Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson & Abbie Cornish Interview For ‘Seven Psychopaths’

From Oscar-winning writer and director Martin McDonagh comes a star-studded, blood-drenched, black comedy. Marty (Colin Farrell) is a struggling writer who dreams of finishing his screenplay Seven Psychopaths. All he needs is a little focus and inspiration. Billy (Sam Rockwell) is Marty’s best friend, an unemployed actor and part time dog thief, who wants to help Marty by any means necessary. Hans (Christopher Walken) is Billy’s partner in crime. A religious man with a violent past. Charlie is the psychopathetic gangster whose beloved dog, Billy and Hans have just stolen. Charlie’s unpredictable, extremely violent and wouldn’t think twice about killing anyone or anything associated with the theft. Marty is going to get all the focus and inspiration he needs, just as long as he lives to tell the tale. Alongside Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken, ‘Seven Psychopaths’ stars Woody Harrelson, Olga Kurylenko, Abbie Cornish, Kevin Corrigan, Zeljko Ivanek, Tom Waits and Gabourey Sidibe. The film is set for release October 12th in the US and December 7th in the UK.

What really appealed to you about this story? I know you worked with writer/director Martin McDonagh on a play with Sam Rockwell previously, how did that experience help on ‘Seven Psychopaths’?

Christopher Walken: It was a terrific script. As an actor who’s been around along time, it’s good to read words so unusual! I done a play with Martin two years ago, but this, ‘Seven Psychopaths,’ it was just a very very good script. But then also the actors, to get to work with Sam Rockwell and Colin Farrell, Woody, Abbie, the cast was great. It’s very pleasant working with Martin, and I think it was helped that we’d worked with each other before when we did that play. We rehearsed for I think six weeks and Martin was in the room everyday. Martin doesn’t say a lot, but he was there and you get to know people by just being around them. And so by the time we came to make this movie I was very comfortable working with Martin.

Woody, I can imagine Charlie was a character you were very interested in playing from reading the script….

Woody Harrelson: Yeah. I just thought that it was a really funny script, very imaginative. And my part, Charlie, it’s a terrific part. My character feels like he’s always the smartest person in the room, that he’s smarter than everyone else. Charlie doesn’t tolerate people well, he doesn’t tolerate idiots well (laughs). One of the cool things that Martin brings to it is that he was really like the head of the family on the set. He really makes everybody feel great and a part of something special, he always checks on you and makes sure everything’s cool. He sends you a text after you were working and says, “That was great.” He’s got such a good vibe, I really liked working with him.

There’s a great ensemble cast of actors in the film, what was the atmosphere like on the set of ‘Seven Psychopaths’?

Abbie Cornish: The atmosphere was great on the set, really great. There’s so much in the film, in everything that happens in the film, I was really interested in that licence to really play. And then to be able to come onto set and work with actors that are at the top of their game, you just know that it’s going to be enjoyable, you just know that each day on set that you’re going to love it – and I had that on ‘Seven Psychopaths,’ it was great, you know?

There’s some fantastic scenes in the desert, how was it shooting out there in the dark?

Christopher Walken: Shooting outside in the desert at night….I’ve had easier things to do (laughs). It was hard because it was cold, and shooting at night for me anyway is difficult. But yeah, outside, in the desert, at night, in the cold….it’s not the easiest (laughs). But on the other hand there was miraculous things that happened. The thing about movies is that they’re always a surprise. One night we were shooting out there in the desert and this enormous owl flew right over the set. For hours this big owl just kept flying around. You’re not likely to see that unless you’re making a movie.

You’ve got some great moments with both Colin Farrell and Sam Rockwell in the film, how was it working with them on a story like this?

Woody Harrelson: The experience was really good, there was a lot of camaraderie. These guys were super fun. And Colin Farrell, he really is a gentleman. Sam Rockwell, I’d met him a few times and I felt like I knew him – even though I hadn’t hung out that much with him. He’s a really funny guy, he makes me laugh (laughs). Both of those guys I’ve seen in a lot of movies and I just think that they’re tremendous actors.

Abbie, you work very closely with Colin Farrell in the film. How did you find it working with him?

Abbie Cornish: Colin Farrell is an awesome actor to work with, he’s constantly experimenting and nothings ever the same. Colin, he’s totally in the moment. He stretches himself as an actor and he goes the whole nine yards whatever scene it is, you can tell that he’s totally invested. His energy level is really high. He’s such a lovely, charismatic, caring guy. I think that energy on set is such a nice thing to have around, and him being the lead character on ‘Seven Psychopaths,’ it kind of drives the whole film.