Excl. Interview: Action Star, Producer Gianni Capaldi Talks ‘Ambushed’ (Blu-ray/DVD Nov. 12)

Actor and Producer Gianni Capaldi has been very busy. The Scottish is featured in three action movies with heavyweights like Dolph Lundgren and Vinnie Jones: ‘Ambushed’ (also known as ‘Hard Rush’), ‘Blood of Redemption’ and ‘A Certain Justice’. In an exclusive interview with Desde Hollywood, Capaldi talks about the demands of such a physical genre, working with the mentioned action icons and Michael Clarke Duncan, and what he would like to see next in The Expendables franchise.

How did you get involved in action films?

I come from an entertainment background. Peter Capaldi is actually Doctor Who in the UK. I have always been very creative and I used to fight as a kid so action seemed as a good genre to get into. I also love drama and Shakespeare, don’t get me wrong. But action is the most popular movie genre.

Do you feel that your peers in the UK respect your craft as much as if you were doing more dramatic projects?

Well, it is much more physical. In ‘Blood of Redemption’ I broke someone’s love in three places. But you still need to prepare your character. When Daniel Day-Lewis did The Boxer he had to work on his character’s background and what made it tick. People may say “You are carrying a gun. Big deal!” but, even if it isn’t ‘Macbeth’, it is a very demanding genre to be in.

Do you think that there are more opportunities in the international market than in the U.S. for these kind of movies?

I think the U.S. is the biggest market in the world for film and everybody is looking at it. The big studios make these studies, they know what people want and set these trends like the superhero movies. I think that if you adjust yourself to the U.S. market it will translate better to the rest of the world.

What can action fans expect from ‘Ambushed’?

The movie is about myself and another guy named, Daniel. We are trying to climb the ladder in LA, and we end up selling drugs for Vinnie. There is a crooked cop, Randy Couture, and a FBI agent played by Dolph. It is a gritty action movie. Like ‘Blow’ meets ‘Snatch’ in LA. My character is a bad guy, but so charismatic that I think you will love him.

How did this collaboration with Dolph Lundgren and Vinnie Jones started?

Vinny and I worked on a film together for Sony called The Cross, a few years ago. It was a good experience and we had good people. I had the chance to meet Michael Clark Duncan there. Vinnie and I became friends and we did Ambushed last December. The opportunity to do three films back to back is great because we know what the other needs. You are more in sync like a well oiled machine and the scenes go faster. After three films I have a great relationship with Dolph, lovely guy. I can’t say enough beautiful things about Randy Couture. The more you work with people the more you develop trust as an actor.

What was the most memorable moment shooting Ambushed?

There is a scene where three men get in a bar to get me and I run out the back door, jump over a fence -what I did on my own-, I fight one of them and then I have a fight with Vinnie. If you want to see a guy beat out someone as fiercely as Vinnie did to me that night, you have to watch that scene. After six takes of me falling onto the concrete I ended up covered in bruises. But if you want to make things look real those are the risks you have to take.

How do you remember Michael Clark Duncan?

To me the Christian faith comes first in life and Michael was the same. We prayed together before a scene. That’s how I remember him and it is a beautiful memory to have.

Action fans are waiting for Expendables 3. What would you like to see in a number 4?

Well, I would love to be in one of these Expendable movies, obviously. You will have to email Mr. Stallone and ask him to get me in. No. I think they need some female power. There were talks about an ‘Expendabelles’ but that didn’t happened. They should get someone like Gina Carano, or even a non-action actress like Jessica Biel. That would be fantastic.

-‘Ambushed’ is available on Blu-ray/DVD Nov. 12.