Jesse Bradford: Interview

Interview by Clint Morris

Interview with Jesse Bradford
Actor in Bring it On and Swimfan films.

Meeting young Jesse Bradford in Melbourne's Prince of Wales Hotel, one was hardly expecting that an hour or so later one would be more than impressed with the new breed of Hollywood.

It seems for every egotistical player, every greedy starlet, and every unappreciative wannabe out there, there's a Jesse Bradford. Someone so deserving of the success they so unrepentantly received. Clint Morris talked to Bradford about his latest contribution to cinemaplexes, Swimfan.

Jesse in Bring it On

Clint: You'd have to be happy with Swimfan going to No.1 wouldn't you? Are the calls coming in now?

Jesse: Hell yeah. The calls were there. The usual question is are you seeing better projects, and it's like no, no, no, no, no, I've been doing it long enough and have good enough credits under my belt and good enough representation that I've been seeing the good projects.

But it's a question about whether the people behind the good projects give a crap about who I am or not. They give more of a crap now, so that's very nice.

Clint: Better parties now?

Jesse: You know I was going to some pretty good parties man. I don't see it getting that much better. I've been on the road the whole time. I literally left for an off-road trip across America from Connecticut to Los Angeles with a buddy of mine, just for fun.

We left two days before the movie opened, so I've been on the road the entire time. I got to L.A, spent one day there and then came here, so I haven't had time to see what kind of parties I'm getting invited to.

But you know, who cares anyway? The best party I could go to is to be sitting at home with my friends, watch TV having a good time, having a couple of brews.

Clint: So what attracted you to Swimfan?

Jesse: I thought the script was pretty cool, I thought the character had a lot of room for sorta good acting. At least, intense acting. And I thought that Erika's involvement was pretty exciting. And to me, the most important thing, the deciding factor - I'm sure you'll agree - is the director (Australia's John Polson).

That's who's going to turn it into a good movie. Now, granted there are a lot of other things that can happen, where it's sometimes not the director's fault when it's bad, sometime's it's not their fault when it's good. But at the same time, he's still a key factor, and if you're going to go on anything that's the most important decision to make - whether or not I think the director's going to hold it down.

And I watched Siam Sunset (Polson's debut feature), and I thought it was a great movie. It got kind of weirdly received here? Good, plenty of movie's that are good get weirdly received but my personal opinion, good movie.

If not a flawless film, which you don't expect from a first time director anyway, it at least has got a lot of examples of creativity. A lot of bold filmmaking. Stylistically speaking, he's not afraid to be flashy. That's what fuelled it for me, that's what led me to say "Ok I'm doing this movie.".

Bradford in Clockstoppers

Clint: How similar are you and the character, Ben?

Jesse: You know I've just got out of a two-and-a-half year relationship, so I don't remember what it's like to deal with the opposite sex on the broad sense. I only know what it's like to deal with one particular person. I've forgotten how to woo or court or those things, but I guess I've always done all right.

On a more sort of actorly note, let me say this - that was more the 'party' note - I am, in a lot of ways, similar to this character. To me there are two types of characters: There's the one's where I read the script, say OK - I think the best way around this is to not to go out of my way to create a character but just to try and be natural, try to feel the emotion, try to deliver it as real as possible. That was definitely the case with Ben.

You can still get different performances, or variations out of that, but the other type of character is the one you identify with because of how different they are from you, and it just spells itself out so clearly how you can play them.

If you're going to, like, stretch yourself out, and you don't see how the character's different, then you're trying too hard. Then I say, fall back - be natural - it's something not a lot of actors can do anyway, just be natural anyway.

Clint: So what girl would Jesse Bradford have gone for - Erika or Shiri?

Jesse: I think I should probably keep my mouth shut because it's on the record inevitably... Umm, probably Erika. OK, Erika.

Clint: So your mother got you your business contacts in the industry?

Jesse: Yeah, both my Parents did. I was eight months old when I started.

Clint: And what was your first gig?

