Will.i.am teleports onto the big screen
Black Eyed Pea discovers mutant skill for acting in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Best known as that hip-hop singer from the Black Eyed Peas with tunes such as “Where is the Love” and “My Humps,” will.i.am had no intention of becoming an actor. In fact, he had zero experience. No plays, no indie films, nothing.
But when producers of the big-ticket action flick “Wolverine” approached him to play tough-guy teleporting character John Wraith, he was intrigued — and terrified.
“It really fell out of the sky,” will.i.am said in a phone interview last weekend. “It’s nerve-wracking. If I wasn’t in the film and one of my colleagues played John Wraith, I’d be upset. I’d say, ‘Why not Don Cheadle?’ “
He hopes to “bring an emotion” to the character, rather than “proving I can act.”
“I’m blessed, but it’s a lot of pressure,” he added. “There’s no room for ego.” And he isn’t fazed by potential critical bricks thrown at him: “I’ll be tripping more about what I see myself. I’ll be my own biggest critic.”
He does enjoy the power of teleportation his character has.
“Superman can go faster than a speeding bullet, but I can make a speeding bullet look like a turtle!” he said. “Plus, he has that goofy cape that slows him down.” (Wraith’s signature wear is a cowboy hat.)
In real life, will.i.am joked, the closest he’s been to being teleported was becoming a hologram on CNN election night.
An early version of “Wolverine” was leaked online, causing much consternation among the producers and star Hugh Jackman.
“That’s something we as a culture should be concerned about,” will.i.am noted. “We don’t just export cars. We export entertainment. Look at what’s happened to the music industry due to piracy. Our last record sold 12 million copies. No way that’s going to happen this time.”
Sure, the group’s latest single, “Boom Boom Pow,” went to No. 1 and has sold more than 1 million downloads. But from a dollar standpoint, that isn’t nearly as much as 1 million albums. (The new Black Eyed Peas album comes out in June.)
Will.i.am is also a big political supporter of Barack Obama. “He’s done more good in 100 days than Bush did in eight years,” he said. “He’s doing a fantastic job.”
But he himself has zero desire to go into politics.
“I’d be useless without my connection to the youth,” he said. “That’s the only reason I can talk about politics — by entertaining the youth. I’d serve no purpose working in the White House.”
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MORE ON ‘X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE’
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• PHOTOS: Comic books that translated well to the big screen
