Paul Bettany Interview about Captain America Civil War

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Paul Bettany is a hilarious actor that plays Vision in the new Captain America: Civil War movie. I loved him in “The Knights Tale” with Heath Ledger. I was expecting an extremely funny guy and was not disappointed at all! He was just as hilarious as I expected in person. In fact, Paul Bethany and Chris Evans had the entire room of mom bloggers cracking up! He calls ‘The Vision’ costume spanks!! Check out the Q & about everything from costume, makeup, and his daughter. You’ll still love him even if he is on #TeamIronMan. 😉

Can you tell us about, you know, the makeup process and the struggles with that?

It was hot. You all come out of your air-conditioned trailers in your costume and makeup, and everybody’s looking rather like superheroes and movie stars. Then in about 5 minutes, in 105 Atlanta weather, you look a lot less like a movie star. Initially, everybody looks so great. Both me and Chadwick have this special suit that goes on underneath which pumps ice cold water through it. If you can imagine — close your eyes and imagine being inside a gin and tonic. It feels exactly like that.

How do you personally relate to Vision?

I have to relate to him as a human being because I am [a human being]. And I’ve never met a synthetic person. Although, in Los Angeles…

I think much in the way that I was describing, like imagining a child. But, a naturally, clever child who can do anything, almost. He is forced into a situation of having to grow up very quickly.

So, you’re a director now yourself. Is it different being on the other end? Is it hard?

Yeah, and I think more actors should do it. It really gives you much more respect for the directors that you work with. I enjoyed my period of being an actor and just enjoying my responsibility. You’re obviously taking care of a much larger picture as the director. You’re day is just filled with a thousand questions. 99% of which are what color do you want the red shoes to be? What? Then 1% of them being absolutely are one of the triple questions that are going to make you old. You also begin to know when they’re actually bullshitting you as well. It’s been amazing. And I loved doing it. And will do it again. I’ll do a comedy next time.

Being the voice of Jarvis and now Tony Stark has a new voice in his head. Do you feel betrayed that it’s a woman?

I don’t feel betrayed that it’s a woman at all. I definitely feel melancholic at times.

I read that you hadn’t watched the Iron Man movies in the beginning. Have you watched them now?

“Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yhen you work, you enter an interview with a journalist where they ask you, have you seen the movies? And you say, oh, no, I haven’t seen the movies. Then you go on to say, but then I don’t really see 80% of the movies that I’m in. But they don’t use that bit because it’s a much more eye-catching headline is Bettany doesn’t want the Iron Men movies.

I did my homework, and I watched them all. I really loved them. I think that the stories are becoming more rich and complex, and I think you see that in this movie. In terms of the interpersonal relationships between all of the superheroes and also broader. Often these sorts of movies are just plain escapism.

This movie talks about some of the things that we sometimes want to escape from. Unilateral intervention from a super power is on one level [what] this film talks about. The need for a strong regulatory body. That’s pretty topical stuff. Which is amazing for a movie that’s this broad and popular. A popcorn movie and this much of a popular franchise.”

I agree with Paul Bettany; the movies are getting better. The plot and the interpersonal relationship made the new Captain America movie even more epic than I expected. Read more about what I thought of the relationship between Iron Man and Captain America in the Chris Evans Interview.

How do your kids feel about having a superhero in the house now?

They love it, actually. My daughter met me as the Vision for the first time, and I think she was just three or maybe just even about to turn three. She just ran up to me and gave me a hug. She knew entirely who it was. I had been very worried about what her response would be. Then at the end of the day when I took it all off she had her first ever meltdown. She went, “I want purple daddy!” you know? I’m sure you can all imagine, was a little depressing.

How much of Vision is costume and makeup and how much is CGI?

It’s mostly, uh, costume and makeup. There’s some circuitry; I don’t know how to describe it. They’re lines. The makeup starts from under my eyes and goes all the way and a bald cap that glues here. There’s [isn’t] much of my body out in the open. The CGI continues the lines and circuitry into my eyes.

Marvel's Captain America: Civil War..Vision (Paul Bettany)..Photo Credit: Film Frame..© Marvel 2016 — Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War..Vision (Paul Bettany)..Photo Credit: Film Frame..© Marvel 2016

Did you wear contacts?

No, there were no contacts. They stopped short of that. They think, oh, we’re punishing him enough. Poor bastard’s in spanks and a muscle suit. How about let’s give him some contact lenses?

How many hours did it take for you for a full costume, full makeup to be ready?

Two and a quarter. Initially, the makeup is somewhere between and hour and a half and 2 hours when everybody’s rusty, and they’re starting off again. Then they quicker get it down to about an hour. Then the costume is about 45 minutes. You really have to plan how you’re hydrating yourself.

Captain America: Civil War hits theaters on May 6th, 2016 – Get your seats ASAP so we can talk about it!!!

Follow along with the hashtags to get the details as they happen: #TeamCap #CaptainAmericaEvent & of course, #TeamIronMan if you like that sort of thing!