Julian McMahon Premonition & Fantastic Four 2 Interview

McMAHON SHOWS DIVERSITY IN BULLOCK THRILLER.

EXCLUSIVE by Paul Fischer in Los Angeles

Aussie Julian McMahon is having the time of his life, from the hit TV series Nip/Tuck to the new Fantastic Four, and now in the twist-and-turn romantic thriller Premonition, opposite Sandra Bullock. It seems that even though he missed out on 007, McMahon is a hot property in tinsel town. He talked exclusively to Paul Fischer.

Paul Fischer: So when youre looking for something outside of Nip/Tuck what was it about Premonition that drew your attention?

Julian McMahon: Well the first thing that drew my attention was that Sandra Bullock was doing it. And then I read the script and I was interested in the script and then I saw director Mennan Yapos first movie, a German film which I thought that was pretty extraordinary.


Paul Fischer: What are the challenges of getting into a character like this and trying to make him a little bit more interesting than I would imagine would have been on the initial page?

Julian McMahon: Well I think it depends on what you find out in the scripts, you know what I mean? And what kind of appeals to you in the script and I remember reading the script and feeling quite emotional and kind of touched by the whole story, you know what I mean? I wasnt kind of prepared for that, particularly when they said to me, its a psychological thriller or whatever. So for me it was about really, it pertained to family, it pertained to relationships and it pertained to, you know, miscommunication, the inability to communicate and, you know, love and hope and loss and fear always evokes feelings, and so it actually became a lot larger than just this guy that it was on the page, the characters kind of love story between these two people who havent communicated for a number of years and really were both very lost.


Paul Fischer: Would you find it easy to identify with him?

Julian McMahon: I could definitely identify with him. I mean not in exactly the same kind of circumstances, but definitely.


Paul Fischer: In what sense? What was your connection with him do you think?

Julian McMahon: Well I found myself in places sometimes and I could be, personally or professionally, where things have been going along for two years and you stop and go How the hell did I get here, you know and Who is this person that Im with or working with or whatever you know, or Why did I make this choice or I made this choice and I thought it was going to be one thing and now its not and I havent really spoken up about it for a long period of time and, you know, I think weve all done that kind of stuff in some periods in our lives.


Paul Fischer: Is doing a film like that a release for you? I mean youve got two very distinctive movies coming out this year, so is it kind of a release for you to sort of go from a special effects laden big blockbuster movie to something more intimate and character driven as this one is?

Julian McMahon: Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, the Fantastic Four movie, we all know what it is. Its about the comic book. Its about the graphics and about those big kind of action sequence things. And thats kind of a bigger role in the movie, you know what I mean? And so this kind of movie, the Premonition type movie is much more intimate and personal and thoughtful. They were both fun to do, but its definitely fun and exciting to get a break from one and do the other.


Paul Fischer: When you were growing up the son of a politician and all of that kind of stuff in Sydney, did you ever imagine that this is where you would end up in your life?

Julian McMahon: God no. At that period of time? No way. I couldnt imagine this would be where I would end up until, you know - I didnt even want it to be this way until ten years ago. The concept of where I am now is so far from my mind when I was a kid that I never could have conceived this.


Paul Fischer: What kind of aspirations did you have when you were a kid? Julian McMahon: I was just a kid. I had aspirations to, you know, play rugby, be an army cadet and date girls and hang out with my buddies. You know, I didnt grow up one of these kids who was like, I want to be a scientist or I want to be a ... I had my childish things of like wanting to be like, I wanted to in the army at some point in time or to be a fireman. Those kind of things. But those are kind of immature and ridiculous.


Paul Fischer: Youve been away from Australia for a while. Do you still feel Australian? Is there anything particularly Australian that is still within you?

Julian McMahon: I think my soul is Australian. I dont think you can ever take that away. I mean, you can be away from the country that youre born in and raised in for a long time but still youre soul is well grounded in that kind of culture and that kind of place I think. I feel like Im Australian on the inside and American on the outside or something. I would never want to leave it behind either. I love Australians, Australianisms, I love my part of being Australian. I love where I grew up and how I grew up and, you know, I wouldnt change it for the world.


Paul Fischer: Did you expect Nip/Tuck to be what it is going into it?

