Spanish heartthrob and legendary actor Antoni Benderas is the latest addition to Sylvester Stallone’s third instalment of the Expendables franchise. He shares why the movie has been a fun ride than an action vehicle for him
It’s been some time since you have played a hero, how does it feel to be back with a huge project like The Expendables 3IJ
I am really older the last time I played hero (smiles). I was shooting with the cast and realised that my knees don’t respond like they used to but I think I have the strength to make believe, what I am not (chuckles).
What is the scope of your role in the movieIJ
I have an interesting role. It’s not a major one. The character comes into the movie in the middle but he is very funny. I am taking the whole entire role as a comedy than action.
Who did it feel like bringing a few laughs or two to this action packed sagaIJ
I love comedy. I think it is among the most difficult things you can do in our trade. Galgo is the name of my character. He is a guy who holds a very strong complicated story. A hole of pain in his heart and he covers that with humour and compulsive behaviour and a breaking point comes in the movie where his character is revealed.
What finally made you believe in the role and taking it upIJ
I thought it was beautiful character with an amassing cast and not just with star power but legends power, in a very proven franchise.
How did Sylvester approach you for the movieIJ
Actually Sylvester approached me in the parking lot and he told me “you should come..you should come and join us”. But I said I don’t want to play the bad guy…the bad guys only die and if it is a franchise than I won’t be there (laughs). later on he called me and told me I have a beautiful part for you, he is angel and he can have a role in future franchises. So I said absolutely I will be there with you.
How was it working with SylvesterIJ
Sly is one of the smartest people I have ever met in my life. He knows this film better than anybody. So he knows how to resurrect, how to put together an event like this. He can create an artifact that is complicated but works like a clock. I have a big deal of respect for him. He told me “do whatever you want”. So I start playing with an idea in mind. In my mind I ended up improvising a lot and this guy kind off became a compulsive talker ‘weapon of mass destruction of talking’. And when I saw my fellow actors rolling their eyes (laughs) they just wanted to strangle me.
Your character Galgo is new in the film. How does he fit into the cast of the filmIJ
He does not fit at the beginning (laughs) at all. He was expelled out and that is the funny part. He wants to be a part of the expendables so bad. Basically because he is absolutely alone, a solitary character. He has nobody. In a way he is a very tender character and in a way you feel for him, besides he is tough when he wants to be.
The Expendables 3 is an out and out action film. Injuries are part of the game. Were you injured on the setsIJ
I got injured the first take that I did in the movie and I carried all through the movie. But I did not say that to anybody because I didn’t want for them to think that I am getting older. It was just running up the roof, that was my first shot and I got this pain in my right knee. It’s gone now but it stayed there for a couple of months.
So that means your did all your own stuntsIJ
No I did them myself. They put the most dangerous two stunts, one running in a building with all the explosions and the last one, where I am fighting along with the girl, Rhonda and we fighting the bad guys and they put them right in the end. Every time they do that in a film I think to myself, ‘why did they do thatIJ’
The expendables series has been an ever expanding franchise of stardom.
One of the interesting things about the movie is that everybody has been involved from the beginning. They have a capacity of loving of themselves and I think that is actually very important.