>> James: PLEASE WELCOME THE INCREDIBLE CLIVE OWEN,
EVERYBODY.
>> Reggie: CLIVE OWEN.
CLIVE.
>> OWEN.
CLIVE.
>> James: HEY CLIVE, HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M VERY GOOD, HOW ARE YOU.
>> James: I'M THRILLED TO STEE YOU.
SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU.
WE MET BRIEFLY IN 2012 BACKSTAGE AT A PLAY THAT I WAS IN.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> James: DO YOU OFTEN DO THAT, GO BACKSTAGE.
>> IT WAS QUITE WEIRD.
I REMEMBER THAT REALLY WELL.
I WENT THERE AND I WAS WITH AN ACTOR, SO AS WE WALKED IN, HE
SAID WILL YOU BE GOING BACK AND I WAS LIKE NO, BECAUSE THERE IS
A CULTURE, IT SEEMS MUCH MORE AMERICAN.
>> James: ABSOLUTELY.
>> IF YOU ARE AN ACTOR OF A PARTICULAR STANDING YOU GO AND
SAY HELLO AT THE END.
BUT IN THE U.K., I DON'T THINK IT IS QUITE LIKE THAT.
>> IF YOU NEW SOMEBODY A FRIEND.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY, I SAID NO, I WOULDN'T BE GOING BACK, HE
WAS LIKE YOU SURE, THEN THE GUY PUT US IN OUR SEAT SAID WILL YOU
BE GOING BACK.
AND I WAS LIKE NO, NO, I'M FINE, I JUST COME TO MUCH WHAT THE
PLAY.
AND THEN YOU MUST HAVE CAUGHT ME IN THE AUDIENCE BECAUSE THE GUY
CAME BACK AND SAID MR. CORDERN WOULD YOU COME BACK.
>> James: I DIDN'T ASK IF YOU WOULD COME BACKK I SAID OH MY
GOD, CLIVE OWEN WAS-- I COULD SEE YOU, AND I THINK I SAID TO
SOMEONE, IS CLIVE OWEN GOING TO COME BACK.
AND THEY SAID I'M SURE.
>> SO THEY CAME AND-- AND I DID.
AND IT WAS GREAT.
>> James: I'M THRILLED THAT YOU DID.
WE HAD A LOVELY CHAT MOSTLY ABOUT FOOTBALL WHICH IS REALLY
ALL WE EVER TALK ABOUT.
BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU LIVE IN LONDON.
HERE IN LOS ANGELES.
WERE YOU HERE FOR A LONG TIME WHEN YOU WERE SHOOTING THE SHOW,
RIGHT NOW ARE YOU JUST HERE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THERE WAS A PART THAT ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU
MOVED TO THROWS ANG LESS.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU EVER CONSIDERED.
>> I NEVER DID REALLY, I USED TO COME WHEN I WAS A YOUNG ACTOR
AND DID A SMALL FILM.
THERE WAS ALWAYS A THING WHERE YOU WOULD COME OUT.
EVERYONE WOULD KIND OF MEET YOU AND CHECKING YOU OUT.
KIND OF A LITTLE INDEPENDENT FILM, SORT OF INTRODUCTION AND I
ALWAYS FOUND IT STRE DIFFICULT AND WEIRD.
AND WE WOULD GO, AND THEY WOULD SAY DO YOU PLAY GOOD GUYS OR BAD
GUYS AND YOU WOULD BE LIKE WHAT?
AND THEN I DID A LITTLE MOVIE CALLED KRUPPIER WHICH WAS A VERY
SMALL MOVIE BUT HAD A SORT OF BIGGISH IMPACT CERTAINLY FOR ME
AND MY CA REEMPLET AND THE NEXT TIME IT WAS A DIFFERENT PLANET,
A DIFFERENT WORLD.
SO I WAS SUDDENLY THINGS HAD SHIFTED IT WAS SOMETHING I WOULD
SAY, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE IDEA OF COMING TO L.A. AS A
YOUNG ACTOR, YOU KIND OF NEED SOMETHING TO COME WITH.
IT IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT IF YOU ARE JUST COMING AND TRYING
TO HUSTLE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
>> James: YOU JUST CAN'T-- OR BASICALLY YOU DIE OF
ENCOURAGEMENT ALL DAY, THAT IS WHAT YOU DO.