Jesse: A 'Q-Tips' commercial. You know those things you clean your ears out with?

Clint: Oh yeah. Do I ever! Got the old cotton tip out this morning, when I got water stuck in one ear.

Smile for the camera!

Jesse: Ha Ha! Yeah.

Clint: So you've worked with some top actors - who has been the most influential?

Jesse: Different people for different reasons. I think James Ivory might be the best director I've worked with. I learned a lot from working with Di Caprio. He's a real stand-up guy, he also knows how to party and taught me a lot about how to have a great time. Harrison Ford was a pretty stand-up guy.

Clint: Yes, I always wondered what Ford would be like.

Jesse: Yeah, he's pretty nice. Just a nice dude you know. I mean I was pretty young, but that's what I remember. Everyone's been pretty great, I've been pretty lucky not to have any horror stories.

Clint: Had any scary Internet experiences like the one Ben has in Swimfan?

Jesse: Nothing like that. Luckily. No weirdness. You don't want your information going out there. I've been lucky I guess. People find me, you know, inevitably, people find me. It was the daughter of a private investigator, 'cos I asked 'cos she got me on the phone and I'm like "we'll you got me here, want to ask me a couple of questions or something now?"

And then I said how did you find me? What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future? And she said "Well, my Dad's a private investigator so I can find anybody." I'm like shit, you know (laughs). So it happens, but never been in any dangerous situations or anything.

Clint: Have you knocked back any memories that you later regret?

Jesse: No. But I have turned down movies that have turned into pretty decent movies or if not good movies or at least financially successful movies - that's certainly happened, but in every single case I don't think there's one case where I wish I'd done it.

One thing that I'll say is there's this movie coming out very soon called Rules Of Attraction. I wanted very much to be a part of that project, I saw a lot of potential there. I thought it was a really scathing commentary on things that actually do go on, and I said "Wow, this is intense".

I met with the director, Roger Avary, who's a great guy. We hit it off from the very start. Our personalities just clicked. He's great. Amazing. And talented as hell! I really wanted to be a part of that project. Roger wanted me, and I'm not going to get into details here, for the one role in the film that I did not want to play.

It was a movie that I felt very strongly about, therefore within it's own context I felt very strongly about what I wanted to do and what I didn't want to do and there was literally one major role offered, and it wasn't the role I wanted.

Strike a pose

I mean there were other supporting roles, but they were too small to be bothered with. Especially when stacked against the other two or three roles I was interested in and so at the end of the day it came down to 'Look, I really don't wanna do this role.'

I want to be in this movie, but it's just not going to happen in this role, and it just didn't come together for me. So, that's one there…

Clint: Well, Avary might be doing Glamourama now.

Jesse: Oh yeah? Well, hey, I know he wants to work with me, I know I want to work with him. Be it Glamourama or whatever, but I look forward to seeing the movie 'cos I hear it's very cool. But that's an example of 'well, maybe I should have just taken that role', but at the end of the day it's like if you're not feeling a role you shouldn't do it anyway. But I do wish I could have been in the movie itself.

Clint: So, was Bring it On fun?

Jesse: Oh God, Bring it On was fun! One of the most fun for sure. I mean you take the fact that I was very single at the time surround me with cheerleaders for the whole summer, when I'm only working like 2 or 3 days a week anyway that was pretty out of control.

Clint: You weren't asked to do the sequel? [laughs]

Jesse: Ha Ha! You know about that, hey? Yeah, Bring it On Again. You know, even if they did ask me, it just wasn't going to happen. Shit, you know, if it was a legitimate film, if it was Kirsten and Eliza, Gabrielle and everybody I would totally do it, if the whole cast was for it and the script was good, shit - I'd do that. It would be a blast!

Clint: Yes, it would be sad if out of the whole cast you were the only one to return. Cameo by… Jesse Bradford! [laughs]

Jesse: Yes, there will just be none of that [laughs]. It's simply just an exercise in making money by people that don't know any better than the movie's gonna suck. Ha Ha. I mean, I could be wrong. It could be great. I don't know...

