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with RYAN KWANTEN.
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Many viewers may not be aware that
the kidnapping of Freddy Heineken,
as detailed in the movie, actually
happened in 1983; were you aware of
the case prior to doing the film?
RYAN KWANTEN: I thought when I
heard the pitch that it sounded a bit far-
fetched. But the more you research it, the
more you realize what these guys did. It’s
one thing to plan it and another thing to
execute it. I think at the time it was the
biggest ransom ever paid for someone,
so it was a very successful kidnapping.
But it was the fact that they had all this
money that ultimately resulted in the guys’
downfall.
How did you see your character, Jan
‘Cat’ Boellard?
I sort of made a point of keeping him
very quiet and much more the analytical
guy, and also the guy that was very
good with his hands. They imprison
Mr. Heineken and [his driver] Ab in this
Quonset hut that belonged to a large
wood manufacturing company, requiring
the creation of a double wall, cells and a
hidden floor. Maybe it wasn’t explained
all that well in the movie – that made
the 42-metre-long hut look shorter on
the inside by four metres, which went
unchecked.
The casting of Aussie actors like
yourself, SamWorthington andThomas
Cocquerel as the Dutch kidnappers is
interesting…
I guess they’re gluttons for punishment
[laughs]. It was great to band up like that.
Jim [Sturgess] as well; he’s a good, solid
Englishman. It was one of those films
where we were shooting in a foreign
city for five weeks, so it was fly by the
seat of your pants stuff. Fortunately,
the producer had got a great bunch of
actors together who were willing to put
in the hard yards.
How did you find working with
Anthony Hopkins? He adds a touch
of Dr. Lecter to the role of Freddy
Heineken.
He was an absolute professional and a
true gentleman. One of the images that
stayed with me was [Hopkins] staying
back on his last day – it was pissing down
rain in Louisiana and he stayed back for
at least an hour to sign things and take
photos and to watch the next scene. And
I’ve never seen that many cast and crew
who weren’t working come in on the first
day he was working to stand around the
monitor and watch the acting genius in
the flesh.
How is life after True Blood, and have
you been offered more film roles now
that the series has finished?
It’s horrible! [Laughs] I have been
offered more film work, but nothing that’s
really taken my weird sensibilities. The
ones I’ve read have been pretty cookie-
cutter, so I’ve been very cautious with
making movies that are not inspired by
creativity. I shot Blunt Force Trauma last
year in Bogota with Mickey Rourke and
Freida Pinto, and also did the voice of
Blinky Bill for the Australian animated
movie that comes out later this year.
Even when you were busy with True
Blood, you still came home occasionally
to make films like Red Hill, Mystery
Road and Griff the Invisible.
I love the way that Aussies make films,
and I love that I get the opportunity to get
back there and work with local filmmakers,
because I think we have some of the best
– if not the best – in the world.
Ryan Kwanten in Kidnapping Mr. Heineken