The star of Schindler's List and The English Patient reveals why he's so
protective of his private life.
Q: Where was The English Patient filmed?
RF: In the desert in Tunisia. It was winter, which meant it was warm
during the day, but freezing at night. You'll see scenes of us at night
wearing shorts, pretending it was hot, but when the director said "Cut"
we were under blankets.
Q: How did you get on with the locals?
RF: Very well. I went for walk in the market in Tozeur, and an extra
from the film was running a stall. He asked me to sit down for a cup of
tea, so I sat - and he went off to get the tea, leaving me, who didn't
know any Arabic, to run his stall.
Q: And your co-stars?
RF: Juliette Binoche and I had worked together on WH, so it was great to work with
her again. I got along very well with both her and KST.
Q: You and Kristen have a passionate on-screen affair. In real life,
have you ever felt that passion?
RF: Oh, yes. And that's all I'm going to say about it.
Q: Your marriage to Alex Kingston is over. What are the differences
between men and women in a relationship?
RF: Well, I'm talking generally here, but I think women are more
acutely aware of the power of the heart and soul. Emotions tend to be
present in their thoughts. Men find it hard to understand passion, or
pain or loss.
Q: Who has had the greatest influence on your life?
RF: My mother - who died two years ago. She was a writer and she
encouraged me and my five siblings to think. That's the legacy she left
us, and I become more aware of it as time moves on.
Q: You're a private man. Does that make it hard to be
famous?
RF: It's made me very protective of my private life. What I'm
interested in is doing the work. Beyond what I show on stage or screen,
I don't see why I should expose myself in public.
Q: Were you shy as a child?
RF: Yes. And maybe that's something I still carry with me. Shyness is
to do with trust, and when I'm with people I trust, I'm okay. But
people ask me very personal questions which makes me close myself off.
If that comes across as shyness, I'm sorry.
Q: We won't see you doing any nude scenes, then?
RF: I don't think so. I don't like to give away everything. I'd like
to preserve a bit of mystery."
EL STEPHO