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The Suffolk-born, England and Ireland-raised Fiennes, 39, best known for his Academy Award-nominated roles ("Schindler's List," "The English Patient"), would rather be playing a character than discussing it with a reporter. So, while fielding questions about "Red Dragon," including what it was like taping those nude scenes, and grilling him about J.Lo (his "Maid in Manhattan" co-star), he shifts uncomfortably as he considers his responses and delivers his answers in Dolarhyde-like whispers.
"I've played some mean guys before," says Fiennes, referring to his "Schindler's List" role as S.S. Commandant Amon Goeth. "But I don't think that they wanted just a horrible psychopath [in 'Red Dragon']. In Thomas Harris' book and Ted Tally's screenplay, you see that Dolarhyde is in a state of confusion; he's uncertain in how to deal with his emotions. Not being loved can have a demonstrative effect on a person."
While Dolarhyde had a less-than-ideal upbringing by an abusive grandmother, Fiennes' childhood seems serene. The eldest of six children (he also has an older foster brother), Fiennes says that his parents (writer/painter Jini and photographer Mark) were "strong-willed" but "very loving" when he was growing up. They encouraged his artistic side and taught him to work hard.
"One of my earliest childhood memories is of being in West Cork, Ireland," says Fiennes, his face lighting up from the memory. "An English couple bought a house that they wanted to turn into a bed and breakfast. So my mother recommended to the couple that I design their bed and breakfast sign, and I'd be paid 10 pounds for it. They agreed and gave me five pounds in advance to start. I didn't start," he laughs. "Manana, manana."
Instead, Fiennes opted to spend his summer seaside, soaking up the sun - until his parents took the wind out of his sail.
"I was 10 or 11 and I was laying on the rocks when one of my sisters ran up.
"'Ralph, Mommy and Daddy want to talk to you,'" said Fiennes, imitating a young girl's voice. "I knew my mother would put my father up to it," Fiennes continues. "And he said, (deepening his voice) 'Do you know what the definition of a genius is? One percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration. (Sternly) Who are you to be out there sunbathing on the rocks? You agreed to do a sign for this woman and you are idling your time away!'"
"He gave me a very hard time about it," Fiennes remembers. "I felt very humbled."
While one would think that appearing onscreen naked and tattooed -- like he does in "Red Dragon" -- would be humbling is well. But Fiennes is quick to say that it's "no big deal."
"Playing a role like Dolarhyde is physically demanding," Fiennes allows, "but it's more demanding psychologically. I'm just trying to get into the head of someone like that. Running around with no clothes on is not particularly demanding. You just can't be shy. But it's not big deal either way. What's important to me is the urgency of Dolarhyde at the time."
"People keep asking about that," shrugs Fiennes about his nude scenes. "I just don't see what's peculiar about being naked."
Fiennes takes his work seriously, which is, perhaps, why he has been so successful in both film and theater.
"I like the pendulum way of working," says Fiennes, was awarded a Tony for Best Actor in 1994 for his role in Hamlet. "In film, the process is very chopped up. Essentially, it's not an actor-friendly process. You work out of sequence, you have to wait so long between scenes I find it very hard. But I like what film can show in a performance. I just think the process is tough.
"In theater, you don't get the detail in terms of facial expression and the close up, which is a great thing for actors in cinema where they can express things in their eyes. But you do get the continuing of time, where you can play an entire scene out."
While there was a time when people thought that if an actor wasn't doing Shakespeare, then they weren't an actor. Fiennes disagrees with that line of thinking. Hamlet or Dolarhyde, Fiennes says he's just after good roles. "I suppose that's more of the actors being cautious of how they are perceived by the public. I always thought that actors act. Actor actors, including me, just love creating roles. They want to hide inside the character."
The next two characters that Fiennes will be inhabiting are Spider in the psychological thriller of the same name and Christopher Marshall in the romantic comedy "Maid in Manhattan."
While filming "Maid" earlier this year, Fiennes, who divorced Alex Kingston (TV's "ER") in 1997, was romantically linked to co-star Jennifer Lopez. However, those reports faded fast when Lopez took up with Ben Affleck before filming wrapped.
"She's a fantastic actress," says Fiennes about Lopez. "She's great to act with, and we have a really good time together. She's got great comic timing; a great sense of humor."
Although he is clearly a fan, don't expect him to pull an Affleck, taking out any full-page ads in trade papers broadcasting his adoration.
"No, I'm not planning to take out any ads for her," he deadpans. "She's got
enough publicity as it is."
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© EL STEPHO
Added to the RF Reading Room on October 17, 2002
EL STEPHO