DIE OF ENCOURAGEMENT, WITH PEOPLE SAYING WE WOULD
ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO TWORK WITH YOU, AND YOU GO I'M UNEMPLOYED
SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND THEY GO WE'LL CALL YOU.
WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT NOW, IF YOU WANT.
AND THEY GO OKAY.
>> I WENT UP FOR A MOVIE, YOU ARE JUST PERFECT FOR BOTH.
>> NEVER, NOTHING.
>> James: NEVER A SINGLE THING.
NOW YOU ARE FROM A PART OF THE U.K., I DON'T KNOW MANY OF OUR
AUDIENCE WOULD HAVE HEARD FROM.
YOU ARE FROM COVENTRY.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE COVENTRY TO ANY, WHAT I LIKE TO CALL
AMERICANS THAT ARE WATCHING.
>> IN THE MIDDLE T IS QUITE-- YOU KNOW, IT WAS BIG IN
THE CAR INDUSTRY IN THE '70S AND THEN IT IS, HOW WOULD YOU
DESCRIBE IT?
>> James: WELL, I HAVEN'T SPENT A HUGE AMOUNT OF TIME.
YOU APPROXIMATE I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A PLETHORA OF
GREAT ACTORS THAT COME OUT OF COVENTRY, ARE THERE?
>> NO.
>> James: WHAT WAS ITS REACTION WHEN YOU TOLD YOUR
FAMILY OR YOUR FRIENDS THAT YOU WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR.
>> I MEAN I WENT TO A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL AND
CAREERSES LESSONS AND THEY SAID WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO I SAY I
WANT TO BE AN ACTOR.
AND THEY WOULD LAUGH.
I COME ON, GET REAL, WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT TO DO.
AND I WAS LUCKY I JOINED THIS LITTLE YOUTH THEATER IN MY
HOMETOWN WHICH WAS A LIFESAVER AND I DID PLAYS AND THEATER AND
SOMEBODY WAS-- AND WAS LIKE THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO DO I WAS
ENCOURAGED TO GO TO A DRAMA SCHOOL.
I GOT INTO A SMALL DRAMA SCHOOL BUT DIDN'T WANT TO GO I THINK I
WAS A BIT FREAKED OUT BY THE WHOLE IDEA OF IT.
TWO YEARS UNEMPLOYED IN COVENTRY AND THEN I THOUGHT YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BECOME AN ACTOR SITTING AROUND IN COVENTRY
IT IS NOT GOING TO COME TO YOU.
SO I APPLIED TO ONE DRAMA SCHOOL.
THE ROYAL ACADEMY AND I GOT IN.
SO IT WAS LIKE THAT, THAT WAS-- PEOPLE SAY WHAT IS THE
BIGGEST SORT OF BREAK IN YOUR CAREER, THERE IS NO QUESTION
THAT GETTING INTO A DRAMA SCHOOL WAS A HUGE GIFT SWRZ WHAT DID
YOU HAVE TO DO YOU ARE YOUR AUDITION.
>>-- IT WAS THE BEST DRAMA SCHOOL IN BRITAN IF NOT EUROPE,
PROBABLY.
WHAT DID YOU YOU DO.
>> IT IS ODD BECAUSE NOW I KNOW THIS, YOU DO ENDLESS WORKSHOPS.
AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A GUY CALLED-- HE RAN IT AND ALL HE
DID WAS STOOD ON THE STAGE AND DID A THREE MINUTE SHAKESPEARE
AND A THREE MINUTE MODERN AND THERE WAS VERY TOP ON THE THREE
MINUTES.
AND HE CHOSE 17 PEOPLE IN A YEAR, ONLY ON THAT.
WE HAVE A LITTLE CHAT.
NOW YOU HAVE TO DO DANCE, IMPROVIZATION, SO MUCH.
I WOULDN'T HAVE GOT IN I THINK IF IT WAS LIKE IT ST NOW.
>> James: THANK GOD YOU DID.
BECAUSE I THINK YOUR CAREER IS QUITE ASTOUNDING.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE LIST OF DIRECTORS THAT YOU HAVE WORKED
WITH.
ROBERT ALTMAN, MIKE NICHOLS, SPIKE LEE, ALPHONSEO CUARON T IS
AN AMAZING BODY OF WORKS.
I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I HEARD WHAT YOU CONSIDERED TO BE THE
HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER BECAUSE IT'S NONE OF THEM, RIGHT.
