On October 13, 2012, Collider.com posted an interview with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje currently co-starring in The Thing and soon to be seen with Sylvester Stallone in Bullet to the Head. Here are some tidbits from the interview about working with Sly…
- How much fun was it to face off against Sylvester Stallone for Bullet to the Head?
AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE: It’s one of those parts that you just relish in your career. I grew up watching Rambo and Rocky, and all of those movies, so you have a surreal moment, even as an actor, when you’re in front of these guys, whether it’s DeNiro or Stallone. You have a moment like, “Geez, that’s Sylvester Stallone,” and then you have to snap out of it and get back in the pocket of the character. But, it was a real treat, not just because you’re working with somebody that you grew up watching, as a kid, but also because he’s a great guy. He’s just a professional. He’s a straight-shooter, and it was fun to work with him. You go to work and there’s no pretense, or anything else going on, on the set.
The experience was just made better because of (director) Walter Hill. They have a working relationship together, but he’s a legend in his own right, as well. I was sandwiched between these two old-school legends, and I learned a lot. You also realize why they got to where they’ve gotten to because they’re very driven, ambitious and fearless. I really enjoyed it, and I loved the character that we created. Walter and Sylvester really wanted something different, and you always get that, if I’m going to play the character.
The character was written as American, but we changed it slightly, to an African who came to America. Also, we made the guy a cripple. That just gave it an added, twisted dimension. It was just fun because to actually get to create a character in a big studio movie is rare, and they went for it. Christian Slater was in it, too. It was just a good cast and a good movie. With a title like Bullet to the Head, you know what to expect, and it will deliver, trust me.
