RR: "Ozzie, how were
you discovered for the role of THE OSTRICH in the Academy Award
winning film, The English Patient?"
OZ:"Well, you see,
I reside at the London Zoo. I have been an actor for many years,
appearing in many films. I was the stand-in for Gwenyth Paltrow
in her scenes as Romeo in Shakespeare in Love.
RR:
And The English Patient?
OZ: Oh, yes, I do digress.
Anthony was looking for just the
right Ostrich for the pivotal Ostrich scene in the English Patient.
Personally, I would have loved to play Count Almasy and think
I would have done a fine job, but as you know I didn't get that
role.
RR: And how did you get
the role of the Ostrich?
OZ: I do digress.
Anthony was at the zoo and I did my best to get his attention. It
worked and before I knew it I was in the desert acting my feathers
off.
RR: What was it like working
with Mr. Minghella?
OZ: Working with Anthony
Minghella was like looking into the face of God. Truly an inspiring
event in my life.
RR: My goodness. That is
quite an endorsement. Denholm, the dead rabbit told me he
was a bit disgruntled at being tossed about and then having his
scene cut. How did you feel when your scene was cut?
OZ: I wasn't disgruntled.
After all I've been in the business for many years and know the
ups and downs of it. But I do admit to a great deal of disappointment
that my finest work was not in the final cut. I know I would
have received a best supporting actor nomination if I had been
seen.
RR: You never know. You
do know that your scene is on the laser disk?
OZ: Really? I'm verklempt!
RR: Here's a tissue.
OZ: Can I tell you a funny
little story?
RR: By all means, do!
OZ: Willem Defoe and I
still joke about how both our characters had no thumbs!
RR: Very amusing.
OZ: Of course his part wasn't
cut.
Ozzie's wife
Graceful enters the room. She is a beautiful ostrich, tall and
well, graceful.
OZ: Graceful! Robin, meet
my wife, Graceful. She is an actress, you know.
RR: Graceful, you have
many film credits including acting as stand in for Kristin Scott
Thomas in The English Patient.
G: You know so much about
me it's a wonder you need to speak to me at all.
OZ: Graceful, dearest,
you should be flattered so much is known about your career.
G: I suppose next you're
going to tell me I should be quiet, give the Nanny the day off
and go sit on the egg.
To
be continued...
