(HOLLYWOOD) Jude Law counts several diverse thespians among his influences, including Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Caine (whose shoes he fills in upcoming remakes of "Alfie" and "Sleuth") and Charlie Chaplin.
"I remember as a child watching Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin," Law says. "They used to have a TV slot in England, I think it was about 4:30 or 5, when you just got home from school, and they used to run a lot of those guys' work. I just remember loving them and never missing them. And I suppose that related somewhat to what I was doing at school at the age of 7 of 8, wanting to put on plays, and make people laugh and fall over, and pick flowers and offer them up to girls."
A very different role model made a big impression on the teenage Law: "Seeing Daniel Day-Lewis in 'My Beautiful Laundrette' was an inspiration because I'd just seen him in 'A Room With a View.' Seeing him transform himself from a character I recognized as one who I'd grown up alongside, to a guy from another time period and another emotional world, was extraordinary.
"I think the role of Johnny from 'My Beautiful Laundrette' was so familiar to me that it was one of those parts that I thought, 'I understand that man, I understand that world, and therefore that film is about my life, too.'"
Naturally, Day-Lewis is on Law's list of dream co-stars. "I've always been a big fan of Gary Oldman and Daniel Day-Lewis, so I would love an opportunity to bring those two together and be a part of that," says the actor.
He is reticent to name more actors he'd like to work with one day, for fear of alienating anyone, but he includes "the majority of the people I've worked with before, because it's always nice to work with people for a second time. I've worked with Ray Winstone on several films, and every time it's a new and exciting experience to work with him.
"I just spent five days on 'The Aviator' where I did simply two scenes, one that Leo DiCaprio is in and with Cate Blanchett and Adam Scott. it was a great
experience, a magic week in Montreal, and I'd love to work with those three again. Cate was in 'The Talented Mr. Ripley,' but we never had a scene together."
He lists Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn ("a fantastic actor") and Edward Norton among American counterparts he'd like to collaborate with.
Published in Weekly Variety, Dec. 1-7, 2003
