How would you describe your character?
He's not a romantic lead, but the guy has a romantic vision. There are a number of stories in "Traffic", and I'm in one of them. The plot takes my character through different stages of what it takes to do the right thing, if it's possible.
The subject matter - that of the drug trade - is handled very seriously.
The whole approach is serious. It's a bookmark of our times, especially here in America with the problem of drugs. Only time will tell, really, but I think it's going to be an important film. It has a message without saying it, and that's the beauty of it. You can feel it. It's important to educate kids and parents of what it is to be on the 'demand' side. Whatever we're doing to stop wars, without the education of what it is to be on this 'side' means nothing. If you just fight without educating people that drugs are no good - or that they are a symptom of something, like what's happening at home, or at school, or with the community - it means nothing. In that way "Traffic" is very successful. Then again, I've seen it once. I'd like to see it again. Time will tell, but I think it is an important film.
What's your role in Sean Penn's upcoming film, "The Pledge".
I have a little cameo in "The Pledge". I play a retarded guy who's the suspect of the crime. The story goes from there. Jack Nicholson is the character who believes I didn't do it, and he sets out to prove I didn't.
