How did the direction of the film change with the influence of Messrs Depp and Thompson?
Everyone says Depp’s a method actor, but if he really did all those drugs, he’d be dead. TG: What he’s got up his nose is lactose. Powdered milk. I kept saying that by the end of the film, he’d be capable of breast-feeding the entire crew. Johnny isn’t a method actor – he’s a thorough actors and immerses himself totally, but most method actors carry it with them. We say “Cut” and they’re still in character, and that’s not Johnny. It’s like working with an English actor, we’re talking about football and “Action” and he’s into character, then “Cut” and we’re back to telling jokes again. Benicio’s more of the method actor in that sense. He wouldn’t break character and would stay in it, living it day and night. Working on the set, because we had limited time and money, we just had to work fast and people had to be on their toes, and you can’t do that smashed out of your brains. Q: Would you say your films were optimistic or pessimistic? TG: I would say they were all optimistic, even Brazil
