Thanks to http://www.jeanclaude-vandamme.org





Hi Svetlio,

Thanks for the time to talk jeanclaude-vandamme.org.

Q: Can you tell us how you started your career in movies?

I love music and cinema, I started working in a music television here in Bulgaria since I was 16 years old, and I had access to all the information which could interest me. This continued until 2000 when some of the first big actors came to shoot here in Sofia, people like Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi and Mira Sorvino for the movie "The Gray Zone". Then I showed interest in the movie and in how I can be part of it. In the beginning I started like an extra, than director Tim Blake Nelson liked me and gave me a line. Then I decided I could be an actor and joined an acting college in Bulgaria, after which I started to appear in movies a lot more.

Q: How is working in Bulgaria?

I think there are really good working conditions and great proffesionalists in Bulgaria, which is confirmed by the will of the Big people in the industry to work here, people like Francis Ford Coppola, Brian De Palma, Luc Besson, Медхем Menahem Golan. Moreover, It's a lot cheaper than other locations, which has a big influence on a movie. A lot of people show interest to shoot their movies here, this year was the boom of filmmaking and next year the expectations are even higher, which is great for a country like Bulgaria.

Q: Early in your career you started working for some pretty big motion pictures such as War Inc., with a star studded cast: Sir Ben Kingsley, John Cusak and Hilary Duff. Are you ever star struck on the sets of your films?

On the set of every movie I get to know new and famous people. With some of them I develop a nice friendly relationship, but no matter how they are, I always respect them and I constantly learn new things from every single one of them.

Q: Can you tell us a little more about some of the films you have worked on?

I just finished working on a movie for Sci Fi channel, named "Cyclops" with Eric Roberts - it's a science fiction story with monsters, typical for the channel. Right now another movie for the same channel is in production and I'm hesitating if I should take part in it. Another interesting thing is that I worked for some days on the new Antonio Banderas movie - "the Code", which may also turn out interesting. It's a thriller for thieves of valuable things, directed by Mimi Leder, also starring Morgan Freeman, with whom I am working for the second time. This time I have an impression that he's a lot more reserved, even though during the shooting of "The Contract" he was a lot more joyful.

Q: You have worked with some of the biggest action stars in the industry right now. Lundgren, Van Damme, Snipes, Rhames and more. What are they like to work with?

Van Damme is one of the greatest actors I have worked with, very down to earth man, very educated person, and I can say the same about Ving Rhames, while Snipes and Seagal are totally different, they both make too much pressure between the team, but the good thing is there are not many actors like them, most of them are polite and nice like Van Damme. By the way he is expected to come back here in the beginning of next year for the shooting of his new movie.

Q: Is there any particular star that you look up to?

Ever since I was little my favourite actor was Jean-Claude Van Damme and I'm very happy I had the chance to work with him in 4 movies so far. Despite that, I don't want to look up to anyone, I prefer to have my own style and just to be learning new things from others.

Q: You have just completed work on The Shepherd, starring Scott Adkins and Van Damme. You were Scott's stunt double. Can you give us more detail about the film and your part?

(Small correction, I was photo double, not stunt) In Undisputed 2 for the first time I was a double for Scott Adkins., ever since then they call me for each one of his movies. The double's work is a bit different when you work with Scott Adkins, he does everything himself, so I am a bit useless, but that's the procedure. I was his double in 3 movies, they offered me for his last one Stag Night, but I had to decline, because I was busy with something else.

Q: What can you tell us about the fight scenes in this film? Fans really want to see Van Damme vs Scott Adkins.....

JJ Perry and Isaac Florentine once again made sure the fans remember this movie, the scenes are very professionally made, the way Isaac knows. Scott Adkins makes unseen things, Van Damme shows that he’s still in a good shape. I think they won't be disappointed people.

Q What is the style of fighting, is it something new?

Yes, it is something new. Scott Adkins is at his best and you would be very surprised by the combination of the two, but let's not reveal everything, the movie would come out soon, but let there be some thrill.

Q: What makes The Shepherd so different from from Van Damme's previous films?

This movie would show a lot of new things, with it Van Damme is returning back to his old movies. for the first time JC is under the direction of Isaac, which is a plus, to make a movie from the two different styles, the one of Isaac. and the other of JC

Q: What type of role do you like to play?

It's strange, but they always chose me to play the bad boy, mostly in Italian productions. So I would like to play the good boy once and to have more appearances, not only the Italian ones

Q: Another film you have recently completed is Hitman, how will this stand against other 'video game' movies?

Hitman isn’t a typical movie of a game, most of these movies are fictions with monsters and others, this one has more real things and doesn't look so much like a game movie, it more gets close to the good old thrillers.


Thanks

Svetlio


Svetlio, thanks for participating. May we wish you every bit of success for the future.


Isaac & Svetlio