeps me going.

JDR: You've just portrayed a tortured human spirit.

JMB: Yes, one of them, and I'd like to put him to rest. Life is pretty simple, you're born, you learn integrity, dignity and compassion, sense of humor, some grace, manners and you're gone. You hope maybe you left a mark.


**This interview is copyright © 2004-2008 JohnnyDeppReads.com and may not be reprinted or reposted in any form without permission. Please use a link back to share. Thanks


This will eventually be rotated over to our interview area to be archived.

This post has been edited by Karen on Jun 12 2009, 07:02 PM

[wwjdd]

I didn't want to comment in the Part 1 thread until I'd read the entire interview.

Wow! What an amazing, thought-provoking, warm man Mr. Bolger is.

It's been quite a long time since I've been so taken with the obvious decency and beautiful humanity shining through from an interview subject. He is so gracious and kind, with compelling views - he's earned a new fan in me.

Thank you Mr. Bolger for being so generous with your time and your spirit in this interview. And Karen, thank you once again for bringing us such a treasure.

[callie]

Great interview!!! Thank you for bringing it to us. What a nice man he is. I can't wait to see this movie!!!!

[Lucky13]

What an awesome interview... thank you Karen !!!

I was one of the very fortunate "fans" that got to meet John Micheal when PE was filming in Chicago. He chatted with a small group of about 20 people for well over 20 minutes. He located Branka Katikc (the Lady in Red) and brought her over to meet us as well, not to mention Johnny's father and aunt and uncle. He has such a kindred spirit. I can honestly say he touched my soul and I have memories that will last a lifetime.

Thank you again Karen !!

[nurseanne8]

Great interviews thanks Karen and Mr. Boger. Anne r

[depplyinluv]

Great interview Karen. Mr. Bolger sounds like a very kind and thoughtful man and I'm really looking forward to seeing him in PE. Another reason to look forward to July.

Debbie

[Kazren]

Great interview, Karen. Lovely man. It was a very enjoyable read. Thank you.

[Minxie]

Fabulous interview Karen.... Thank you VERY much for talking to John... And HUGE thanks to John for doing the interview. He is a sweet man with a huge heart.

I never got to meet him, but I did write him a letter and he responded with a sweet note and a signed picture (without me asking for it).

[herestoyou]

Thanks again Karen for bringing this wonderful inteview to JDR!

I''m an official JMBolger fan now! What a down-to-earth ,intelligent ,insightful man.
I'm looking forward to seeing his work in PE. Thank you Mr. Bolger for sharing not only your craft, but your heart with us on JDR!

-Donna

[Karen]

I spoke with John tonight and since he really doesn't have internet, LOL I read your responses to his interview and he wanted to thank you all for saying such kind and nice things! IHeheard each and every one that was posted before about 8pm (Central) tonight and was genuinely moved. I'll keep him updated and will print them all out for him to read.

[Rose Sparrow]

Great interview Karen!

I loved the part where he said that he had a PE poster from the James Cagney movie on his wall for his whole life so I can just imagine that being in this film must have been like a dream come true for him!

Appreciative of fans, humble and talented. He's got it all going on, if you ask me!
Karen and Mr. Bolger for a wonderful interview!

[wwjdd]

Oh Karen. That was so sweet of you to pass along our thoughts to him. Thank you for doing that.

[Ellen]

I must admit, I've not heard of Mr. Bolger before this interview, but if he's as real in person as he was in this interview, I like him.

When he talked about Johnny's eyes and seeing his soul, I had the feeling that Mr. Bolger is probably the same way. I can't wait to see this film as well, not just to see Johnny, but to meet Mr. Bolger for the very first time.

Thanks Karen. Great interview.

[Karen]

Ellen, he is exactly what you read in the interview, kind, humble, considerate and giving. I contunue to read any and all new replies to him.


It's my pleasure to share your thoughts and feed back with him!

[MerryK]

Wow.. what an awesome interview!!!! What a lively man he seems to be.. but so gracious too!!! I've got one word for him.. genuine!!

I chuckled at his description of Michael Mann.. as George Patton on top of a jeep going head on into whatever the situation was!! Thats interesting he worked with Michael Mann so many years ago.. and that he actually had a PE poster with Cagney.. thats cool.. real cool!!!

Karen thank you for this treat and those that assisted you in getting this time with Mr. Bolger! And a great big Thank you to Mr Bolger!!

~ Mary Kay