John C. Reilly wouldn’t kill baby Hitler
We sat down last week with John C. Reilly to talk about his new film, “The Sisters Brothers,” a darkly funny Western based on the 2011 novel by Patrick deWitt, and adapted and directed by the French director Jacques Audiard.
Reilly is known especially for comedic roles, such as his work alongside Will Ferrell in “Step Brothers” and “Talladega Nights.” Our conversation quickly veered from the realm of comedy and directly into the weeds of politics, baby Hitler and the imminent doom of planet Earth.
Q: What do you think the role of an actor is in making the world a better place? You seem very concerned with politics, division, sustainability, environmentalism.
A: I don’t know how you live in this world and not think about that, unless you’re just drunk all the time or something, or trying to like, muscle your way through and not pay attention. But if you’re paying attention to what’s going on, everyone of every political stripe is concerned about sustainability right now. I think it’s in the water.
Q: It’s literally in the water.
But what’s the role of the actor? Ultimately the role of the actor to me is just to be a vessel for emotion. It’s just to take on things and then people watch me do it and then they feel the things that I’m feeling. Anything beyond that — I’m not — I am a personally political person, and I do have very strongly held beliefs myself. But I don’t let that affect my characters. My beliefs are my own personal thing and I don’t think I should have any more of a voice than your average citizen, and I don’t think I should have any less of a voice. I should be entitled to my vote.
Q: So you might not like it when people say, why does it matter what an actor —
A: Exactly. I think that’s a way to just keep people down, like, “Keep your mouth shut and just entertain us.” Well, look, pal. I’m an American citizen and I vote and I have an opinion about this stuff, too. But that said, I do try to keep my work objective enough so that it doesn’t matter what political party you’re affiliated with.
Q: Your characters don’t turn to camera and go, “Vote for
whoever in 2020.”
A: No, they don’t.
Q: Are you running for president in 2020? 2024?
A: No, that is a job I’m definitely not qualified for. But maybe that’s — maybe qualifications are underrated right now.
Q: Anything else spicy to say?
A: Was that spicy? Look, I’m a humanist. Someone said to me, “If you
could speak to the president, what would you say?” And I would say, “I love you. I love you. I love you because you’re a human being and human beings deserve dignity and respect and care.” I see people as not just the people they are now, but I see the infant. I see the infant Donald Trump.
Q: What about like, baby Hitler, though?
A: Yes, baby Hitler, too. That’s a human being. Yes, I detest the things that he did —
Q: You would not kill baby Hitler.
A: I detest the things that he did. But what if baby Hitler was cared for better when he was younger? Maybe he wouldn’t have done what he did, you know? So I think the future — the sustainable future is empathy — is to reach out regardless of behavior, regardless of political stances, and see human beings because that is an apolitical thing. “Go humans!” is apolitical. We all should be rooting for each other as human beings because what’s the alternative?
Q: The Wild West?
A: Yeah ... I don’t know. I’m not sure what the alternative (is). I’m just trying to think good thoughts right now.