Metromix caught the cracked actor at a Houston hotel. As you might suspect he prefers Obama, insists Tom Cruise’s “Valkryie” (in which he co-stars) will eventually be released, and vows to do seven seasons of “The Riches” whether or not F/X wants him to.
Here’s some of what else the Emmy winner had to say:
What’s the most insane city you’ve ever played?
Reykjavik is quite out there. They have all the sunshine during the summer and then no sunshine during the winter. They eat a helluva lot of fish. The first time I was on there the promoters were ex-bank robbers. They’re different there; I really like it. Ex-Viking and very hippieish. Not that they’re all out there, it’s just that they have this sort of out there attitude—‘cause the country is so far out there.
I see you’ve just added a benefit on the 23rd [of June] for New Orleans—how’d that come about?
Well, we did the pilot of “The Riches” in New Orleans, and I’ve been there before and I just like the flavor of [the city]. I wanted to play there in 2003, and we didn’t–I just didn’t come down South. So I said, look, by hook or by crook, we’re going to New Orleans. The problem is in finding a venue; a lot of them are still water-damaged. The speed in which the government has helped repair New Orleans is still incredibly slow, incredibly bad.
Have you been back to Yemen lately?
Yeah, I just went back in January, for the first time in over 45 years. It’s quite amazing. There’s not a lotta money about, and a lot of people spend their days on khat, actually, chewing the leaf and just sort of being slightly out of it. But it was beautiful to go back, with me dad and my brother, and to have [our father] point out all the places of our past—where I was born and where he met my mother. I’ve gotta go back again.
Who’s the lowest common denominator?
I suppose shellfish.
What breaks your heart?
Big, heavy stones.
Of all the angles, which is the most right?
90 degrees.
If you had to narrow it down, could you list three adjectives to describe [“Riches” co-star] Minnie Driver?
Feisty, determined, and good in heels.
Christian Bale as Batman, Edward Norton as The Incredible Hulk, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man—superheroes are cool again. If you could play one superhero, which would it be?
Captain Transvestite.
Isn’t that you?
Yeah. Who else would play me?
You’re on a speed date with Amy Winehouse… what do you say to win her heart?
Hi, Amy.
If Darwin were alive today, do you think he’d grade his theory on a curve?
No, he’d just have to stand by it. Yeah, just gotta go with that one. Fish fly and that’s the end of it.
