From 'Zombieland' to war zone
FIVE QUESTIONS | Peace-loving Woody Harrelson has great respect for troops
‘It’s easy to say that you’re anti-war or pro-peace,” Woody Harrelson says. “But it’s also important to get the perspective of the warrior. I’m a big fan of the men and women in the military who put their lives on the line every single day.
“I still believe the war in Iraq is absolutely wrong,” he says. “But I have the utmost respect for the warrior.”
ABOVE: Woody Harrelson plays a casualty notification officer — someone who notifies families that their loved ones have died — in the new film "The Messenger."
BELOW: Harrelson co-stars with Jesse Eisenberg in "Zombieland," a film Harrelson says "played like a beautiful rock concert."
Harrelson is waxing political because of his new movie “The Messenger,” opening Friday. The film stars Ben Foster as an American soldier who is back from Iraq and joins his army superior (Harrelson) in a job where they must tell military families that their sons and daughters have died in the war.
“I’m a casualty notification officer,” Harrelson says. “It was a role where I really immersed myself and in the end I understand the war a little bit better now.”
1. You went through some torment researching this role. Can you explain what you did and how you handled it emotionally?
I asked to see photos and I spent time looking into the faces of young women and men who were killed in Iraq. This really affected me to the core. You look at these beautiful faces and think about the loss and the devastation to the families. As an actor looking at the photos helped put me in the mindset of the character. I play a man who has to notify the families that their loved ones are gone. You look at these faces and it just destroys you.
2. On a much lighter note, how do you explain the big sleeper hit of fall, “Zombieland”?
The best way to figure it out for me was to go sneak into the movie, which I just did. I usually don’t like seeing myself on screen, but I enjoyed it this time because of the crowd reaction. The movie played like a beautiful rock concert, but with big laughs. It gave me the feeling of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
3. In “Zombieland,” you’re a guy searching for the ultimate comfort food — a Twinkie. Would that be your comfort food? And how many Twinkies did you have to eat while making the film?
For starters, I’m not a Twinkie lover. I don’t do sugar or dairy either. When we finally shot my Twinkie-eating scene in the movie, they had to give me a specially made mock Twinkie made of cornmeal. It could spawn a healthy Twinkie revolution. Now if it really was the end of the world and I was running from zombies and needed some comfort food, I’d be searching for a mango. Or an avocado. It’s a really tough call between the two.
4. Is it true that after “Cheers” you thought you would never work again?
There was a six-year period after “Cheers” where I couldn’t get a job. It was hard to make the transition from TV to movies. I even started to think about doing other things with my life. Luckily, I got “Doc Hollywood” and then “White Men Can’t Jump” became a big box office hit. Before those movies, I really thought it was over. I thought maybe I’d become a proofreader although that job can’t be easy. Honestly, I didn’t know what I would do. I just had a lot of hope.
5. You live in Hawaii full-time with your wife and three daughters — Deni, 15, Zoe, 13, Makani, 3, whom you have dubbed “The Goddess Trilogy.” What’s it like living with so many women? Do you ever get to use
the bathroom?
Hey, even my dog is female and so are the cats. But I’m very lucky. I feel like I’m hip deep in a happy soup. As for the girls, I’m so glad to be raising them outside of L.A. where life is slower. We hang out on the beach and swim every single day. I’m not exactly a disciplinarian dad. I could never be accused of being that guy. I believe kids are like weeds. You just let them grow. Actually, that’s a line from a play. The point is I don’t inflict my perspective on my children. I want them to experience the world in their own way. I don’t want to infect them with my mindset. Now, as for your last question, do I get in the bathroom ... every now and then, but I’m the last one in.
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