-- The Tom Sizemore Fanzine

Saving Private Ryan’s Tom Sizemore on how Steven Spielberg flattered him into the part. Interview by Lesley O’Toole

Was there a most memorable moment during the shooting of Saving Private Ryan?

The whole thing was memorable, but the day I met Steven Spielberg for the first time was especially memorable. I had already been cast in The Thin Red Line, a film Terrence [Malick] was doing - I was going to play one of two parts and Sean Penn, who’s a friend of mine, was going to play the other. I’d read the script for Ryan a whole year before and really wanted to play Sergeant Horvath. Hanks was set already so I told my agent to pursue it, and about a year later I got a call saying, “Spielberg wants to meet you.”

You’re no longer in The Thin Red Line. Had you dropped out of it at that point?

No, but Terry Malick was having a hard time making up his mind which part he wanted me for. So I went to meet Steven on the set of Amistad. there was this huge effigy of the ship and two little director’s chairs, in one of which was Steven. He stood up and said, “Hi, I’m Steven Spielberg.” I should have said, “Hi, I’m Tom Sizemore,” but of course I said, “I know who you are.” To which he said, “I know who you are too”. I said, “I’m a big fan of yours.” He said, “I’m a big fan of yours too”. Then he just said, “What are you doing this summer?” I said it looked like I was going to be in Australia making a movie with Terry Malick and Sean Penn about Guadacanal and he said, “Well, actually I heard that. how about you come to Ireland and Great Britain with Tom Hanks and myself and make a movie about D-Day?” I said, “Are you offering me the part?” And he went, “Yes.” I said, “Wait a second, you’re offering me the part of the sergeant right now?” because that had never happened before. And he said, “Yes, right now.” Next day the phone rang and a voice said, “Hi, it’s Steven.” I immediately panicked and said, “Why are you calling me?” I thought he’d changed his mind. I knew two or three other actors who also really wanted the part who are much more famous than myself, and I’m something of a fatalist.

Did you ask Spielberg why he cast you?

Of course - I was really curious. He told me he’d loved my performances in Natural Born Killers and Heat but that he’d always seen a heroic quality in me that had never been exploited by a filmmaker and he wanted to bring that out. Speaking metaphorically, he said, “It’s like you’ve been given part of a piano and have only been allowed to play certain notes. I want to give you the whole piano.” Then he went on to say, “I think you’re a leading man, not a character actor.” He told me, “You’re the first actor I’ve met who has reminded me a little bit of Steve McQueen. I knew him a little and you have the same fuck-you attitude he had and you get away with it because, like him, you’re really charming.”

Did you take that as a compliment?

Of course. I was thunderstruck. I mean, he’s the coolest guy of all time. I was like, “I remind you of Steve McQueen? Really?” When what I was really thinking was, Wow, I don’t have to do anything else. I can die right now.

What will we see you in next?

Many thanks to the delightful James Vaughan for transcripting this interview which originally appeared in Neon magazine. This interview will not be appearing on the interview pages.