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Local News Benjamin Bratt: The ‘Snitch’ Interview B Kam Williams: Hi Benjamin. I’m honored to orn in San Francisco on have a chance to interview you. Dec. 16, 1963, Benjamin C ELEBRITY Benjamin Bratt: It’s totally my pleasure, Bratt’s career has success- I NTERVIEW Kam. fully spanned movie and television for over 25 years. His impressive KW: What interested you in Snitch? resume includes the critically by Kam BB: A few things, actually. I really liked the acclaimed Piñero, in a powerful Williams script. [Director] Ric Waugh happens to be an portrayal of poet-playwright-actor old friend of mine. We sort of came up together. Miguel Piñero; Steven Soder- His father, the great Fred Waugh, was the stunt bergh’s Traffic; and The Woods- coordinator on the first series I ever did, Nasty man, a festival and critical favorite Boys. And Rick, believe it or not, was a kid who starring Kevin Bacon. Television audiences recognize Benjamin from his award- happened to be a great stuntman. It was a family business winning role of Detective Rey Curtis on NBC’s long-run- for him and his father and his brother. Since we became ning drama Law & Order. He also starred in A&E’s friends way back when, I didn’t want to pass up the oppor- miniseries The Andromeda Strain, based on the novel by tunity to come full circle working together again, but in an Michael Crichton, which garnered seven Emmy nomina- actor/director relationship. You might look at my part on the tions. Additionally, he served as series lead as well as pro- page and think, hmm, it’s a little small, and maybe not ducer on A&E’s The Cleaner, for which he received an worth flying to Shreveport three times for just a few days’ worth of work. But the truth of the matter is I was excited ALMA Award in 2009. A veteran of dozens of films, Benjamin’s other work to reconnect with him and also to play a part that certainly includes The River Wild opposite Meryl Streep; Blood In, looms large over the story as a kind of ominous presence of Blood Out with director Taylor Hackford; Clear and Present danger, not unlike the role I played in Traffic. Danger with Harrison Ford; Abandon opposite Katie KW: I have some questions for you from my readers. Holmes; The Great Raid; Miss Congeniality with Sandra Bullock; and the screen adaption of Nobel Prize-winning Larry Greenberg asks: When you play a hardcore bad guy author Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in the Time of like El Topo, is it a different mindset from when you play someone in law enforcement? BB: One might think so, Larry but, sur- prisingly, the answer is “No.” I think most law enforcement people would tell you that there’s a very fine line between going one way or the other. On some level, as a career criminal, you’re a soldier. And cer- tainly a police officer also has that sol- dier’s “us or them” mentality where the delineation between black and white is very clear. My brother-in-law happens to be a detective on the East Coast. Having played a man in uniform several times, it’s always been a fascination for me. And I’ve spent hours Cholera. In La Mission, Benjamin re-teamed with his writer/direc- talking to him over the years about the mindset of someone tor/producer brother, Peter Bratt, to star in and produce a on the force, and it’s very clear. There’s no gray area in law story which recalls the culture, people and beliefs of their enforcement. Evil exists in the world and it must be dealt childhood in the Mission district of San Francisco. He and with. And those on the side of good can feel righteous in Peter joined with producer Alpita Patel to form 5 Stick their approach to eliminating evil. There’s no ambiguity Films, a production company geared towards film of con- there. So, in the case of someone like El Topo, it’s not so science, to tell stories with passion, vision and personal much that he’s evil, but that the director is very keen to point out that he’s a man, a father, just as Dwayne Johnson’s reflection. Benjamin is married to actress Talisa Soto Bratt. They character is. He has a job to do. He’s a businessman. Yes, he live in Los Angeles with their two children, Mateo and happens to sell drugs but, at the end of the day, he has to get Sophia. Here, he talks about his latest outing as El Topo in the job done and take care of his family. I thought that was Snitch, an action thriller co-starring Dwayne Johnson, a unique take on this kind of villain. Although we don’t get to spend much time with him, we get the sense that, yes, Susan Sarandon, Harold Perrineau and Barry Pepper. he’s capable of a great deal of violence, and yet, he’s just KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see? BB: I see a father, and a husband, and someone who is very content. C O M M U N I T Y C A L Benjamin Bratt taking care of business. KW: Editor/legist Patricia Turnier would like to know: What message do you think people will take away from Snitch? BB: I think the message that resonates most, and defi- nitely the one that resonates with me and my wife as par- ents, is that there is no length that is too great to go to in order to protect your child. So, it’s fascinating to see how Dwayne Johnson, who is a formidable, mountain of a man, is reduced to feeling powerless when his son is suddenly in danger. It’s very compelling to watch the process of his coming to terms with what he has to do to get his boy released from jail. KW: Kate Newell says: I love Benjamin Bratt! You’ve done such amazing work, but I’m going frivolous, here. Will your character, Javier Delgado, be returning to Modern Family? BB: [Chuckles] Yeah, rest assured, Kate, he will be back. We don’t have an air date yet, but I just filmed an See BRATT on page 8 E N D A R S EATTLE 2013 out flowers from 11:30 a.m. – noon at the corner of 4th and Pine St. at Westlake Park For the 16th year, Pike Place Market brightens up corners of downtown Seattle. If you have an event you want to share with the community, email it two weeks in advance to The Skanner at info@theskanner.com Friday March 15 ST. PADDY’S DAY PARTY FOR KIDS. Join us for arts and crafts, cookie decorationg and a lucky story. $5 per child. 1 – 2:30 p.m. Loyal Heights Community Center, 2101 NW 77th St. Saturday March 16 16TH ANNUAL DAFFODIL DAY! Students from the Pike Market Child care and Preschool will hand Page 2 The Seattle Skanner March 13, 2013 COMMUNITY PORTRAIT DAY! Get inspired by Rembrandt, Van Dyck Gainsborough: The Treasure of Kenwood House London during this afternoon of art making for all ages. $5 will get you into all the galleries. Lots of fun activities for all ages. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Seattle Art Museum. KID’S DAY AT NAAM. Come celebrate NAAM’s fifth birthday with a performance by Ugandan Orphan’s Choir at 2:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Art activities and picture book time in the reading rooms throughout the day! Admission is free, though a donation of $5 is warmly appreciated. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. NAAM, 2300 S. Massachusetts St. GET MOVING WITH AARON NIGEL SMITH TOWN HALL SEATTLE PRESENTS. A joyful beat and multicultural, pop funk vibe. 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Children 12 and under free, adults $5. Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave. Saturday – Sunday March 16 – 17 SEATTLE CENTER FESTAL IRISH FESTIVAL: Explore and experience the cultural roots and contemporary influences of Ireland through live performances, visual arts, hands-on activities, foods, games and much more. Noon – 6 p.m. Saturday. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday. Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St. Saturday March 23 FREEWAY PARK TREE WALK: Everyone is welcome! Tree Ambassador Natasha Mann will lead a tour of the trees in Freeway Park – home to many interesting species. 9:30 a.m. Meet on the patio on the south side of the Washington State Convention Center, 800 Convention Place.
