There will be no dialogues! Hollywood actor Joel Kinnaman on filming the action movie Silent Night, in which no one will say a word

Hollywood actor Joel Kinnaman is known to millions of viewers around the world. He skillfully plays deep dramatic roles and perfectly demonstrates his talent in action films.

Joel Kinnaman is loved by the audience and recognized by critics. OBOZ.UA got an exclusive opportunity to talk to Ewan Kinnaman as part of the promo for the movie Silent Night.

The actor is known to viewers for the Suicide Squad franchise, the reboots of RoboCop, Run All Night, The Informer, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and the hit shows The Killing, Altered Carbon, and For all Mankind. This year, Joel Kinnaman returns to the big screen in the groundbreaking action film Silent Night. The film is written by legendary Hong Kong director John Woo, who has not made a film for international release in 20 years. The director is known for such hits as Faceless, Mission Impossible and Gone with the Wind.

John Godlock is one of the most challenging roles in Kinnaman's career. Since the protagonist has lost his voice, there is almost no dialog in the film, and the atmosphere and tension are conveyed through music, the ringing of a bell hanging around Godlock's neck, and other means. In particular, the works of the outstanding composer Marco Beltrami, who has been nominated for an Oscar nine times. The actor himself had to convey the emotions of his character exclusively through facial expressions and actions.

Silent Night is also interesting for Ukrainian audiences because it was created by a prominent producer of Ukrainian descent, Bezil Ivanek, who is responsible for the success of such franchises as John Wick, The Expendables, A Star Is Born and Sicario.

In the film, a father (Joel Kinnaman) witnesses a tragedy in which his young son dies when he is caught in a gang crossfire on Christmas Eve. Recovering from an injury that leaves him unable to speak, the father decides to take revenge. Exactly one year later, the Christmas "silent night" will be surprisingly loud.

- Congratulations! You have the opportunity to star in an action classic by John Woo. You used to act in action films a lot. What is the difference between working with such a master and other Hollywood directors?

- That's a great question! The difference is in the approach. For John, it's an art form. He has a complete picture of the movie in his head. For him, action is always an organic part of a deeper and larger story. In addition, on the set with him, you immediately understand the complexity of the fight scenes he has staged. In this movie, they are more unrestrained and aggressive than in John's other films. When you shoot action with American and European directors, everything is more technical. With John, you work as his collaborator on the set.

- As we all know, Silent Night is the first work of the classic John Woo in Hollywood in the last 20 years. How did you feel when you found out that you were cast in the role?

- Oh, I was very happy! Of course, I've seen the master's works, and even more so, I've played in many films whose authors were inspired by his paintings. During our collaboration, I learned a lot from him. For him, directing is not a job, but an opportunity to tell a story and convey his messages. He emphasized that I had to be multifaceted, even in action scenes: I had to remember the character's motivation and history, even when fighting a bunch of bad guys.

- Is it true that this movie has almost no dialogues?

- So, I'll give a small spoiler: there will be no dialogues, my hero cannot speak because of his injury. That's why his life and revenge became mute. Of course, you will hear a few words from us and other noises from the city, for example. But unnecessary words will not distract from the main thing - the actions and emotions of the characters. Instead of chatter, which is always annoying in action films, we use music by the outstanding Marco Beltrami.

- Is it true that you didn't even talk at home while filming the movie?

- Yes, I took this step on purpose. Of course, my fiancée was shocked. She didn't like it. She couldn't accept my decision for a long time. But I'm an artist, and for a complex role, you have to get into character. It helped a lot, you can see my tension on the screen, it's not even really an act. It's reality. And the absence of dialogues does not interfere with the pace of the film and provides an active dynamic. Nothing distracts from the main thing - the emotions and actions of the characters.

- Was it difficult to play in a movie without dialogues or was it easier?

- Let me think about it. These are very different things. Of course, I was happy not to have to learn pages of dialogues and not to waste time not rehearsing. But instead, I had to work more on the character's image and fight scenes. Thanks to John, we managed to make a movie that doesn't need words. It's a completely different genre.

- Bezil Ivanek, a producer of Ukrainian origin who is one of the most successful in the industry, is involved in Silent Night. How do you like working with him?

- He is an incredible professional. It was the first time I worked with him and I immediately realized why he was so successful. Bezil is in full control of everything, but he gives the director, actors, and other team members the freedom to be creative. Everyone shines in his projects. It was Basil and his production team who managed to bring John Woo back to Hollywood and launch such an unusual, innovative project. It's incredible!

- How did you feel when you first saw the finished film? How did the audience react?

- Silent Night is probably the best movie I've ever done. The level of quality of the material is incredible. John Woo has managed to revive silent cinema and redefine the action genre. It seemed impossible before. But John Woo and Bezil Ivanek succeeded. I was at the first screenings and I didn't expect such a reaction from the audience: people were crying, applauding, it was incredible.

- Thank you for the interesting conversation! What can you tell the Ukrainian audience?

- I am glad that you are interested in our film, despite everything! I am confident in this work and proud that you can see such an unusual and high-quality movie. Enjoy the movie! I hope the situation in your country will get better soon.

The action film Silent Night is being shown all over Ukraine since November 30.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that a famous artist named a Ukrainian movie, half of whose actors are now at the front.

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