Clint: One of my fave films is Speedway Junky. How was that? And ever been as low as that character?

Jesse: Cool. Glad you liked it. I get stuff all across the board on that one. Some people think it's a really great movie, some people think it's a piece of shit. I think there are small problems with the film and the fact that it was a small time feature director, but I think Speedway Junky has, that a lot of other movies don't have, is heart.

It's the little movie that could. We really busted our arse making it. I like the performances in it, I think the relationship between me and Jordan Brower's character is pretty intense, and original. Have I ever sunk as low as that? Not fiscally speaking, but in some emotional respects I've been close.

Clint: So are they talking Swimfan 2 now?

Jesse: Oh no. Swimfan Again : She Lived [laughs]. No nobody's talking about that.

Clint: Ok, if I read it in the Hollywood Reporter next week that it's happening...

Jesse: Yeah, right [laughs], you'll be mad that I didn't give you the scoop.

Clint: I read a couple of days ago that you'd like to make a movie about musician Stevie Ray Vaughn?

Jesse: Yeah man. Well, if you want to talk a dream role, that's one that would mean a lot to me. I would get to play some guitar; just to play him would be an honour on my part. There's sort of, umm, I mean you could probably do your own research on the matter and find out even more than I know, but from what I understand there's no script - it's a glimmer in a notion of a thought of a possibility.

It's way not even a reality yet. But there is a book option out there, somebody's got a book option and you know the Stevie Ray Vaughn people are interested in the idea and they're going to co-operate if it ever comes up.

I'm not old enough now anyway, probably, so in a couple of years from now you never know. I'm just putting it all out there now, saying 'Hey, this is what I would love to do'.

Clint: You like musical movies?

Jesse: Yeah. Love them. I mean, The Doors, that's a great movie…

Clint: And of course, they're doing Dirty Dancing 2. There you go!

Jesse: I don't think I'm going to be doing that one either man. [laughs] I got approached for Freddy vs Jason.

Clint: The Renfro role. The one he quit?

Jesse: Yeah. I don't know whether he quit or not. Who knows what the deal is there. But he'd probably be a fun kid to party with though [laughs]. You know who's doing it though, and it's great for him: Jason Ritter (co-star of Swimfan).

He's in a great place to do something like that right now; I'm not in a great place to do that. But I'm happy for him, and the movie's going to make money no matter what. So he's going to have like a studio picture, at least $10 million opening weekend, so it's going to be great for him. He's such a sweet, wonderful person. He's such a good kid, so I'm happy for him.

Clint: Can you tell me about some of the cut scenes from Swimfan that might pop up on the DVD?

Jesse: Yeah. There was one towards the beginning of the movie that sort of added further justification as to why Ben sort of does what he does, why he makes the choices that he makes.

There's a scene with me and the guys, Jason and Clayne Crawford - who played Josh - are like sitting in a steam room, just kinda chatting it up and they're asking about my relationship and I'm telling them about how it's kinda freakin me out that she's like ready to drop everything she has and come out to California. It's like 'whoa, back off a little'. And it was like further justification.

So it was important in that respect. We talked about it a lot because I kinda wanted it to be in the movie but according to Polson, and many other people, it just slowed the movie down so much, so it was one of those movies when the audience starts turning around going 'what the fuck is going on', so they lost it and it still works.

Clint: Are you going to be involved with the DVD Commentary and that?

Jesse: I did it. Already. I did it in L.A, that one day I was there, that was what I did - one of the things I did. It was really fun. Never done that before, always wanted to do it.

Bradford says there's a chance one of his next films might take him to Australia. "Were talking about it now, but I can't say too much. It will probably be filmed in Melbourne."

He's also talking about a comedy called The Jordies - as in the 'Jordans' about a couple of dags - ironically, he informed me of his interest in that project following a conversation about Corey Feldman.

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