“GAME OF THRONES” ACTOR JASON MOMOA TALKS ABOUT “BULLET TO THE HEAD”

Popularly known for playing powerful warlord Khal Drogo in HBO's hit medieval fantasy series “Game of Thrones,” Jason Momoa will soon be seen in the big screen squaring off against Sylvester Stallone in the pulsating action-thriller “Bullet to the Head” from legendary director Walter Hill.

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures

             In the film, Stallone stars as Jimmy Bobo, a New Orleans hitman who forms an alliance with Washington D.C. detective Taylor Kwan (“Fast Five's” Sung Kang) to bring down the killer of their respective partners: the mercenary Keegan (Momoa).

             Raised in Iowa by way of Honolulu and born of German, Irish, Native Hawaiian and Native American blood, Jason Momoa first turned heads as Hawaii's Model of the Year in 1999, thanks to his imposing stature and exotic looks. This success led directly to his first acting gig on “Baywatch: Hawaii,” which he followed up with a few small films and another TV series, but his true breakout came in the role of Ronon Dex on “Stargate: Atlantis.” Most recently, Momoa was seen in “Game of Thrones” which led to the 2011 feature film remake of “Conan the Barbarian.”

             In the following interview, Momoa talks about the glorious “Game of Thrones,” what it’s like working with the great Walter Hill and fighting “Rocky” Sylvester Stallone for the upcoming “Bullet in the Head.”

             Question: Have you spoken with “Game of Thrones” creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff and asked, “Couldn’t you have picked me to play a character that lived longer?”

             Jason Momoa: [Laughs] I know right. It’s funny me and Dave and Dan are very close and when they called me back I just had such an amazing time, and it was an honor. I love those guys. My only disappointment is I wish (and this is on George Martin) is I wanted to see Drogo go to war, man. That was the only bummer, maybe he could have died in battle. It was a good way to go out because it was just heartbreaking but it would have been fun to see him kick some ass.

              Q: When you were making “Game of Thrones” did you know that it was something special?

             Momoa: Oh yeah, I’d never heard of anything like it. When I got the script, it was the first time in my life that I wanted to take the opportunity … take something and get it. I’ve never been so focused on getting something in my life. It was like I had to have it. 

             Q: So you’re just finishing up “Bullet to the Head” with Walter Hill. We’ve only heard little snippets about it but can you tell us about that?

             Momoa: That was an honor, it was just amazing and I mean Stallone is just a legend. It was a dream to work with him and my fight scenes with Stallone, it was like you just stop and pinch yourself and say “I can’t believe I’m fighting Rocky right now!” I watched “Rocky” when I was getting ready for Conan. It was fun and I got to play a ‘Don’ for the first time. I’m excited for people to see it.

              Q: So did Conan drink three eggs and train in Philly in the morning, just like Rocky?

             Momoa: [Laughs] No, Conan drank a lot of beer.

             Q: Your take on “Conan” nailed the savagery and made him the best take on the character. How did you feel about the rest of the film living up to your performance?

             Momoa: I was a comic book fan and a huge admirer of Frank Frazetta and when he died during our filming, it was so sad because I wanted him to see it and say “Wow, that’s my Conan!” Just looking at his paintings, I wanted to put that up on the screen. I absolutely remember seeing that one where Conan's standing on a pile of skulls and it’s seared into your memory and a I felt like Marcus Nispel is a pretty visually amazing director. There’s just a lot of things that came into it and sometimes the script just wasn’t there. I just wanted take a stab at doing Conan and it’s out of your control, you can only do so much I feel like I bled over, and over and over to do the best I could. I feel like we represented him very well. The movie sometimes, it fell short you can only show up as an actor and be the best you can be.

             (Bullet to the Head” is distributed by Buena Vista International through Columbia Pictures.)

TWO ACTION LEGENDS TEAM UP FOR “BULLET TO THE HEAD”

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Two icons of the action movie genre teamed for the first time on Buena Vista International's “Bullet to the Head.” Award-winning filmmaker Walter Hill directed global superstar Sylvester Stallone in the new action thriller.

 

             Stallone, who first approached the director with the project, notes, “I thought it would be great to work with Walter Hill on this type of buddy movie, which is a genre he knows well. Although, in this case, the main characters are not really buddies at all, but rather adversaries who have to work together against a mutual enemy because their lives depend on it. But out of that, an interesting relationship evolves.”

