Men & You: Gerard Butler On Being More ‘In Character’ IRL Than In Movies...

C: You work so much. Do you ever feel like you’ve sacrificed your personal happiness for your career?

GB: “Yes, I do. But this is a hard business to be in. You see that with failed relationship after relationship, where you thought, ‘Well, this is the one that’ll survive’, and they generally don’t. I love my work and all the travel, but there’s a lot to be said for just being in the one place.”

C: But you are happy right now?

GB: “Very happy, yes.”

C: Your character in London Has Fallen is settling down and is about to become a father. Do you want marriage and kids?

GB: “Definitely. I’d love that one day. So far, I’ve had no time to even think about that, but now...who knows?”

C: You are so bad*ss in London Has Fallen. Do you ever use any of that stuff you learn in your action movies IRL?

GB: “Um, yeah, but not as bad*ss as you’d like to hear. You do learn a lot in terms of fighting ability, and it increases your confidence in handling yourself. People often come up to me with a lot of energy, 99 percent of the time, it’s positive, but sometimes it’s drunken.”

C: So you’ve been involved in bar brawls?

GB: “TBH, I did that way more before. But I’m a peaceful guy...I’ve even got an award for bravery when I saved a boy from drowning in a river when I was younger. When I see something unjust, then I can’t not try and stop it.”

C: Is your dream role still out there?

GB: “There are a couple of roles I would like to play but they are Scottish. I would like to play Robert the Bruce and Beware of picking a fight with this hottie! I’d like to play Robert Burns. I’d like to play all of the Roberts! At the end of the day, I’m Scottish and I’m very proud of that. There is nothing like the pride you feel belonging to your nation, especially when it has such a tragic and romantic and courageous history as Scots do.”

C: Finally, do you still get the ‘This is Sparta!’ shouts when you’re out in public?

GB: “All the time, yeah (laughs). I get it in the street, in restaurants, and even in public toilets!”

 

 

Published in the May 2016 issue of Cosmo India