James Caan
James Caan
James Edmund Caanis an American actor. After early roles in The Glory Guysand El Dorado, he came to prominence in the 1970s with significant roles in films such as Brian's Song, The Gambler, Funny Ladyand A Bridge Too Far. For his signature role in The Godfather, that of hot-tempered Sonny Corleone, Caan was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the corresponding Golden Globe...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth26 March 1940
CityBronx, NY
CountryUnited States of America
People wonder why first-time directors can make a brilliant picture, then suck on the second one. It's because they're a little terrified the first time. So they listen to all the experts around them.
I loved 'Funny Lady' for whatever reason. People say they didn't know I could sing and dance. Well, nobody ever asks me - it's always, 'Punch this guy.'
I play a guy who believes he's a king. He's the most common man in the world; in fact his family, like his suits, are just make-up. It's about dysfunctional people and dysfunctional relationships.
The most talented people are always the nicest.
People are always backing up when I'm just going to shake their hands.
What I do quite honestly and seriously and not in any way being humble is not as important as what the garbage collector does. People make actors important.
People say, 'Gee, you do a lot of mafia movies.' I think I've done two, out of 60.
I'm sort of a Walter Mitty. I got fewer brain cells than most people, so when I got friendly with cowboys, I started rodeoing. When I was calf-roping, there was something about the dirt that made me feel clean.
I won't mention names, but in my career, the most talented people invariably are the easiest and nicest to get along with.
I was very fortunate in the '70s to work with the best actors, the best directors, the best cinematographers.
Will is extremely funny. The tights, though, they were a little vulgar. I just looked at the tights and there's nothing funny about them!
When I played three-on-three with twenty-year-olds when I was fifty, I didn't care if the guy was six eight - I threw the elbow.
I have nothing against these big CGI movies, but there are not enough of the other ones - the ones with stories about character that have a beginning, a middle and an end. I said that to a couple of studio heads and they said, 'That's novel.'
I think we have to believe in things we don't see. That's really important for all of us, whether it's your religion or Santa Claus, or whatever. That's pretty much what it's about.