AC Exclusive Interview with Pulp Fiction's Duane Whitaker

Once seen, director Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction can't be forgotten. Arguably, the most unforgettable scene is Bruce Willis and Ving Rhames held captive in a pawnshop. Duane Whitaker is the actor who brought Maynard, the infamous pawnshop owner to vivid life.

Duane graciously agreed to an interview, after I saw a new independent film he's starring in with C. Thomas Howell. "Cold Ones" is a smart, quirky drama chock full of colorful characters. He plays Buddy - a wannabe writer and natural storyteller. Whitaker isn't only a solid character actor, but also an acting teacher as well as gifted screenwriter whom Tarantino entrusted to write From Dusk To Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money - the sequel to his hit horror action flick starring himself and George Clooney.

Who were your acting heroes growing up? Who are they today?

Marlon Brando. He never appeared to be acting which fascinated me. I liked a lot of actors but Brando was one that really made me want to be an actor. Then seeing "Midnight Cowboy." I thought, if I can ever be involved in something like this, it would be worth it, whatever the struggle. That's a couple of pretty good film actors - Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight.

Today, as far as film actors, Sean Penn is hard to beat. I think Jeff Bridges is also right up there. There's a lot of good ones.

Pulp Fiction is a film classic. What are you most proud of about it?

I'm just proud to be in the film - period. You can have a long and good career and never be involved in something like that. You have to get lucky. "Pulp" was one of those films that caught a critical and popular wave and just took off. It doesn't happen every day. It's become part of the culture and holds up awfully well I think.

When you read the part of Maynard, was there hesitation because of the violent nature of the role & sexual violation?

No, I didn't hesitate at all. It was a wonderful opportunity to be in something special. I thought it was one of the best scripts I'd ever read although I wasn't sure a lot of it would work. Of course I had no idea it would become what it has - nobody did, believe me. It was a damn interesting role; that's what you look for as an actor - at least that's what I look for.

Quentin Tarantino - I can't think of many who blend so many styles as well as he. Even after working with him, does his work still surprise and thrill you?

Yeah, Quentin's work does catch me off guard a lot of the time. What I admire about him most is that he takes real chances. Not things that just sort of appear risky, things that really are risky. He's not afraid to play against his strengths either, which I admire.

You wrote From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money with Quentin Tarantino producing. Was he as hands on a producer as a director?

Quentin was pretty hands on in the beginning of "Dusk 2", then got involved in a couple of things and not so much after that. I know he and Scott (Spiegal) kept in close communication through most of it. He had great script notes -- his name was actually on the script at one point. I can't remember why it went off; a writers guild thing maybe.

From Dusk Till Dawn 2 filmed in South Africa - how different/harder is it filming in a foreign country than in the USA?

We shot that in Cape Town South Africa. It was not an easy shoot for a lot of reasons. Nice people, beautiful country but, like I said, tough shoot.

Your character Buddy was a highlight in the independent film Cold Ones - co-starring C. Thomas Howell. Buddy is full of fun stories - but he wants someone else to write them. Have you come across your share of Buddys? If they're not as charming as he, how do you deal with them?

Yeah, I've had my fair share of people hitting me up because I've had some stuff produced. I usually tell them I have enough bad ideas of my own. I have written a couple of spec scripts with others, but it's usually with someone I know and like.

Can being a good character actor be taught? Do actors fall into either leads or character actors naturally or is it all about craft?

Good acting is good acting. In film, you fall into character because of physical type more than anything else.

As an acting instructor are you brutally honest - will you take someone aside to say they have no talent? Even with someone of your skill and experience, is it presumptuous of you or anyone to make that kind of judgment call?

No, it would be way out of line for me to make a call like that. If someone tries, I'll always work with them. You can always help them improve. The best some people I've worked with are ever going to be is a four or five line day player but that's okay. I really believe anyone can get better no matter what they show up with. I wouldn't have always said that, but it's my belief now after teaching a while.

While teaching a new actor in one of your classes, did you have a gut feeling that he/she would really make it in the industry?

