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HOST: | And welcome back to the morning news. We're lucky to have Bruce Greenwood, one of the finest actors around these days - [as Greenwood holds up the zebra and acts like the zebra is just becoming aware of where he is] - with his little friend here. [To Greenwood] You're in a new movie called Racing Stripes |
| BRUCE: | Yeah, yeah. |
| HOST: | And I have to tell you I was in a theater about a month and a half ago and I saw the trailer for this movie and it's so funny, because it's basically about a zebra who thinks he's a race horse. And the scene where the two race horses are together and the zebra comes up was one of the funniest I've ever seen. It's like - what made you decide to do this movie?. |
| BRUCE: | Well, the script was really, really funny and really sweet. And those two things together kind of hooked me in. I laughed out loud and had a little tear at the end, so I thought [looking at zebra and using a voice like talking communally to a child] 'Let's give it a try.' |
| Clip from Racing Stripes
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| HOST: | A kind of departure for you doing a kids' movie. Is it different as an actor? 'Cause you're more of a dramatic actor. |
| BRUCE: | [using the zebra like puppet, as if it's the one talking] Yeah, I'm more of a dramatic actor. I take things very seriously. [Then looking up and taking over as himself] Yeah. I am sort of known for being a kind of institutional bad guy, and more of an actory type than this. But it was just so much fun, I just thought - I was touched and I was amused, so I thought [looks at zebra again and uses the zebra voice] well, OK. |
| HOST: | For people who are familiar with Frankie Munoz - who is, of course, Malcolm in the Middle on Global, he plays the voice of the horse. How difficult is it acting with - I say horse, but a zebra. |
| BRUCE: | Well, they don't really care! |
| HOST: | Really? |
| BRUCE: | You know, you can be talking like this [looks at the interviewer directly and moves closer] and they'll just go [uses his hand like a head to show it turning away]. They're just not that interested in what you have to say! Or you'll look down and they've gone [clears his throat] on your shoe, y'know. |
| HOST: | What do you want people when they go see this movie to think about. Because obviously it's something where you bring your kids. |
| BRUCE: | It's a really positive message about be who you want to be - independent of who other people think you are. If you feel like you're a thoroughbread race horse - even if you look like this [ points to zebra] go ahead. Just follow your dreams, basically. |
| HOST: | When these kinds of movies come out, the merchandizing is huge. You've brought your little friend with us, as well. |
| BRUCE: | No, no. He ran into the car. We jumped into the car and he ran after us and leapt in! |
| HOST: | Well, there you go. You're gonna be with him from now on for the rest of time. |
| BRUCE: | Yeah, he's traveling with me now. |
| HOST: | I wouldn't leave him anywhere. |
| BRUCE: | That was one of the hardest things - leaving the show was leaving all the animals. |
| HOST: | Really? |
| BRUCE: | They're really part of your family and - although the babies are... You know they're about 100 lbs and they're a little bit skittish, so you have to treat them very, very gently. And the first time I was working with one - the scene where I was bringing it into the barn, right? I was working very, very gently and I held him a little bit tight and it got tense and I got tense and I held him a little bit tighter and then he went whoop! bam! and threw me onto the ground and kicked me mercilessly. |
| HOST: | Do you have kids, as well? |
| BRUCE: | No, no I don't. |
| HOST: | You don't, but for someone who has kids it's - the whole family can go and enjoy |
| BRUCE: | If someone has kids or nephews or nieces or whatever, it's fun for the whole family. But it is! It's laugh out loud. Usually, when I'm in a movie, the first time I watch it I'm like [cowers with his hand over his eyes] I can't bear to see myself and this time, I just forgot all about it. I was laughing out loud from the first five minutes, so - |
| HOST: | Well, good luck. The movie's called Racing Stripes and he's in it [pointing with his pen at Bruce] and he's in it [pointing at the zebra]. |
| BRUCE: | [using the zebra as a puppet and using a high voice] Yup! See you guys there. |
| Back in the regular studio
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| WOMAN: | [shakes her head and laughs, quite amused] |
| HOST: | You know, you think about actors in Canada and you think of the Jim Careys and Carrie Ann Moss and people like that. Bruce Greenwood has worked with some major, major stars and been in some huge movies. Kevin Costner in Thirteen Days, he's worked with Ashley Judd in Double Jeopardy, uh he's been in - |
| SPENCER: | [off stage]Atom Egoyan's movies. |
| HOST: | Atom Egoyan's movies, like Exotica and others. He's had a long career, so I asked him 'What's next?' and he goes 'I don't know, I don't have any other plans'. He goes, 'I'm gonna take a couple of weeks off and see if anyone offers me anything.' |
| WOMAN: | Traveling around with a zebra. |
| HOST: | There you go. |
| SPENCER: | Talking about thoroughbreads - that guy is a thoroughbread actor - he's excellent to watch |
| HOST: | Yeah, he's very good.. |
| SPENCER: | He was obviously pulling off a Southern accent there. Ah - so it's good fun. I saw an ad for it on TV. It looks like a riot. |
