Frank Grillo
©2014 Angela María Ortíz S.
We all carry around a lot of preconceptions about actors–especially actors who make their biggest impressions playing iconic characters. That’s certainly the case with Frank Grillo; he’s been playing cops, criminals, and tough guys for close to twenty years, since Silk Stalkings and Minority Report, and these days he’s best remembered as playing Brock Rumlow (the future Crossbones) in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Now he’s about to make an even bigger impression as Sergeant in the sequel to The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy, an action/horror film with a big social message and a number in the mix, including Kiele Sanchez, Justina Machado, Nicholas Gonzalez, Carla Jimenez and Castulo Guerra, among others.
L-r: Zach Gilford, Kiele Sanchez and Frank Grillo
Se Fija! was part of a panel of journalists that got to sit down with Grillo a few days before the premiere of the picture, and we all got a pleasant surprise: not only was Grillo not the grim and scary guy we’ve seen in so many movies, he’s was actually funny, and a family man, and a professional who knew–and knows–exactly what he’s doing, why he’s doing it, and what he’s doing next. Here are just a few audio clips from our talk:
Grillo really does come from the old-school tradition of Bad Assery. What characters does he look to as historical precedents and inspiration?
Frank Grillo has a reputation–borne of hard work–that he’s a tough guy in real life as well as in film. But he’s the first to tell you that’s not entirely true.
Tough Guy (click for audio)
And he’s aware of the opportunities his persona gives him…and its limitation.
No Romantic Lead (click for audio)
Still, as he says, Grillo may walk like a man who can take care of himself, but he has fears like everyone else.
And here’s another interesting contrast between the ‘tough guy’ image and the ‘real’ Frank Grillo:
Guns (click for audio)
Okay, then, tough guy: what do you think about the concept behind The Purge: the idea that for one night a year, you can kill (or do anything else) without fear of reprisal?
The Concept (click for audio)
Still, even within the concept, it can go too far, Grillo says. One scene comes to him immediately…
Old Lady (click for audio)
The Purge 2 works very hard not to be just another home invasion/revenge violence flick. What aspect of that was the most difficult for Grillo?
The End (click for audio)
Shooting action movies can be physically grueling for everyone–actors and crew alike. And The Purge 2 was no exception, with its huge array of night-shoots (in every sense of the word)…
Night (click for audio)
Not that Grillo can’t take it. He is, after all, a tough guy…
In shape (click for audio)
It’s been a long, smart career climb for Frank Grillo…
Career (click for audio)
So is a Purge 3 a possibility? And if there is one, will Frank Grillo be part of it? He answers in a typically straightforward way:
Sequel (click for audio)
But enough about The Purge. Let’s talk about your other big role of the summer, Brock Rumlow—the future Marvel super-villain Crossbones–in Captain American: Winter Soldier. Are we going to see more of him in the inevitable next chapter?
Crossbones (click for audio)
Whether or not there’s more Purge or Crossbones in the future, Frank Grillo won’t be waiting around. He already completed a murder/ghost story, Demonic, and a thriller called Big Sky with Bella Thorne and Kyra Sedgwick, and there are a string of other projects already lined up. We’ll be seeing plenty more of him…and The Purge: Anarchy open this week.
