E-mail a friendAaron Eckhart
original airdate November 30, 2006
Aaron Eckhart may not be a household name, but he's earned considerable acclaim for his film roles. His credits include Erin Brockovich, Any Given Sunday, and two recent films, The Black Dahlia and Thank You for Smoking. The Northern California native lived with his family in England and Australia as a teen. He studied film at Brigham Young University, where he met aspiring director Neil LaBute. Eckhart's breakthrough role was his performance in LaBute's controversial indie film, In the Company of Men.
Aaron Eckhart
Tavis: Pleased to have Aaron Eckhart back on this program. The talented actor has a busy 2007 coming up, with three major films coming out. But this year, he starred in the critically acclaimed film 'Thank You For Smoking,' which is likely to be part of the conversation as award season approaches. The film is now out on DVD. Here now, a scene from 'Thank You For Smoking.'
Tavis: (Laugh) Aaron, nice to see you, man.
Aaron Eckhart: (Laugh) Thanks for having me.
Tavis: You been all right? (Laugh)
Eckhart: Yeah.
Tavis: The movie and that clip, I think, says it all. This was pretty funny stuff, huh?
Eckhart: Very funny.
Tavis: Serious, but funny, though.
Eckhart: Well, it revolves around Washington and Congressional hearings and tobacco, which is all very, very serious stuff, but it's a satire, so it's supposed to be funny. In fact, when we did that scene, I've done dramas and more serious films and little roles, and that particular scene was the first time that I'd ever done a scene and there was laughter behind the monitor. And I really thought, I do, I remember thinking wow, that's a good feeling.
Tavis: I'm on to something here.
Eckhart: Yeah, I like that.
Tavis: Yeah. How do you prepare for (Laugh) a role like that? You go to Washington and hang out with a bunch of cigarette lobbyists?
Eckhart: (Laugh) Unfortunately, no, I didn't. But I've talked to a lot of lobbyists since then. We did a screening in Washington. And they are very happy. They have found their voice. They love the film. And of course when you meet lobbyists, I've met tobacco lobbyists, firearms lobbyists, nuclear development lobbyists. And they tell you stories which are far more impressive than the story that's told in this film, in terms of what lobbyists have gone through to get their way. And to influence legislation, and all that sort of stuff. So they're very happy.
Tavis: So having done a film like this now, what do you make of lobbyists? You have less respect for them, or more respect?
Eckhart: Well, I don't know. I have respect for anybody who's - well, respect. I have admiration...
Tavis: Watch yourself. (Laugh) I got this on film.
Eckhart: This can lead to trouble. (Laugh)
Tavis: I got this on tape. Go ahead, yeah. You were about to say, Mr. Eckhart? (Laugh)
Eckhart: No. (Laugh) Yeah, I met lobbyists.
Tavis: Yeah. (Laugh)
Eckhart: No, they have a certain job to do, and it's such - anybody who's selling something, I could be said to be, I'm selling 'Thank You For Smoking' right now. But I'm kind of talking about 'Thank You For Smoking.' I don't expect that people will - I'm not advocating that they run out and buy the film, or whatever. Salespeople have a tough job, because they're up against people, how should I say? They're trying to influence people sometimes against their will. And that's just not what I wanna do.
Tavis: But doesn't it really boil down to, for me, at least, what it is that you're lobbying on or in behalf of?
Eckhart: Yeah, you have to believe in what you're lobbying for. And that's where my character has, as he says in the film, some moral flexibility. Because I'm not necessarily an advocate, or my character isn't, for smoking. And I'm aware of the causes of, (unintelligible) effects. But I'm just a talker. I can sell anything. And I can sell this, or cell phones, or whatever has to be done. I can do it. It's more of a sport than it is a business.
Tavis: But that's part of the problem with America now. There are too many people like this character, who are just out to sell us anything by any means necessary. It's all about the spin.
Eckhart: Yeah, the spin and the money. And I was just listening to sports radio, and talking about the salaries of the players versus the loyalties to the teams, and etcetera. And I just wish there was more loyalty and more heart, and less money or concern about money, and what people were making, and that sort of thing. And maybe pay the quarterbacks less and hit them harder. (Laugh)
Tavis: Yeah. (Laugh) Roethlisberger doesn't wanna hear that. No, that doesn't quite work. But that's an age-old fascination, though. People wanting to know who's making what, why they're making this, how much they're getting per season.
Eckhart: I think that's the barometer...
Tavis: Of life.
