John Leguizamo
Can we set the tone of this interview with some Mamet-style expletives?
Cock-sucking fuck, pig-mother-fucking piece of shit. [Pause] Cunt.
Perfect.
That [language] was really shocking when [Mamet] first began writing it in the early 70s. No one talked like that on stage or cable or radio—there was no medium for it. So this play was fairly shocking. People hated it and were offended by it.
How familiar were you with American Buffalo before being cast?
I saw the third incarnation, with Al Pacino, when I was a kid. It was amazing: There I was, seeing my hero, one of the great actors of our time, on stage. This play is so volatile that it makes you froth and spit—you spit a lot—and he spit right on me! He baptized me into acting. I loved it.
Yeah. In a way, this show is almost a tribute to guys I kind of admired—and who kind of scared me at the same time. I found them fascinating, even inspiring in some ways. But yeah, I knew the “Teaches” growing up: There was Louie, Chonchee, Eddie. They were operators, manipulators and smart.
In their minds, were they the good guys or the bad guys?
I think that was part of the charm, not knowing. America is in love with the gangster, always has been. Girls find them sexy, and we find them admirable; a man’s man, in a way. That fascination doesn’t fade away. The Godfather, Scarface, you name it. It’s forever.
Teach is so volatile—is he driven by pride?
Ha! He’s extremely proud. Did you read the play or see it?
I saw it and read it.
Did you read it before or after?
Read it first.
David Mamet looks really simple on the page, at least to me anyway. I know a lot of people say they have a hard time reading it, but I find it fascinating. So much with him, and Teach, is what’s unsaid. I mean, I don’t know how [Mamet] really writes, but it feels like, to me, that he writes it like a regular play, then he goes back and crosses out any explanations.
He said in an interview he learned from Hemingway that if you want to write something good, you have to edit out all your best lines.
Not only does he take out the best lines, he takes out all explanations, all exposition, all big clues! It’s like a puzzle. Even as an actor, or the audience watching it, you go, “What are they talking about?” You’ve got to know razor sharp what you’re saying, otherwise it gets vague and soft.
Having known hustlers, is Mamet’s depiction of the small-time criminal accurate?
Yes, and that’s what I love about the play. Of all the Mamet plays, I feel like this is the one he’s the closest to, that he actually lived it. His nickname is Teach, but he was kind of like the [younger character] Bobby, without the drugs. There were scam artists he hung out with, and those were the sort of people he loved. He shows you how dependent they are on each other. Like any family, there’s a lot of backstabbing, dysfunction, a lot of craziness, but you stick together because you need each other, you rely on each other.
Have you ever taken part in a robbery yourself?
Um…well, I kinda have, but I was a kid. Maybe I was 13? I don’t know! My friend stole a car for a joy ride. It was crazy.
Were you the lookout?
I was 13, so I was in the back, riding “bitch.” I was in the middle going, “This is exciting and scary, man!” And trying not to act like I’m scared, but I’m scared out my mind. But thrilled in a crazy way.
You’ve done a lot of one-man shows and now you’re working with a cast. Is that a challenge?
No, it’s been a fucking blessing! Oh my god, do you know how lonely it is to do a one-man show? This is the best. When I do my shows, the amount of hours spent alone preparing—it’s such a long show and I’ve got to prepare everything, so I’m there at the theater at noon, by myself. With this, I’m with [co-stars Cedric and Haley Joel Osment] and it’s so much more fun.
Is it interesting heading up a cast of Broadway virgins?
The thing is, each one is like a mega-watt. They bring mega-wattage to whatever they do. It’s their first time on Broadway, but we’ve all got limitations and strengths. Haley brings such honesty. He’s so fucking present, man! When I’m working with him, it’s inspiring; I don’t know what’s going to happen. It keeps it thrilling. And Cedric is so incredibly strong, so centered. He brings a certain amount of humor to [lines] that nobody else has ever been able to, just with the way he turns a phrase. With this cast, I feel like Donny and Bobby came to life for me for the first time ever. I don’t think they’ve ever really popped off the page—it’s always been Teach. Everybody else, it was kind of like “Who?”