Julian McMahon: No, I didnt really expect it. I thought it had the possibility to and I definitely thought that it was a great piece but I didnt know that it was going to be what it became. I didnt know that people would like it. I knew that I liked it and I knew that I was certainly attracted to the character and I was attracted to the whole piece. I would have done anything in that piece.


Paul Fischer: Has Troy grown do you think during the last several seasons?

Julian McMahon: Oh God I hope so. Youd hope that hes grown but at the same time I would like to maintain that original part of the character that he always was.


Paul Fischer: How much longer do you anticipate the show going on for? What would your ideal timeline be?

Julian McMahon: You know Im not really too sure about that. I have two more years left on my contract and I would have to evaluate things then but, I dont know. I mean its certainly a great character to play and its a great show to be part of.


Paul Fischer: What about Fantastic Four? How much of that character is the same as he was in the original and how different do you see the sequel being?

Julian McMahon: How different do I see the sequel being? Well firstly the character is just, you know, in the first movie it was all about setting up the characters, you know, and kind of evolving the relationships between the people and where the powers were given to all of them and all that kind of stuff and this movie kind of picks up at the end of the last one. And that is, youve got the Fantastic Four who have realised that they have these kind of super powers and try to lead normal lives at the same time and then youve got Dr Doom whos been kind of locked up in a casket and shipped to Latveria and hes pretty pissed off. So thats kind of where the movie starts and then it kind of continues on that vein.


Paul Fischer: Is it fun being the bad guy?

Julian McMahon: Yeah its fun.


Paul Fischer: Are you signed up for a third one or do you think this is basically Dr Dooms swansong now?

Julian McMahon: I have another one in my contract, also applicable to the fact of whether they think it works or whether they want him back and all that kind of stuff so it just depends on how this next movie goes I guess. My contract is a little bit different to everybody elses in the fact that my third one is I get to do Fantastic Four or just another movie for Fox. So time will tell and well see what happens with that one.


Paul Fischer: And what else is going on? Youre about to start shooting the next season in a couple of months, right?

Julian McMahon: Yeah, when is it? June. We start June.


Paul Fischer: Right, so beyond that, what plans do you have. What else is going on beyond Nip/Tuck? Do you have any idea yet?

Julian McMahon: No, you know what? Ive taken the last few months off. I finished Fantastic Four a couple of days before Christmas and have just taken off since then just because I needed a break because I hadnt had one for a long time. And I literally dont even know whats out there. So Im just going to get back into things in the next few weeks, once Ive finished the publicity for Premonition and see if theres anything I want to do before I go back.


Paul Fischer: And finally, any major aspirations that you have beyond acting?

Julian McMahon: Not at this point in time I think. Im just enjoying what Im doing.

Premonition

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Nia Long, Amber Valetta, Kate Nelligan, Peter Stormare, Shyann McClure, Courtney Taylor Burness, Marc Macaulay, Irene Ziegler, Jude Ciccolella,
Director: Mennan Yapo
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 97 min

Sandra Bullock (CRASH, MISS CONGENIALITY) stars as a housewife troubled by a tragic premonition in Mennan Yapos thriller. Linda Hansons life revolves around her beloved daughters (Shyann McClure and Courtney Taylor Burness) and her husband, Jim (Julian McMahon, CHARMED). The familiar, picture-perfect terrain of her existence is abruptly shattered when she is informed that Jim has died in a gruesome car accident, and Linda spends the rest of the day in shock. When she awakes the next morning to find Jim calmly eating breakfast in the kitchen, however, she is even more disturbed. As the week progresses, Linda wakes up to find Jim alive again or dead again in an increasingly complex pattern that she struggles to make sense of. Linda realizes shes in the midst of a premonition and decides she must try to save Jim, but when she finds out he might have been cheating on her, her resolve is seriously tested.

PREMONITION should appeal to fans of Christopher Nolans MEMENTO and M. Night Shyamalan's THE SIXTH SENSE, as it too presents an intriguing puzzle for the audience to solve. Despite a few plot holes, the film provides an interesting take on the mutability of time. The notion of a mysterious unknown beneath the mundanity of everyday life is attractive, and the exploration of time as twistable--rather than linear--is fascinating. Nia Long (ALFIE) plays Lindas best friend, and Amber Valetta (HITCH) plays the other woman in Jims life.