Eckhart: I think money or salaries have replaced character, in a lot of way. We don't ask about a person's character, we ask about how much money they make. Or we define a person through their salary, instead of through their deeds. And that's a generalization.
Tavis: Sure. Well, I'm feeling you I'm feeling you (unintelligible).
Eckhart: But I do believe that the first thing we ask is what do you do and how much do you make, and then we make our decision on whether that person stacks up, or doesn't stack up.
Tavis: Somebody told me years ago - I do a lot of work with kids through my foundation. And somebody said to me years ago that when I talk to kids, which I started doing, that all of us should stop asking kids what they wanna be when they grow up, and ask them who they want to be when they grow up. We always do that. What do you wanna be when you grow up? What do you wanna be when you grow up? And it's the wrong question. It's not what you wanna be, it's who you wanna be when you grow up.
Eckhart: Yeah, who do you wanna be? Who do you wanna be in 10 years? Who do I wanna be in 10 years? And if I'm not that person, what do I have to do to be that person? I think that's an excellent question to ask.
Tavis: How does your profession challenge you in that regard, or enhance that journey, to figure out who Aaron Eckhart is?
Eckhart: Well, as we both were, I figure, in the same career in a lot of ways, and I feel like I have to learn a lot about how to treat people, and how to work with people. And that nobody gets to where you wanna be alone. And there's a lot of people who are supporting you, and you are supporting other people. There's a great saying that I think about a lot, which is to let people lift you, and be light when they're lifting you. Don't be heavy. Make it easy to lift you.
Tavis: I like that, yeah.
Eckhart: And that's kind of what I'm going through in my business right now. How can I be a team player, and how can I make the films that I wanna make, and do it happily, and where the audience really feels good about themselves after they see the movie? That's why I love 'Thank You For Smoking' so much, because people walk out of the theater, and their faces are flushed, they're smiling, they're happy. And I like that feeling. I feel like the film challenges people, but also entertains people.
Tavis: You got three films coming out next year, to your point now. Is that desire of yours getting easier or more difficult to fulfill?
Eckhart: It's getting easier, because I'm actively pursuing it. I'm looking at the people who I think are doing it, and trying to emulate them. Kind of a mentor thing. I'm doing what I have to do to learn the skills. And if it doesn't come naturally, gotta go learn it and make it a technique. And I feel like I'm doing better at that. I still have a long way to go.
Tavis: So not one, not two, but three projects in '07?
Eckhart: Yeah, three. I have a romance with Catherine Zeta Jones. We play chefs.
Tavis: Not a bad person to have romance with.
Eckhart: In the kitchen. (Laugh)
Tavis: Yeah. (Laugh) Not a bad place. All right.
Eckhart: So, and then I have, I did a comedy called 'Bill,' which I'm happy about, which, speaking of mentors, I'm a mentor to this 14 year old kid, and my life's out of control, and he's this really cool kid. And so he whips me back into shape. And then I just did a really - Alan Ball, who wrote 'American Beauty' and created 'Six Feet Under' is directing his first film.
And it's a very, very lively social drama about a 13 year old Iranian-American girl, and how she grows up in Texas. It deals with sexuality, prejudice, hygiene, in terms of, like, how a young girl grows up. It's a film, I think, that you'll be talking about. You'll hear about it.
Tavis: Do you learn stuff from the roles that you play? From the characters in these films?
Eckhart: Yeah, because it's an education. Every role you take on, you have to delve into that subject matter, and you talk to the pros and the experts, and you have to read about it, and you have to let it seep into your unconscious and find what inside you identifies with that character. And for example in this Alan Ball film, I play a next-door neighbor of this 13 year old girl who has a relationship with her.
Tavis: (Laugh) Yeah, we'll be talking about that.
Eckhart: You wanna book me now, or?
Tavis: Yeah, yeah, exactly. (Laugh) Yeah, like, you know what? We will definitely be talking about that. Of all your films coming next year, we'll talk about that. (Laugh) The one now, though, is 'Thank You For Smoking.' Mr. Eckhart, nice to have you here.
Eckhart: Yeah, thanks for having me.
Tavis: Have a great 2007, and I'll keep the seat warm till you come back and talk about that. We'll hold that for the time being. We will pick up on that very point. Remember this clip, Neil. We're gonna pick up on this very point when you come back.
Eckhart: All right.
Tavis: All right. That's our show for tonight. Catch me weekends on PRI, Public Radio International. Check your local listings. See you back here next time on PBS. Until then, good night from L.A., thanks for watching, and as always, keep the faith.
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