>> NO, PEOPLE THINK I'M JOKING WHEN I SAY, AND I ■PROMISE YOU
I'M NOT-- WRZ SO TALK ME THROUGH, I UNDERSTAND, I GET IT
IT WHAT WAS THE-- WHAT WAS THE CALL.
>> I'M CRAZY ABOUT THE SHOW.
LIKE I LITERALLY HAVE ALWAYS, ALWAYS LOVED IT IT.
AND I GOT A CALL AND BASICALLY THEY WANTED TO TALK TO ME AND I
THEY PITCHED ME THIS THING.
AND THEY FINISHED AND I SAID YOU COULD HAVE SAID ABSOLUTELY
ANYTHING AND I WOULD BE THERE.
LIKE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS.
I WOULD LOVE TO.
I CAME DOWNSTAIRS.
SHE WHAT, WHAT, I SAID-- Z I WAS PRETTY NERVOUS WHEN I WENT
BECAUSE I THINK THEY WERE ALL SO BRILLIANT.
AND I FELT I WAS OUT OF MY DEPTH BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL SO QUICK
AND FAST AND SORT OF CAN DO IT WITH SUCH EASE AND SKILL.
AND I WENT IN THERE.
AND ALL I WANTED WAS LIKE DON'T MESS IT UP.
DON'T BE REALLY BAD IN IT.
LIKE JUST THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH.
>> James: AND LARRY WAS HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU DID ON THE SHOW.
>> NO IDEA.
>> James: LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR BRILLIANT NEW SERIES
IMPEACHMENT, AMERICAN CRIME STORY WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY ABOUT
THE BILL CLINTON MONICA WILL WINSKY SCANDAL.
YOU PLAY PRESIDENT CLINTON.
WHEN THIS CALL COMES IN, WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND, DO YOU
HAVE ANY QUALMS ABOUT TAKING ON A PART ABOUT SUCH A SUBJECT
KNOWING THAT IT ST GOING TO BE UNDER SUCH A MICROSCOPE.
>> THAT IS A HUGE CONSIDERATION, ALSO THE FACT I'M ENGLISH, I
DON'T REALLY LOOK LIKE HUM.
I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND.
WHERE IS THAT COMING FROM, WHO HAD THIS THOUGHT AND WHY DID
THEY HAVE THIS THOUGHT.
AND I DPOT ON THE PHONE WITH THE PRODUCER AND THEY TALKED VERY
ENCOURAGINGLY ABOUT THE WHOLE PROJECT.
AND I STARTED TO SORT OF THINK ABOUT IT AND THEN I WENT OFF AND
STARTED TO LOOK AT THE FOOTAGE FROM THAT TIME OF BILL CLINTON
AND THEN I STARTED TO THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I LOVE A
CHALLENGE.
AND THERE IS SOMETHING, I THINK I QUITE LIKE BEING SQUARED BY
SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY DA, THE WORST
THING THAT CAN HAPPEN, I WILL BE BAD IN IT T I HAVE BEEN BAD
BEFORE, I WILL BE BAD AGAIN.
>> THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN.
SO AND I GOT LIKE FASCINATED BY THE IDEA OF RECREATING ALL THAT
ORIGINAL FOOTAGE SO I'M LOOKING AT ALL THIS STUFF HE DID.
AND I AM THINKING THERE IS SOMETHING VERY SATIS SA FYING
ABOUT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
IT IS NOT ABOUT ME INTERPRETING IT OR BUTTING-- PUTTING A NUANCE
ON IN IT, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO HAVE IT AND IT IS CLEAR WHAT THE
OBJECTIVE IS, I GOT EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
>> James: SO WHEN HE SAID I DID NOT HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS
WITH THAT WOMAN, YEAH, AS AN ACTOR YOU CAN'T REALLY GO I'M
GOING TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE.
SORT OF SCOUT AROUND WITH THIS A LITTLE.
I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST TV SHOW OF THE FALL.
AND I ALREADY KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELYBRILLIANT IN
IT.
YOU ARE EXTRAORDINARY IN IT, EVERYBODY IS ALREADY TALKING
ABOUT IT, IMPEACHMENT, AMERICAN CRIME STORY DEBUT TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 7th@10:00 ON FX.
STUCK AROUND, MORE WITH CLIVE OWEN WHEN WE COME BACK,
EVERYBODY.
>> Reggie: YES, WE'LL BE BACK WITH CLIVE OWEN.
CLIVE OWEN, CLIVE OWEN,