If you're talking about making it as making a living, I've had a few. I've only had one student who I felt could become a movie star. There are a lot of factors though; you have to stay out of your own way and get lucky. Somebody said, the only thing you need to make it in this business is 27 lucky breaks...

I attended an acting lecture and the speaker was a classically trained theater actor. He was outspoken about his distaste for actors with no stage training. In today's world, is it realistic to expect actors to have a stage background? Can a truly serious actor always find stage work to supplement/expand their training?

It's a matter of what you're interested in doing. If you're interested in doing film work only -- that's what you should concentrate on. I did a ton of theater but it was never really my focus; I always wanted to work in film. They are related but very different skills. You can be good at one or the other or both. It's like anything else. Most tennis players are natural volleyers or base-liners, but if you work on the less natural gift, you get better at it. As far as working on stage and making a living? Very tough to pull off... Whoever you're speaking of lecturing sounds like an ass... The class I teach is on film acting.

Would you do a TV series as a regular? Like say a Sopranos or Six Feet Under kind of show?

I would love to do something like Deadwood. At this point I'd like the chance to work steady in TV on any good show. It would be nice to have just a bit of security

With more exposure to Indy films or reality shows - are audiences more accustomed to every man character types like you? Are they more accepting of three dimensional people and acting instead of polished illusions of traditional Hollywood?

I don't know. I suppose. There have always been character roles - it's harder to make a living at it now than a few years ago. Less good paying work - because of reality shows for one thing.

Should acting be taught in schools as part of an overall arts curriculum? Many schools use sports as a way out for kids in trouble - what about the imaginative fire of great theater?

Sure, that opportunity should be there. Acting and sports are both real long shots though. I'm not sure that's the answer for what you're talking about. For 99.9 % of people out there, education in different areas would be the answer, I think.

Dream for me. Budget is no object. The studio tells you to go "crazy" and somehow they keep their word. Who is your dream cast and what's your dream movie? Will you make an epic historical romance like Titanic? a cutting edge visual like 300? a genre re-defining action blast like Kill Bill?

Budget would not be the issue for me. My type of film would be small, character driven stories. I've never had any desire to do a "BIG" movie. But, a small film is still more money than I have sitting around. It's always a struggle. That's why I have directed as little as I have. It's very frustrating.

Are your own movie ideas less about the film genre than casting and "message"? Are you more a story/event film maker or a more character/actor film maker?

No, I don't have a message to send. I like interesting character stuff and interesting stories. Whatever genre it falls in doesn't concern me.

I invite you to "rant" - What's bothering you now? Describe an injustice you feel is going on or something that's bothering you either in Hollywood or wherever.

I don't really have anything to rant about. I wish what I do as an actor had more perceived value in the business. Most times I don't get the money or billing I should. That's frustrating. I've never had strong representation and it's cost me through the years, but I have to take responsibility for that. I've stayed when I should have gone, etc. Never really took advantage of times I had a little heat - Pulp Fiction, etc. But over all I'm very grateful to have worked as much as I have - I've been very fortunate. I've done work I'm proud of, had several screenplays produced, directed one small feature, starred in a film I wrote -- those are all good things. Very few people I started with are still around. I feel very lucky over all.

What do you have out now you'd like to talk about?

You mentioned "Cold Ones" which is a small independent film I co-starred in for my friend Garrett Clancy. It's out on the festival circuit as is, "Broke Sky" which was directed by Tom Callaway. It played South By South West this year and also recently won the Grand Jury Prize at Dances With Films here in L.A. Also in a film called "The Butcher" with Eric Roberts, which is starting to play the festival thing.

I'm directing a small film called "The Death Brand" which my friend, director Jeff Burr, described as southern fried "Memento" which I kind of like. I'm also writing a script set in the L.A. music scene circa 1985 or so. It's sort of a ghost story. Also have a script called "30-Weight", I'm going to direct and co-star in as soon as someone hands over the budget. I really want to shoot this one in Texas.