             Hill offers, “Sly and I have known each other a long time and have talked about working together in the past, but we could never quite make it happen. I admire him very much and always wanted to do a movie with him, so this proved to be the perfect opportunity.”

             The story is based on the popular graphic novel Du Plomb Dans La Tête, which, although originally written in French, was very much inspired by the American cinema.

             Acclaimed French author Alexis Nolent, whose nom de plume is Matz, confirms, “I’ve always been a big fan of buddy movies, which is a genuine American specialty. I was playing with some ideas and thought it would push things up a notch to team a killer with a cop—to have a bond that has to cross the line of the law and ethics and principles.

             The cop is, of course, a little more square than the hit man, who is more able to think outside the box. But the concept was that these two characters who seem to have nothing in common actually have much more in common than they ever imagined.”

             “Bullet to the Head” also reunites both Stallone and Hill with another premier action veteran: Joel Silver, Chairman of Dark Castle Entertainment and an executive producer on the film. Silver previously produced the Stallone films “Demolition Man” and “Assassins” and collaborated with Hill on several projects, including “48 Hrs.” Says Silver, “It was exciting to be back in business with both Walter and Sly. Walter is a director who knows what he wants and comes to the set with all the answers, which is a joy for any producer, and it goes without saying that Sly is an iconic star the world over. We had a great time working together on this film.”

             “I’ve been working in this business a long time and I can tell you that Joel Silver is a true original,” Stallone states. “He’s an incredibly creative and hands-on producer. Between him and Walter, I was in good hands.”

             Producer Alexandra Milchan showed the graphic novel to screenwriter Alessandro Camon, who loved it. He recalls, “I thought it was a great genre piece, highly cinematic, with a wild and attractive premise—a kind of anti-buddy movie, where the two character embarking on a mission don’t only have a clash of personalities but may actually want to shoot each other. That seemed like good fodder for both tension and comedy, and ultimately a good way to let the characters make huge choices: between loyalty and duty, and between what they feel and what they believe.”

             Hill says, “We want the story and characters to be taken seriously, but in a movie like this, I think it’s good to add a touch of humor. Finding that balance can sometimes be tricky, but I think it’s an important part of the entertainment value. I think that’s also one of the things Sly responded to.”

             The film gave Stallone and fellow cast members Sung Kang and Jason Momoa, a chance to sink their teeth into some challenging stunt sequences. The fight scenes culminated with a thrilling mano a mano axe fight between the two hardened killers, played by Stallone and Momoa.

              “Bullet to the Head” is distributed by Buena Vista International through Columbia Pictures.

SNEAK PREVIEW: “BULLET TO THE HEAD”

Sylvester Stallone takes aim at the action genre again with the kick-ass thriller “Bullet To The Head,” directed by Walter Hill (“Streets of Fire,” “48 Hrs.”). The hard-hitting actioner is based on the French graphic novel Du Plomb Dans La Tête, written by Matz and illustrated by Colin Wilson.

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures

             "Bullet to the Head" also stars Sung Kang ("Fast Five"), Sarah Shahi (Showtime's "The L Word"), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ("G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra"), Christian Slater (TV's "Breaking In"), John Seda (HBO's "The Pacific"), Weronika Rosati (HBO's "Luck"), and Jason Momoa (HBO's "Game of Thrones").

             In the film, Jimmy Bobo (Stallone) is a jaded hitman with a long rap sheet and little tolerance for the law. He and partner Louis (Seda) bump off a corrupt ex-cop which results in Louis getting whacked by former mercenary Keegan (Momoa). Detective Taylor Kwon (Kang) thinks there's a link between the two bodies and tracks down Bobo, who saves the cop from an assassination attempt by other police officers on the take.

              Kwon and Bobo reluctantly team up to get justice, with the trail leading to hotshot lawyer Marcus Baptiste (Slater) and Robert Morel (Akinnuoye-Agbaje), an unscrupulous real-estate developer looking for a big pay-off. 

            Hill directed the film from a screenplay by Oscar-nominee Alessandro Camon ("The Messenger"). The film is produced by Alexandra Milchan ("Righteous Kill"), Alfred Gough (TV's "Smallville"), Miles Millar (TV's "Smallville"), and Kevin King-Templeton ("The Expendables" films). 

             Opening across the Philippines on February 2013, “Bullet to the Head” is distributed by Buena Vista International through Columbia Pictures.