Just between us, and I know the cameras are not on right now.
Non of Germany is watching, that's just between us…
Hi Vanessa!
It's great to meet you. It's good to meet you, how are you?
Welcome to Germany! Thank you so much.
First of all, I need to ask you. How was it to walk around with this dead lion on your head?
It was very comforting, anytime, you wear a dead lion -
generally, anytime, I wear a dead animal on my head it's after I've gotten really drunk.
But in this case I was sober and I did it for the character.
And you know in the mythology, Hercules he defeated the lion
which he then wore on his head.
Did you take it home, as a memory? I have it here in Berlin.
You brought it to Berlin? It travels with me everywhere.
Hercules doesn't fear anything, half-God or not. What are you afraid of?
Just between us, and I know the cameras are not on right now.
Non of Germany is watching, that's just between us.
I don't like spiders, thats the thing.
Spiders. And when women get mad.
I don't like either one. I fear that more.
You fear them more than spiders? Yes, spiders and women.
Do you have a quality you share with Hercules?
Ah well - Maybe, he believes in being better.
Being better every day. Getting better as a man and I think that's a quality
that I've learned over time. Just through life's experience too
that works for me in terms of every day trying to get better
so I would say that quality because that's always an important one for us to have to get better every day.
And the other quality would probably be: I, like Hercules, I kinda look good
in a loin cloth. I brought it with me.
Again, I bring everything to Berlin, I tried it on, and I look good.
How was it when you put it on for the first time?
It was freeing. Freeing and airy.
When you put something on like this it's the nature of the business and
what we do and that's the fun part but I wanna say that
every day was a three and a half hour to four hour process
of hair, makeup, wardrobe, the armor, scars and blood
so by the time it put the armor on - including the loincloth -
that was very airy, it was like wearing a dress, or a skirt.
It still nonetheless got you in character.
Will you miss wearing it now? Because I am sure your not going to a wear it now, right?
I do wear it yes, it requires a lot of vodka but I do wear it.
Do you have a hero in your life?
I do. I have a few heroes in my life. That's a great question. Thank you.
This sounds kinda corny may sound a little cheesy but my mom is a hero.
I mean she's gone through a lot of tough times and she stayed strong
so she's a hero and you know who else is a hero to me?
When I meet kids and children who are fighting, fighting for their lives.
When I meet them for the first time, and they are so exited.
And there's just a sense of excitement and wonder in their eyes and they go:
Oh, you're so strong. Well actually I kinda play being strong but you really strong
So I would say between the kids that I meet and my mom.
You've been in this business for such a long time, I mean you're a legend. What is your secret.
How do you cope with everything?
You know what really helped me over time is to hold on to the tough times
and the challenges that I've had in my life between I know what it's like to struggle,
I know what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck and not to have any money
I know what it's like to dream big but then feel like you're still getting your ass kicked.
You're falling down. I like to keep those times very close to me.
Keep them in the forefront of my mind - that helps.
It always helps because Hollywood is a crazy world,
there's a lot of celebrities out there - I’m sure you've spoken them -
and I am sure some people in Germany have seen that too by the way.
They are like: Whoow, you need to calm down buddy, you take yourself way too serious.
Thank you, it was great talking to you.
What a pleasure!