The Belasco Theatre is supposedly haunted, you know.
That’s what Cedric said. He said he saw somebody tickling his feet or something while he was sleeping.
Any ghost encounters for you?
I don’t really believe in that stuff, so it’s not going to happen for me. I’m excited that it was Houdini’s place though! In the basement, there’s a huge pool where they used to drop the elephant that Houdini [would make] disappear. I love that.
Getting back to the one-man shows, is it harder to work with material you’ve written yourself or stuff as complex as Mamet?
I gotta say my stuff is harder, because I’m writing it and performing it at the same time. This [play] is a joy for me. This is like, “Wow, I can’t wait to get there,” every day. My one-man shows are a bit of a struggle. You have to like a lot of self-inventory.
Do you have any regrets about using so much autobiographical material?
A little bit. It caused a lot of family rifts. I fancied myself an artist, and so I had to say whatever I felt like. Everybody was angry at me at first, but now they’ve come around. My mom’s been very supportive ever since I bought her a house. My family has a price tag, and I love them for that.
I love titles. I think titles are as good as what you’re writing. To me, it’s a work of art; it’s like a haiku. I’ve always loved them, so I’ve spent hours and hours and hours trying to figure out my titles.
Do you have a list of titles you didn’t use?
I had a ton. Full Frontal Nudity was one. It’s been so long, I can’t remember! Full Frontal Freak. Freakazoid. Freakazoidal. Spic-a-wazee, Spic-a-licious.
Of the ones you did use, which is your favorite?
Freak and Mambo Mouth. Mambo Mouth is kind of odd and alliterative, and loud and cool. Freak was braver. And I liked Spic-O-Rama at the time. We couldn’t air [the show] in a lot of places because of the title, but it was very provocative. It’s still provocative—it’s a poor Mexican guy in New York. We’re still living in crazy times.
Speaking of crazy times, were you guys onstage during the election last week?
I was home. And I actually had to turn [the coverage] off at first, because [the map] was all red. It was terrifying. And my kids were even upset! My son is seven, and he’s going “It’s all turning red Daddy!” And I’m going, “No, look at the numbers!” They gotta figure out a better way to [plot voting] than doing that red/blue thing, because it doesn’t make sense—just because a state wins by 100 votes doesn’t make it a red or blue state. It should be shades, like purple [laughs]. “This one’s a little burgundy, this one’s a little dark blue…”
Watching that Presidential victory, as someone who comments on race and real life, does it feel like are things changing?
Look, it’s a crime what’s happened in these last eight years, how Bush and Cheney have raided and looted the country, brought us down—we shouldn’t be in this hole. They brought down the whole global economy! But it took that horrible thing to lead to this breakthrough event. Obama’s win, if nothing, reminds us it is a great country and that finally we’re celebrating intelligence and the meritocracy as opposed to, “This guy is an Average Joe.” I don’t want an Average Joe to run my country! I want the greatest expert that’s ever lived! But quick, let’s get off that track before I get sick.
Having done musicals, Shakespeare, sketch comedy, one-man shows and now Mamet, did you ever think your body of work would be so diverse? No, never. That’s the truth. And I still don’t know what’s coming. I’ve wanted to do a classic piece of theater, and now I’m doing it. Now I want to do another classic piece of theater; I want do a new play. And I’d love to do another one-man show.
Now that you’re married and a dad, what would you write a one-man show about now?
I think it would be about the craziness I’ve experienced in this career. I would make it a warning! My kids always say they want to be actors, and I’m like, “HOLD UP!” I want to make sure they know exactly how insane and nutty it is. I mean, it’s great and amazing, but it’s madness.
Are you going to let them come see the show?
No! They come early, before the matinee, and run around and touch [the props and scenery]. They didn’t want to leave last time! They’re like, “You said we could stay in the room and listen!’” And I’m like, ‘No! You cannot listen!’ My daughter [nine-year-old Allegra] was going, “I want to do lines with you.” I’m saying, “No, you can’t do lines with me this time.” She says, “But Daddy, I’ll ignore the curse words!” So we tried one page. Nope, forget it! Forget it.
See John Leguizamo in American Buffalo at the Belasco Theatre.