Common is "The Gunsmith"

We've gotten to chat with rapper/actor/humanitarian Common several times and always find him to be cheery, friendly and open. This most recent gab session about his music, works with youth and role in the kick butt actioner Wanted, was no exception. Common plays a very Zen character who provides exotic weapons for a fate-driven assassin squad. He's the calm in the center of a furious storm but, according to the actor, he's up for a little more fight action and will get his wish in the film he is currently shooting Terminator: Salvation. Here's the latest from a guy who is anything but "common"....

TeenHollywood: You play the Gunsmith in Wanted. Now, you were already familiar with guns from previous roles but, in real life, you aren't much of a gun fan, right?

Common: Yeah. Smokin' Aces and Street Kings. I didn't have to do any training for American Gangster, but I did hold a gun. Ironically, I'm definitely not a promoter of guns. That's not me. The films I've taken on all have some guns in them, so, I did go through extensive gun training in this one. The Gunsmith is the one who's taking apart the guns, putting them together, cleaning them, putting designs on them, so I needed to learn as much as I could about guns.

TeenHollywood: I'll bet you are a good shot now.

Common: I guess so. I know a little something about it. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty good. But, I've been to a gun range where I'm thinking I'm good and there's been an older woman there that was a better shooter than me. I'm glad I acquired that type of knowledge, but it's not anything I want to utilize in my regular life.

TeenHollywood: What kind of atmosphere was it on set? This movie is so intense. Was there kick-back joking on set?

Common: It was great. A lot of jokesters. I can definitely say Morgan Freeman is a cool guy. He'd be walking around joking and singing and just dancing. You just felt the artist in him. Artists are free, and I just felt the freedom in him. With Angelina, we were just having a good time, just talked about everything. James [McAvoy] is a funny guy, so it was a lot of fun. Then, when it's time to shoot, you get into that mode of what the character is and that's when the intensity comes.

TeenHollywood: Did you talk to Morgan Freeman about your acting goals?

Common: I did talk to him about it. He was like 'you know, you have to work at it. You've got to continue to work at it'. He was a good teacher to me. He did come over to say some little things in my ear that I would take heed to. I felt like a chill when he came over and first gave me some advice because this is Morgan Freeman comin' over. This is a guru, one of the greats. For him to come and give me some advice, I really felt honored. I learned from him, Angelina, James. I learned from Denzel.

TeenHollywood: Did James go in and out of his American accent or did he speak with a Scottish accent in between takes? We notice that he can do that.

Common: [laughs] In between he was Scottish and I didn't understand him. Just yesterday we were in an interview and I was like, 'I don't understand thirty percent of what you said'. A lot of the crew were either from England or France and speaking with accents and Timur [the Russian director] speaks with an accent. I was really adjusting. James, I was really amazed and impressed he would go from the Scottish accent to an American accent really quick.

TeenHollywood: You don't have a lot of lines in the movie, so how did you approach a totally physical performance?

Common: I was just really doing my best to become the character. If the character's alive, he's alive. You do as much research as you can to create who this person is so that energy and that presence is going to be there. And that's the most important thing I can do, just really know who the core of my character is.

TeenHollywood: So, in your own head, who is The Gunsmith?

Common: The Gunsmith became a person who was like a Samurai in a way. He was a master of weaponry and definitely a warrior, but also this calm Buddha-like character. Without words, you could see things going on with him. He was perceptive and his energy was really more about trying to get James' character Wesley to become a good warrior as well as learning these guns and techniques.

TeenHollywood: Is it tough to stay in character when people recognize you from your music or other films while you are in a town shooting?

Common: Actually, in Chicago, we had a lot more people coming up saying, 'Hey, Common, what's up baby? You're home, how it feel?' and I'm trying to stay in the zone of the Gunsmith and it's like, 'Yo Common, what's up? You coming round the house?' and I'm like, 'Nah man.' It's cool, but you do your best just to be that character.

TeenHollywood: Do you worry, because you have such a positive influence on teens, that they might see you in a dark role in film and think that's what you are really like?

Common: I definitely feel that I've laid a foundation to let youth know who Common is. As artists, we get an opportunity to speak to people. Whether we go into the high schools, go to events or even interviews on TV, they get to hear what we're about. I make it clear that I'm taking on a character and I'm not afraid to take on dark characters and characters that people may look at and say 'man this guy is a crazy character' or 'this guy is bad'. As an actor, you don't judge what you're doing and you can't worry about, 'well, how do people perceive this character?' I just really want it to be a good role, be in good films. I think I can take care of letting people know that that's not me. I've kind of established that already. But, for those who don't know, they will get to see that.

