What made you choose "What Lies Beneath"?
One of the attractions of this particular screenplay was its construction, and the fact that I was able to take the normal expectations that people have of the kind of role that I'm going to play, and then twist it around on them. I sometimes suspected that the role of the bad guy - in this case an adulterous husband - was more interesting. The job is always the same, whether you're playing a good guy or a bad guy - to help tell the story through character development.
Was it also the desire to work with Michelle that prompted you to take the role?
I don't remember, in fact, whether Michelle was attached to the project or not when I first read the script. I had never met her before, but always admired her work. The first day of shooting involved intimate scenes of husband and wife and I found her very clever in being able to create behaviour that would reflect a long relationship, so it was very easy to work with her. She's extremely talented and has a lot of great ideas.
The house itself - the film's prime location - plays a part itself, does it not?
The house was really like a character in the film. Like all of the other elements of the film, it was very artfully designed. In a certain light, it could look benign and beautiful. In another light, it could look very sinister. I think it was very clever.
Do you believe in ghosts?
I don't believe in ghosts, but I believe in the power of the subconscious mind. I do think that the human mind has the capacity to overwhelm the other sensory organs and to produce manifestations. I do think people believe that they see ghosts.
So you don't think Michelle's character sees a ghost?
If you look at the film carefully, you will see that the ghost - the manifestation - can be seen as an effort by the subconscious mind of the character that Michelle plays to remind her of the events that she has repressed.
Were you ever concerned about becoming typecast as an action hero?
I've always been aware of the potential to be trapped in the action genre, because of the commercial success of the first films that I did. But if you look carefully, you will see that I made every effort from the very beginning of my career to vary the kinds of genres and roles - to not only do that kind of film.
Everyone wants to know. Will you play Indiana Jones again?
How unexpected! I'd be very happy to play Indiana Jones again, if we could get a script that we could all agree on, and make a film that is at least as good as the ones we've made before. Steven is enthusiastic. I'm enthusiastic. Even George is enthusiastic. I would hope to do it within the next couple of years.
Read the review of "What Lies Beneath".
Read about Robert Zemeckis, director of "What Lies Beneath"
