It goes without saying that Roy Batty inBlade Runneris one of Dutch actor Rutger Hauers signature roles.
Heres what Rutger Hauer had to say…
You play Ash.
How do you get into the mindset of a character whos basically a disembodied voice?
Well, lets see.
Theres two things basically.
I dont know how else to say it.
I never think I can be a character completely its my craft that Im honing.
Thats my take on it.
The other thing is, I want to tell the audience just enough so they can take it on.
I dont want to tell too much.
Of course, Im not English, and Im a bit of an alien myself.
In film, I can use a lot of my voice.
Not everything has to be articulated so you’re able to hear it.
So thats a very new thing for me.
I had to work a tonne on that, and it felt like I was acting.
And I hate it when I feel like Im acting!
[Laughs]
That was my trouble with it.
But hes a great character.
Hes a pixel character.
Hes a computer talking, playing Chess games.
It ends in a very wonderful way, this whole episode.
I think its very well written.
The Hitcher was like that, and this [Alien: Out Of The Shadows] was like that.
Its an intense job, to make it work.
Character, to me I have no idea.
I have no idea who he is.
Youre playing an illusion, and in many ways, everyone I play is an illusion.
[Ashs] ambition is to bring something home to his makers.
But hes an artificial intelligence hes a memory stick or something like that.
You travelled yourself in your teenage years.
You became a sailor and travelled the world…
I have a tonne of memory sticks, you know.
I look into it with what I have.
I love the whole thing, that, you know, we carry digital pieces around.
A hundred-thousand [inaudible] on a memory stick.
The internet is incredible.
I mean, this is incredible because Ive always liked radio.
Its still a very new medium, I think.
Ive never done it before, so yeah.
You often rewrite the dialogue in your films.
Do you think its your love of poetry that sets you apart as an actor?
I compose things I never improvise.
I wish I had that confidence I come from Europe.
Although acting is great, I never felt i belonged on the stage.
I felt shy, intimidated, frustrated.
I decided to be a film actor if I could, you know?
Why am I saying this?
[Laughs] Wheres my memory stick?
Theres a literary quality to your acting that makes it interesting.
I wonder if the way you played Roy Batty came from your interest in poetry as well.
I think I understand your question.
Your voice is a little bit like Ash now!
[inaudible] Ryan, do you want me to read a poem for you?
[Laughs] I have one ready.
I wrote it this morning.
Id love to hear your poem.
Keep it in mind.
I have a poem I want to read to you if we have time.
But the question about Batty you were asking about poetry.
And you wanted to know where it came from?
I think its that quality that makes him so interesting.
Hes not a typical sci-fi synthetic hes more like a fallen angel fromParadise Lostor something.
Well,Paradise Lostis lost on me I never read it.
I saw a play with the title in a theatre but it was a long time ago.
The poetry was inside the character.
So in his makeup, in his program, there was a sense of poetry.
A sense of soul.
Theres, like, 20 ingredients that make no sense.
He has a conscience.
I mean come on, you know?
So thats where the idea came from.
So can we do it fast?
So that night I didnt sleep, I got up and I wrote.
That came from my fuckin heart and my soul and my frustration.
And I didnt know if Ridley would like it.
I had the pigeon in my hand, so I didnt have to play dead.
I just let the pigeon go, and the pigeon would be my electric soul, lets say.
Theres a lot of irony in all this.
The electric dove, and all these programs that are better than human beings.
I think its fascinating.
I was so happy that Ridley got a chance after 25 years to release his version.
His preferredFinal Cut.When I saw that movie I finally understood it, you know?
I always thought it was man and machine.
But its even more funny its machine and machine.
I think that is so sexy, so brilliant.
Theres such dark humour in there that I love.
And the whole film, the wholeBlade Runnerfilm, is full of it.
That film turned around over 30 years, and now I get all the credit.
I mean, how amazing can it get?
I was ahead of my time.
And Ive seen it before.
Ridley was ahead of his time.
My character was ahead of his time.
And its weird and beautiful to see time catch up with you.
Its a mixed feeling, but its really interesting.
How much ofBlade Runnerwas down to serendipity, do you think?
As you know, the film ran into a thousand problems that were not anticipated.
We didnt even have a finished script when we started shooting.
The writers strike was at hand and that stopped us, so we couldnt really write.
But thats what it takes, you know?
Thats what it takes.
Not always, but to make something beautiful, as beautiful as this, you need somebody like Ridley.
And its very difficult to make crap, too!
Youre sitting in a recording booth, I assume, playing Ash.
Theres no set, you dont necessarily have other actors.
So you have to create this sci-fi world in your mind, Im guessing?
I have no idea.
It was well-written, and we cut it down as much as we could.
It doesnt really sound like me, but its close!
[Laughs] How can you be a method actor in a piece like this, you know?
Though Id love to try.
As you probably know, he thinks theres something happening with him while hes on this long trip.
Hes a mind made by some doll maker.
Then he evolves in a way, and he feels loneliness, which makes no sense.
Why do I feel this?
Mind you, that voice over sucked.
[Laughs] And that was a lot of work for him.
Were you familiar with theAlienfilms before doing this book?
Yeah, theyre great films.
He [Ridley Scott] is a maestro.
Id be very interested to see what the hell hes doing now [withBlade Runner 2].
I dont think hes directing.
Well have to wait and see.
If you make jewellery, it stands on its own.
I never really understand why people want to make number two.
It has to go to China or something.
But well see, you know?
I was a virgin when I started dancing for him in many ways.
Shall I read you my poem?
Yes c’mon.
That would be fantastic.
I worked on a film that I hope is coming out this year.
Its a beautiful, two-and-a-half-hour, classic film about two landscape painters.
At some point, I felt it might be nice to get into the spirit of the lead characters.
Theres a funny thing about this, but Ill read it to you.
Its called Wacho Chappa.
And it means Spirit of the Wolf.
I love things like that.
And because you started talking about poetry I thought, Maybe you want to hear this.
Were inspired by all different elements.
I was looking for an American Indian poem.
Then I thought, Okay, Im an American Indian, I can write this.
It belongs to the spirit of the man I play in the film.
Its a German director, a first-time filmmaker [Markus Rupprecht] whos made a beautiful two-and-a-half hour film.
Its gonna show up in the film festivals, I think.
Poetry is good, man!
I say, You write a poem.
If I like it, Ill read it back to you.
And I give it back to them sometimes.
The internets such a great place, you know?
We live there now.
And I really hope nobody fucks it up.
Rutger Hauer, thank you very much.
