JEFF GOLDBLUM: I AM A STUDENT OF YOGA, BUT NOT A YOGI
The Hollywood star talks about his admiration for Indian culture and food
TI’ve read a lot about Indian culture and I have been very interested in it. JEFF GOLDBLUM, Actor
here’s a string that ties Hollywood actor Jeff Goldblum with Indian culture — yoga. And he confesses that it is further strengthened by his inclination towards Indian culture and spirituality. “I was exposed to Indian culture through the film, The River (1951), and then because of Wes Anderson (American filmmaker), who went to India and made a film,” Goldblum tells us while referring to the film, The Darjeeling Limited (2007).
On the video call, he goes on to show paintings of gurus Paramahansa Yogananda and Muktananda at his home, reflecting his admiration for Indian culture. He adds, “I have been a devotee. The painting of Yogananda on the wall has been done by my sister. So, I have read a lot about Indian culture and I’ve been very interested in it.”
An ardent yoga practitioner, the 69-year-old says, “I am not a yogi. I’m a student of yoga and I do meditation. My studentship has only led me to more humility.”
But that’s not it, Indian food has also found a place in the legend’s heart. “I am crazy about Indian food. I love it to pieces. I eat too much of it when I have it because it is the most delicious food on earth,” says the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) actor.
With over 117 screen credits to his name, Goldblum has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood, after partnering with celebrated filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Anderson and David Cronenberg. He attained the tag of a cult hero with the role of Dr Ian Malcolm in 1993’s Jurassic Park. And he spent the first wave of the pandemic revisiting the character with Jurassic World: Dominion .In fact, the upcoming film is special for many reasons, as it wraps up the Jurassic World story and reunites him with his friends, actors Laura Dern and Sam Neill.
“It was delicious to return to Jurassic World. We got to spend a rollicking good time together. When it comes to shooting amid the pandemic, my challenge was to stay healthy. But it was a great experience. We all went to England, my wife and kids were also with me,” says the actor, revealing that the entire team stayed together and shot for the project for three months.
“We got a chance to be together, and turn lemons into lemonade. We worked on weekends as well. It was cosy and collaborative in a way that it wouldn’t have been otherwise,” he concludes.