Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Interview With Val Kilmer
Aired September 30, 2003 - 10:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're looking at a scene from the new movie "Wonderland." In it, actor Val Kilmer takes on a new role of that of porn star John Holmes. The movie explores the multiple murders that Holmes was connected to. And joining us now to tell us more about the plot and the new role is none other than Val Kilmer live in New York.
Good morning, Val. Great to have you here with us.
VAL KILMER, ACTOR: Thank you.
KAGAN: I think a lot of fans are going to tune in and go, that's Val Kilmer? Beard, long hair, very different look for you.
KILMER: I'm about to play King Philip of Macedonia.
KAGAN: Oh, OK, so we're going for more of that biblical, kind of ancient look right now.
OK, let's talk about this movie, "Wonderland." You get the pitch, and I imagine a lot of pitches, but they go, hey, we've got a great idea, why don't you play John Holmes, legendary porn star?
KILMER: I was offered the role for several months and I turned it down, because I didn't really want to be associated with pornography, and I didn't really understand how the film wasn't going to develop into being something about pornography.
KAGAN: And how did it not? How did it get around that?
KILMER: Well, it really is four days in John Holmes life after he could no longer get a job in the porn industry. He was so strung out on drugs that he had lost his ability to get hired, and this is a very tight murder mystery surrounding the four days in which at the end -- at the end of which four people end you up murdered on Wonderland in Hollywood.
KAGAN: Right, and we should say, it's based on a true story, 1981, these four murders taking place on this road that's in the Hollywood Hills.
KILMER: Yes.
KAGAN: And it's a set of murders that really, there's never been a final answer about.
KILMER: No, and I was intrigued by finding out -- when I found out that the writers had actually solved this murder mystery, "The Rolling Stone Magazine" had done a very thorough investigative reporting job on the story of John Holmes and these murders, and they hadn't solved it, and Los Angeles Police Department hadn't, so I was impressed with these young guys for finding out what really happened that night.
KAGAN: And one thing that's been said about your acting career is this incredible range of choices you make, and if you need an example, here we go, from John Holmes in the 1980 to playing Prince Philip in Macedonia in ancient times. That's about as big of a stretch as you can get.
KILMER: Yes, had a great time the last year or two. I've been working quite a lot and enjoying all these projects. I worked with some really great people, and this is fantastic cast. You saw Lisa Kudrow just now, and Kate Bosworth and Josh Lucas, Dylan McDermott, Eric Bagozian (ph).
KAGAN: It is star packed. We're going to look forward to that. We'll have a chance to talk with Lisa Kudrow in the next hour. Good luck with the movie. Good luck playing Prince Philip,
KILMER: Thank you.
KAGAN: Stop back when that movie is coming back out as well. Val Kilmer joining us from New York. Thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 30, 2003 - 10:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're looking at a scene from the new movie "Wonderland." In it, actor Val Kilmer takes on a new role of that of porn star John Holmes. The movie explores the multiple murders that Holmes was connected to. And joining us now to tell us more about the plot and the new role is none other than Val Kilmer live in New York.
Good morning, Val. Great to have you here with us.
VAL KILMER, ACTOR: Thank you.
KAGAN: I think a lot of fans are going to tune in and go, that's Val Kilmer? Beard, long hair, very different look for you.
KILMER: I'm about to play King Philip of Macedonia.
KAGAN: Oh, OK, so we're going for more of that biblical, kind of ancient look right now.
OK, let's talk about this movie, "Wonderland." You get the pitch, and I imagine a lot of pitches, but they go, hey, we've got a great idea, why don't you play John Holmes, legendary porn star?
KILMER: I was offered the role for several months and I turned it down, because I didn't really want to be associated with pornography, and I didn't really understand how the film wasn't going to develop into being something about pornography.
KAGAN: And how did it not? How did it get around that?
KILMER: Well, it really is four days in John Holmes life after he could no longer get a job in the porn industry. He was so strung out on drugs that he had lost his ability to get hired, and this is a very tight murder mystery surrounding the four days in which at the end -- at the end of which four people end you up murdered on Wonderland in Hollywood.
KAGAN: Right, and we should say, it's based on a true story, 1981, these four murders taking place on this road that's in the Hollywood Hills.
KILMER: Yes.
KAGAN: And it's a set of murders that really, there's never been a final answer about.
KILMER: No, and I was intrigued by finding out -- when I found out that the writers had actually solved this murder mystery, "The Rolling Stone Magazine" had done a very thorough investigative reporting job on the story of John Holmes and these murders, and they hadn't solved it, and Los Angeles Police Department hadn't, so I was impressed with these young guys for finding out what really happened that night.
KAGAN: And one thing that's been said about your acting career is this incredible range of choices you make, and if you need an example, here we go, from John Holmes in the 1980 to playing Prince Philip in Macedonia in ancient times. That's about as big of a stretch as you can get.
KILMER: Yes, had a great time the last year or two. I've been working quite a lot and enjoying all these projects. I worked with some really great people, and this is fantastic cast. You saw Lisa Kudrow just now, and Kate Bosworth and Josh Lucas, Dylan McDermott, Eric Bagozian (ph).
KAGAN: It is star packed. We're going to look forward to that. We'll have a chance to talk with Lisa Kudrow in the next hour. Good luck with the movie. Good luck playing Prince Philip,
KILMER: Thank you.
KAGAN: Stop back when that movie is coming back out as well. Val Kilmer joining us from New York. Thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
