He also has a part in Florian Henckel von Donnersmarcks upcoming thrillerThe Tourist(out Dec. 10th).
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What can you tell us about your character onChuck?
TIMOTHY DALTON: Youve got to forgive me, but Im going to be careful here.
I want there to be surprises!
Hes not a trained spy.
Hes not someone who goes out into the field.
Hes more of a bureaucrat as it were, but hes called a handler.
You could tell he might have wanted to be a spy, but he never made it.
He wasnt good enough.
He might have been a wannabe, though, or still is a wannabe.
I loved it when you played a villain inThe Rocketeer.
Might we see that side of you onChuck?
(Laughs) Oh, you are perceptive, arent you?
That was a good film, and I loved doing that part.
Well, anything is possible inChuck.
I had a great deal of fun making it.
I like the character, and I think youll like him too.
In how many episodes can we expect to see you?
Ill say a few at the moment.
Could you see yourself being a regular on a weekly series in the future?
You never say no, do you?
But I dont know.
I probably would find it difficult to do the same thing year in and year out.
Is shooting for television more strenuous than shooting for film?
On a major movie, youre doing, what, two hours in twelve weeks?
But, its highly adrenalizing.
Wed all like more time.
The directors would like to get more shots, more imaginative set-ups.
As actors, we would like to explore our characters more.
Its like you having to write for a deadline, I suppose.
Im guessing the stress of having to write for a deadline can be inspiring.
Sometimes, pressure is good.
What do you think is the connection?
The simple answer is I dont know.
If you grow up in Britain, you just do Shakespeare.
Its horrid to be called a Shakespearean actor because thats incredibly limiting, and we love acting.
We like telling stories, anything that excites us we want to be a part of.
Science fiction is fun too!
I thought it had something to do with certain archetypal characters.
People think of Shakespeare as highbrow, but he wrote for a popular audience… Of course he did.
But his plays were popular.
People went to see them.
Daniel Craig might turn out to be a two-time Bond, like yourself.
What are your thoughts on the state of the franchise?
I think I was starting what would have been my third Bond film in 89 or 90.
It had been written, we were talking directors, and then the lawsuit came.
I thought it was a fantastic opening.
The opening of your first Bond movie, The Living Daylights, is hard to beat.
How does it go?
Its where you are rappelling up a rock face….
Gibraltar, isnt it?
Oh, my God!
I think your films hold up so well because your Bond has a bit of a harder edge.
Hes a little bit tougher than what Bond had been before.
Now everybody loves that Daniel Craig is so brooding and haunted.
Do you find it funny how tastes change?
I agree with you.
But Connery was shocking.
And his movies were shocking.
But Connery did, and he was tough.
But Connery was very tough.
But, of course, its got to be funny.
It should be funny.
Out of great danger often comes great humor.
But when we madeThe Living DaylightsandLicence to Kill, everybody by then was so used to something else.
I think people like to stay with what theyre comfortable.
So I think Cubby and I were fairly lonely voices!
I dont think being serious and being comedic are separate from each other.
The biggest laughs come out of the most serious situations.
It is based on real heart and putting an innocent hero in very dangerous situations.
Image Credit: Disney/PixarHow was your experience voicing Mr. Pricklepants inToy Story 3?
Thats an enormous amount of time out of someones life.
Its a shockingly good film.
If anyone liked what I did, I truly give credit to them.
Then he sort of figured out the character.
Im just thrilled to have been in it.
And youre inThe Touristcoming up, right?
How did that come about?
Well, Donnersmarcks movieThe Lives of Otherswas just fantastic.
Im certainly not going to say what I wished that I had done.
But you deal with what youve got.
