Original-Cin Q&A: Danish Villain-For-Hire Pilou Asbaek Talks Taking It to Stallone in Samaritan
By Bonnie Laufer
Pilou Asbaek is good at playing bad. The Danish actor has cornered the villain market playing the wicked Euron Greyjoy on Game of Thrones and the troubled spin doctor Kasper Juul in the smart and witty Danish political drama series Borgen.
Now, as the evil Cyrus, he threatens to take down Sylvester Stallone in the new action thriller Samaritan.
The film features Javon Walton as a young boy who suspects that a famed superhero (Stallone), thought to have gone missing after an epic battle a quarter-century earilier, may still be around.
Our Bonnie Laufer spoke with Pilou Asbaek about playing bad guys and going toe to toe with Sly.
You can catch Samaritan on Prime Video starting August 26th.
Pilou Asbaek as the Villainous Cyrus starts to rumble with the super-hero Samaritan (Sylvester Stallone)
ORIGINAL-CIN: What is the secret to being a good bad guy on screen?
PILOU ASBAEK: ( laughs) I start out every morning by eating a couple babies and then….
No, I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. That was the worst answer I've ever given in my life! Let’s start that again!
O-C: Maybe eating a couple of dragons is more appropriate?
ASBEAK: Yes, I need some dragons as well. (Laughs) I don't know what it is because I'm the least crazy villainous guy in the world in real life. I have been married for 15 years now. I have a 10-year-old daughter. I live in Denmark. Do you remember The Truman Show?
O-C: Yes, I do. Excellent film.
ASBAEK: That is me every single morning, living in my little bubble coming out and saying hello to everyone. So, I don't know what it is. I think what makes it fun to play these characters is that they are so far from who I am and I really enjoy it.
When you're away from your family for weeks and sometimes months, you've got to have a good time. I’ve got even more villainous roles coming out soon, in Salem’s Lot and a few others, so I guess looking at it I just gravitate towards them.
O-C: There’s no question it’s always more fun to play the bad guy. You have a great fight scene here with Sylvester Stallone. What was your initial feeling being on set with this legend and then having to fight him?
ASBAEK: I was pinching myself. First of all, he IS a legend! He is quite revered in Denmark, and so first of all, I never take it for granted when I get to work in Hollywood.
I’m always a little bit nervous because you want to please the guys in America and I love working there. So when I first met Sly (I can now officially call him that), I wanted to say, “I'm your biggest fan and I've seen all your films,” but I held back! (Laughs).
I honestly can say I think I've actually seen all of them - except for the last Rambo film, but that's because I've been working a lot myself.
O-C: Sounds like you were just a little freaked out!
ASBAEK: I was just like, “Holy F. This is amazing and I'm actually having a fight with him!” And at one point we're really going at it!
To tell you the truth, I was a bit worried because I didn’t want to accidentally hurt him. But on the other hand I didn’t want to appear to be a weak guy. He is in amazing shape at 73! He was so generous and told me to go for it and give it my all!
I think that was my favorite moment of shooting. He is larger than life and, in my eyes, Hollywood royalty.
So it was a real honor to be working alongside him in this film.
ORIGINAL-CIN: And on the other end of the spectrum, you had several scenes with up and coming young actor Javon Walton, who is killing it on the series Euphoria. Do you ever feel guilty being mean to kids?
ASBAEK: (Laughs) Heck no, I'm a parent! That's my job.
Wow, Javon was fantastic, what a terrific young actor. Working with him was amazing and I’m telling you that kid will keep on defining his talents for many more years.
This is what I love about my job. This is the reason why I left Denmark seven years ago to pursue a career in the U.S. I'm still based in Denmark, but that's the reason why I started making American films, to work with such amazing talent and learn from them and grow with every role I take on.