The Daily got to speak with character actor Adam Nelson at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston about his new movie "Appaloosa," which opens to a wide release tomorrow. In the film, set in New Mexico in 1882, Nelson plays Mackie Shelton, an accomplished gunman who travels with his brother, Ring Shelton, looking for work. He crosses paths with Appaloosa Marshall Virgil Cole (played by Ed Harris, who is also the movie's director and co-writer) and Deputy Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) as they try to get rid of a lawless rancher who has control of the town. Nelson spoke about his role, how he prepared for it, why he got into acting and what is in store for him in the near future.
Question: How did you get the role of Mackie Shelton?
Adam Nelson: I knew Ed Harris from when we did "The Abyss" [1989] together and we had been friends ever since, so one day I got a call from him saying he had a part for me in a new movie he was making, but he didn't know what it would be yet. Then when the script was done, he showed me the part of Mackie Shelton. After reading the script, it was the only part I wanted. There was no audition or anything, and it is great when that happens.
Q: What preparation was involved for the role before shooting? How about on-set preparation?
AN: First, Ed told me I had to get on a horse so it looked like I had been riding all my life. The next day, I got on a horse and took lessons for six weeks until I got better at it. Then I had to train with a gun; I already knew some things but I went shooting with a buddy of mine for five days and trained with a colt before we started filming. On the set, there is always makeup. For example, I would have to go in there and get the makeup before shooting and then I would get a scar put on my neck and that would take a little bit of time. Also, Lance Henriksen, who plays my brother in the movie, and I started hanging out right away so we could develop a bond between us.
Q: Did you do any research to become familiarized with the time period?
AN: Sure, I read a bunch of books on the time and period and became familiar with how everything was. I also looked at a bunch of pictures and read about some of the famous outlaws of the time.
Q: What was it like filming in the Southwest?
AN: It was great. We went down to New Mexico into the desert where there is just a lot of open space. There aren't any buildings or roads or anything like that. Of course we had all the sets and equipment, but it was just a great experience being there with just the cast and the production crew and nothing else.
Q: What was Ed Harris like as a director?
AN: He had a job to do. This was his project from the beginning and he wanted everything to go well. But he was very receptive to the actors if they had any questions or comments and he always gave feedback. He wanted the film to speak for itself and he didn't want a lot of close-ups or anything that would distract from the story, so in that respect I think he did a great job.
Q: How about Viggo Mortensen? What was it like working with him?
AN: Viggo is a great person to work with. One day after shooting I was getting my makeup taken off and he came by with wine and cheese. Also, it was his birthday while we were filming so we all celebrated it and he had little treats for everyone in production. Working with everyone was incredible because you really bond with the whole cast and come to respect [them] as people and friends as well as for what they have done in their careers.
Q: How did you get into acting?
AN: Well, when I was in my twenties, I used to race motorcycles and one time I got into a bad crash which I had to go to the hospital for quite a while and I was out of commission, so I started thinking about what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I began researching acting and I took a few acting classes and it took off from there.
Q: What do you love about acting?
AN: It is just cool to be able to play other people. Like, you get to play criminals or shoot people and not have to worry about being arrested [laughs]. It is just fun to do, being other people.
Q: What is something that you have never done in your career that you have always wanted to do?
AN: Comedy. See, my friends are always asking me how come I haven't done it yet. But you get into movies like "Mystic River" [2003] and sometimes people only want you for a certain type of role, but I would love to do some comedy.
Q: How have your Bostonian roots shaped the way you act?
AN: They have helped a lot. I was in "Mystic River" in 2003 and I actually sent out an audition tape to Clint Eastwood, and it helps when I have the Boston accent and the look because I grew up here. [It] is good to have whenever it can
apply to a certain role.
Q: One final thing: Since you grew up here, are you a Sox fan?
AN: Aw, hell yeah.
