Jude Law talks ‘Sherlock Holmes 2’ ‘Contagion’ and blogging
In Contagion, the fast, frightening global pandemic drama opening today, Jude Law is an avid blogger, Internet truth teller who is raging post about Big Pharma and government conspiracies. Law previewed the role and film with the Kansas City Star.
“I love that it’s left open for you to decide,” says Law when asked if his character is prophet or crazed lunatic.
The Star notes that “Law is on the phone from his dressing room in London’s Donmar Warehouse, where he has been playing Mat, the swaggering Irishman, in a much-praised revival of Eugene O’Neill’s Anna Christie,” explaining why he wanted the role in Contagion.
“A lot of the reason I wanted to be a part of this project was because the script was so strong, and obviously a strong script and a brilliant director like Steven, you feel, as an actor, confident that you’re almost halfway there,” says Law, who dove deep into the blogosphere to research his role.
“I don’t want to list anyone in particular,” he says, asked to cite a couple of influential bloggers. “I’d rather people see it and draw on their own imagination, but yeah, I certainly looked at an awful lot of blogs, and bloggers who have been interviewed and who have made a bit of a name for themselves, who have become personalities. … I drew on a few and tried to create someone that seemed to fit that particular persona.
“And yet, what was most exciting was that Steven didn’t want to judge him. He didn’t want him to necessarily be a bad guy. … Maybe this guy was correct all along, who knows?”
Law praised Martin Scorsese, working on Hugo and then turns to re-teaming with Robert Downey Jr. for another Sherlock Holmes adventure.
“Literally, it felt like there was no gap,” Law says about returning to director Guy Ritchie’s take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s Dr. Watson. “We went into it with a little more confidence and swagger. We were very proud of the last one, but when you pick up a canon like that, it’s hard to know how the world will respond.
“And (audiences) were really enthusiastic and appreciative.”
Will there be another film, Law dances around.
“It’s not up to me, obviously, but I don’t see why not,” Law muses. “I love working with Robert and Guy and the whole team. I’m a big fan of the books, and there’s obviously huge amounts of material to dip into and use and be inspired by, so we’ll see.
“I always steal a line that Robert said: If everyone else is as enthusiastic and happy for us to carry on doing it, then we’ll probably carry on doing it.”
