Kurt Russell talked to EW.com about the “Escape From New York” remake.
Highlights include him basically saying a foreigner should not play Plissken and claiming that he created the role of Snake. Which is hilarious, I love Snake Plissken as much as the next guy but come on it’s not like it’s a complex character. It’s really just a guy in an eye patch that talks tough. He gets props for using Goldie Hawn and Private Benjamin as an example though! Makes you stop and think did he really just compare Snake Plissken to Private Benjamin?
“Yeah, I think that’s what happens to people as they get older, they get territorial and proprietary about these things. However, I will say that when I was told who was going to play Snake Plissken, my initial reaction was ”Oh, man!” [Russell winces]. I do think that character was quintessentially one thing. And that is, American.”
“People come up to me and say, ”You played Snake Plissken.” I didn’t play Snake Plissken, I created him! Goldie [Hawn] and I were talking the other day about this, and I said, ”Man, this is weird, isn’t it?” And she said, ”When they were going to do a remake of Private Benjamin, I thought, ‘I didn’t play Private Benjamin, I created that role!”’ I did Wyatt Earp — there’s only been 50 of those. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll put my Wyatt Earp up against anybody’s. I’ll put my MacCready [his character in The Thing] up against anybody’s.”
Pssst we basically reposted the entire interview. Just don’t tell anybody!
