5 Questions With: Scott Speedman

Need proof of how difficult it is to sustain a career in Hollywood? Look no further than Scott Speedman, the London-born, Toronto-bred actor who shot to stardom on TV's 'Felicity' opposite Keri Russell (who he briefly dated) before transitioning to the big screen, where he's romanced Kate Beckinsale in the 'Underworld' series and Liv Tyler in the sleeper hit 'The Strangers.'

Despite these credits (and an envious list of on-screen love interests), he insists the search for work is no easier now than it was when he was a neophyte auditioning for the role of Robin in 'Batman Forever.' Speedman chatted with us about his new film, Atom Egoyan's 'Adoration,' where his 'Felicity' character is today and more.
-- By Kevin Polowy

1. Would you say that you actively seek out Canadian projects like 'Adoration' to work on?
I actively seek out any good job I can get. You're sitting here interviewing me here, but tomorrow I'm going to go home [to Los Angeles] and will audition against dudes you've never heard of to get jobs. I've got to work my ass off just to get good work. When I find an opening where I really like something and it's a good director then yeah, definitely, I'm pretty ambitious.



2. What was your experience with Atom Egoyan?
I was expecting him to be much colder or more removed for some reason, like an auteur kind of thing where he was behind the monitors on set, not talking that much or not communicating that well, but he couldn't have been more opposite. He was incredibly open and nice and ran a really, really, really polite set. It was just a very collaborative work environment, which isn't always the case. And he was not a yeller at all, which was nice [laughs]. And he's just cool, he's just a cool, cool, cool cat. I really dug him.

3. Do you subscribe to the practice of making one big Hollywood movie so you can make a smaller film like 'Adoration'?
Well, yeah, but really I can't pretend that was a conscious decision. I've been lucky enough to work in studio movies, but not all of the ones I want to make I get. For every one that you see me in, there were a hundred I didn't get. So, I mean, I'm still working towards getting those movies ... If I got an indie movie tomorrow that I liked I'd be doing it. If I got a studio movie tomorrow that I liked, I'd be doing it. It's just what comes up ... I'm also 33 now and the competition is just hugely intense. I'm competing against all those dudes [in that age range]. I'm also really picky about what I like to do. I want to do good work that's got good taste, so it's a challenge to find the right stuff.




4. What do you think your 'Felicity' character Ben would be doing today?
[Laughs] We always joke about -- me and my friends -- about doing a 'Felicity' movie, and I would be, like, so overweight and working as a nurse somewhere [laughs]. I don't know, maybe a drug addict. Trying to rebound, coming out of rehab, trying to get his life together after a broken marriage ... I don't know, I'm just trying to think of what's an interesting place to start for the character. If you're finding him now he's got to be at a low point so we can get him back to a high point. We need him to recover, we need Felicity to come in and help him out or something.

5. I've seen some message board posts lobbying for you to play Captain America. Would you do the superhero thing?
In a second. Yeah, are you kidding? Yeah, absolutely. I'm not trying not to do them, let's put it that way.