It's a formidable place at the front of '300'

It's a formidable place at the front of '300'

The Sun News.com


March 2,2007


BEVERLY HILLS — Larger than life is an understatement when it comes to the leaders recalled in "300." Co-writer/director Zack Snyder's screen vision of Frank Miller's graphic novel recounting the ancient battle of Thermopylae pits two unique adversaries: Leonidas, king of the small but fierce band of Spartan warriors, and Xerxes, the Persian commander of a veritable horde of bloodthirsty invaders.

Cast to wear those mantles in this melding of mortal combat and visual effects: Gerard Butler, the Scottish-born heart-throb best known as the screen's "Phantom of the Opera," is the indefatigable Leonidas; Rodrigo Santoro, one of Brazil's most sought-after actors who's gaining attention here as a new "Lost" castaway; is the ruthless Xerxes.

Their thoughts on playing these giants:

— Stan Urankar

GERARD BUTLER

On Leonidas: "What a fighter, what a leader. You're talking the most powerful group of warriors in the world, and he's the best of them all. There's no way to play him other than bigger and louder than the rest."

On the body: "Talk about brutal. Our trainer, Mark Twight, was a madman, and not with fancy machines, either, but medicine balls, Indian clubs, lifting and throwing. It paid off with a look that I'd like to think did justice to Leonidas, but it was murderous getting there."

On the voice: "I'm not shy, that's for sure, but you see that Leonidas isn't given to vocal subtleties. So, I know I've got plenty of shouting coming up when I go to a football match the day before shooting starts. My mates are screaming at the top of their lungs, while I'm trying to hold back, like with a bit of 'Well done, lads!' The boys gave it to me good."

RODRIGO SANTORO

On Xerxes: "He was a respected general, no question, but his greater strength is as a kind of almighty presence — almost a god before his army. He was clearly a man to be feared, as much by those who failed him as the enemy."

On the body: "I agreed with Zack that Xerxes couldn't simply be big. This man, this being, had to be huge, impressive, towering, yet with the smooth, sleek look of invincibility. All it took was being sure my body was shorn of hair through every day of shooting."

On the voice: "There's a bit of work done to it for the echoing effect, but the timbre and resonance is mine. Remember that Leonidas was bold and powerful, but Xerxes was a cold, menacing, calculating giant. Getting that ominous voice together with the hairless body worked very well for me. It combined to put me in a very powerful place."




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