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Guy Pearce New Kind of G-Man in 'Traitor'
Guy Pearce PhotosNEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Actor Guy Pearce, director Jeffrey Nachmanoff and actor Don Cheadle attend the after party for "Traitor" presented by Overture Films on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Guy Pearce;Jeffrey Nachmanoff;Don Cheadle Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Actor Guy Pearce, director Jeffrey Nachmanoff and actor Don Cheadle attend the after party for "Traitor" presented by Overture Films on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Guy Pearce;Jeffrey Nachmanoff;Don Cheadle Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, actor Don Cheadle and actor Guy Pearce attend the premiere of "Traitor" presented by Overture Films at the Regal Union Square Stadium on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Jeffrey Nachmanoff;Don Cheadle;Guy Pearce Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: (L-R) Actor Guy Pearce, director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, actress Mozhan Marno and actor Said Taghmaoui attend the premiere of "Traitor" presented by Overture Films at the Regal Union Square Stadium on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Guy Pearce;Jeffrey Nachmanoff;Mozhan Marno;Said Taghmaoui Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: (L-R) Actor Guy Pearce, director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, actress Mozhan Marno and actor Said Taghmaoui attend the premiere of "Traitor" presented by Overture Films at the Regal Union Square Stadium on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Guy Pearce;Jeffrey Nachmanoff;Mozhan Marno;Said Taghmaoui Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Actor Guy Pearce attends the premiere of "Traitor" presented by Overture Films at the Regal Union Square Stadium on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Guy Pearce Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Actors Guy Pearce and Don Cheadle attend the premiere of "Traitor" presented by Overture Films at the Regal Union Square Stadium on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Guy Pearce;Don Cheadle Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: (L-R) Actors Said Taghmaoui, Mozhan Marno, director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, actor Guy Pearce and actor Don Cheadle attend the premiere of "Traitor" presented by Overture Films at the Regal Union Square Stadium on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Said Taghmaoui;Mozhan Marno;Jeffrey Nachmanoff;Guy Pearce;Don Cheadle Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: (L-R) Actors Said Taghmaoui, Mozhan Marno, director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, actor Guy Pearce and actor Don Cheadle attend the premiere of "Traitor" presented by Overture Films at the Regal Union Square Stadium on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Said Taghmaoui;Mozhan Marno;Jeffrey Nachmanoff;Guy Pearce;Don Cheadle Getty Images for Overture Films NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, actor Don Cheadle and actor Guy Pearce attend the premiere of "Traitor" presented by Overture Films at the Regal Union Square Stadium on August 21, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Overture Films) *** Local Caption *** Jeffrey Nachmanoff;Don Cheadle;Guy Pearce Getty Images for Overture Films |
By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith
With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster
Aussie film star Guy Pearce is looking forward to a breather. His dance card has been full of diverse projects on several continents -- from playing Harry Houdini in the recent "Death-Defying Acts" to filming Adam Sandler's Christmas release comedy, "Bedtime Stories," to taking on the role of an FBI agent in the Wednesday (8/27) release, "Traitor."
"It's been a nice variety. I'm looking forward to being at home. I'm building a studio," says the actor, who rose to fame with films including "Memento," "L.A. Confidential," and "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." "It's a music studio, so I can go think I'm a rock star," he adds with a laugh. "With all the construction going on, it would be nice to give my wife a break."
On the other hand, "I'll probably spend the next 12 months doing promotion around the world."
Not that he objects. Pearce is proud of the "Traitor" feature that has Don Cheadle as a Sudanese-American Muslim and former U.S. Army Special Forces man who becomes part of an Islamist terror cell. The story was hatched by Steve Martin, who also produces.
"Don Cheadle's character is struggling to find his identity based on his religion, and on his tail is someone who is more prepared to understand him than other people," Pearce says, referring to his G-man character, who is tough but empathetic, a religious studies degree-holder and astute when it comes to the ways of Islam.
"I didn't just want to be the FBI guy in the corner with a gun, and they weren't interested in that either, which was evident in the script," he notes. "An action movie can become a good powerful psychological thriller if people are invested in the characters."
Get More Hollywood Exclusive: Don Cheadle dispels Muslim stereotypes in the indie flick 'Traitor.'
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