TeenHollywood: Is "Invincible Summer" [his new CD] out yet?

Common: It's coming in August. It's produced by The Neptunes and a guy by the name of Mr. DJ who did a lot of work with Outkast so it'll be out this summer.

TeenHollywood: What was it like being directed by a crazy Russian visualist genius?

Common: Exactly. I felt like I was being directed by a crazy Russian genius [laughs]. He was high-energy, very creative, very spontaneous. I was like 'man, this dude is a great artist'. He would say 'when the bullet curves, this is gonna happen'. You listen to him but you don't know it's gonna look that good or be that incredible. He is a visual genius. I liked the fact that he was open to listening to what we believed our characters would be.

TeenHollywood: Gunsmith is probably not afraid of anything. What is your biggest fear?

Common: Oh man, I think it would probably be not achieving the things that I want to do. I've got a fear of that and I think that sometimes gives me my drive. I'm like 'man, I've got to make it. I don't have no other choice'. I started out as a musician and I said 'man, I want to be a rap artist. I want to be a rap star. I want this artist to know who I am. I want to be on TV rappin''. Then, you achieve that but your goals increase. You get new goals, new things to do so your drive is always there depending upon what kind of person you are. If you stay in tune with your drive, you're like 'man, I didn't know I wanted to be an actor when I first came out with music but now I've got a new goal'. When you achieve something, I think 'keep goin'. Set more higher goals'. At least, I do.

TeenHollywood: Good advice but how hard it is to continue an acting career and put out albums?

Common: I think each expression is sharpened in the other, meaning both of them are helping each other. As an actor, when I'm working on a film, I can go write a song and it kind of feels like second nature. This is another way for me to express myself. It takes pressure off writing songs because I'm almost doin' it in passing. It's like 'okay, I just finished workin' on this character, let me just write this song real quick'. I think that the music industry and performing and being an artist has helped me to be more confident coming into film; being able to deal with change and dealin' with all eyes on you. It's your time. You've gotta do it.

TeenHollywood: Did anybody show you the graphic novel this film is based on?

Common: Yeah. I went and got the graphic novel once I knew that I'd be part of it. I thought, 'man let me see what this is about. Let me see the root of it, the foundation, where it came from'. I really liked it too. I thought it was real cool.

TeenHollywood: Do you imagine a signature character you might be known for?

Common: Good question. I feel that me, as an artist, I never want to be pigeon-holed as one thing. Obviously, it would be nice to do a superhero character eventually that becomes timeless but, at the same token, I would want to do the role of a pastor and that becomes timeless and then do the homeless man. I want to show my diversity and make classic movies. I want to work with Quentin Tarantino, or Martin Scorsese.

TeenHollywood: Did you get hurt doing any of the stunts in this film?

Common: Hey, I wanted more stunts. I wanted more! I would have been glad to be able to tell you, 'yeah I busted my elbow'. I wanted more stunts. I was like 'man, when am I getting a good fightin' scene as the Gunsmith'? But, true to the character, I guess, they didn't really show that aspect of him but I'm looking forward to doing some stunts.

TeenHollywood: What kind of gun training and stunts do you have for Terminator: Salvation?

Common: Actually, not to brag, but when I got to gun training for 'Terminator', they were like 'oh, you know all this s**t' [laughter]. I humbly was like 'yeah. I got this. I can do this'. Gun training was like one day but there was a motorcycle scene where I wanted to do a stunt but they were like 'naw. We can't let you do it on the motorcycle'. I was gettin' knocked off the motorcycle and they didn't want me to do that but I was open to it. At a certain point I did think though, 'well, I do got an album coming out'. [laughter].

TeenHollywood: What is that set like because now we're finally into the future war part. Is there metal everywhere?

Common: Man, that set, the way I can describe it, being respectful to the film, is it's just an incredible set. I went to that set and it was like 'man, I'm in 'The Terminator', right in this world.' I would say the set is incredible.

TeenHollywood: Have you worked with Christian Bale yet?

Common: Not yet but I'm looking forward to it. He definitely is a great actor. I can't wait to work with him.

TeenHollywood: What's your role in that film?

Common: I'm playing Barnes. I'm part of the resistance, really like one of John Connor's right hand men, a freedom fighter.

TeenHollywood: Had you seen all the other Terminator films?

Common: Yeah. I really dig 'um too. They're really good films. I went back and watched the first two and I really was into 'um. Man, they're great movies.

TeenHollywood: There are rumors that you'll play Green Lantern in a Justice League film. Can you confirm or deny?

Common: I can say that if they do do a Justice League movie, I would love to be Green Lantern. That's all I can say. I do like Justice League.

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.