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For actor Paul Bettany, all roads lead back to the one he trudges down inA Knights Tale.
and playing Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The job was his.
He agrees to forge documents proving Thatchers noble lineage in exchange for clothes, food, and companionship.
This was forThe Sin Eater?Yeah, and the studio didnt want me.
So he did, and I auditioned, and the studio didnt want me.
And he flew me over to meet with everybody, and I auditioned.
They looked at the tape and decided they didnt want me.
And … they decided they didnt want me.
And finally, Brian said, All right, Im not gonna make the movie.
that they didnt want to lose the picture.
I went to a casting director I dont know who it was in England, and I tested.
Plus, we have a shared love of the Beatles.
I hadnt evenmetan American at that point.
I was just trying to pay my rent at that point in my life and just get experience.
I fell in love with being in front of cameras.
And so I was just excited to go and play in another movie.
For your first scene in the film, youre butt naked, for lack of a better phrase.
Youre covered in mud.
That was, Im sure, Brians idea for writing it like that.
No, I wasnt daunted at walking naked I was much more daunted at …
I remember costume coming to me, and I went, Oh!
Ive got a costume?
I thought I was naked.
And they brought my costume, which was a Day-Glo yellow sock.
I can imagine what that was for …Well, I didnt!
I said, Whats this for?
And they said, Um, its to put on your penis.
And I said, Well, why would I put a Day-Glo yellow sock on my penis?
And they went, In case you feel embarrassed.
So we didnt go with the sock.
I cant imagine a situation where I might find myself wearing that jacket.
Not to in any way deride the jacket the jackets marvelous, in a medieval-pop comedy.
Tell me a little bit about these big introductory speech scenes before the jousting tournaments.
Howd you go about memorizing those lines?
Because theres no logic to it, and I couldnt learn it.
I remember all the producers getting very worried, like, Hes got these huge speeches coming up!
I dont ever learn my lines.
They just start sticking, and hopefully they stick in the right order.
There wasnt really improvisation.
and him going away with that idea and rewriting.
But Brian is a really great writer; Ive never felt the need to mess with his words.
Was that a felt age difference, or were you quick friends?
He was a movie star, you know?
He was a very playful, joyous spirit.
Or maybeIwas a little blurry.
you could imagine: We were all young and in the Czech Republic all together having a ball.
The truth is, one thing always leads to another, so yes, I believe that is true.
So, you know, theres all of those stories.
There are certain sorts of comedy that I just dont think Id be any good at at all.
And I cant shake that.
And I just didnt want to.
So I still have that instinct.
So keep your worry powder dry, and enjoy being young.
I think that being young is almost wasted on the youth, you know?
Its so vital, its such a vital time.
I really try and teach that to my kids.
Its just extraordinary, and the world is opening up for you, and itwillopen up for you.
Dont worry so much.
