Vinnie has become a versatile actor whos straight faced humor has won him plenty of accolades. From his debut film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels he was able to show that he wasn't just your typical jock wanting to act but indeed a natural actor. In 1999 he retired from a very successful career in Football (soccer for us yanks) to continue his newly found passion, acting.
So while the mainstream movie audience may not yet know who Vinnie is, there is no doubt that after this summer his name and face will be everywhere.
His first film this year is She's The Man starring Amanda Bynes in which he plays a soccer coach. Not a far stretch from when he played Mad Manyard, the soccer hooligan in Eurotrip.
She's The Man is a modernization of the original "Twelfth Night, or What You Will" by William Shakespeare. That's right, a modern interpretation of good ole Shakespeare but of course made in a way that kids of today will want to go and see.
Unless you've been living under a rock you already know that Vinnie is Juggernaut in the third installment of the X-Men franchise. As he puts it, "when it gets tough, Magneto sends Juggie in."
So before all you mutant fans see Vinnie as Juggernaut in X-Men: The Last Stand make sure you see him as Coach Dinklage in She's The Man.
We sat down with Vinnie Jones for an exclusive one on one interview to talk about all things Vinnie Jones this past Monday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Q: How do you go from a character like Big Chris in Two Stocks to the character Coach Dinklage in She's the Man?
VJ: Hmm... well you just apply yourself you know, it's a different sort of movie, and it's a different role. Hmm you know and I have to be more serious in this I think to start with, the way the audience reacts I think we achieve that with my character.
Q: Were you a fan of Amanda's work before you did this film?
VJ: Well my daughter watches that show so I was very aware of whom she was. Then my mate was training her, Ian Carrington was training her six weeks prior to [filming] on the all technical stuff with soccer. He was saying how cool of kid she was, how she's level headed.
Q: So obviously you are still a soccer fan.
VJ: but of course [laughing].
Q: How early on were you approached to do this movie?
VJ: I think once they got Amanda tied in, then Andy wanted me to play that part. He had seen some of stuff and said, "look you know, he's the obvious choice. I like his humor, I like his acting and he knows all about soccer."
Q: Working in America compared to working in the U.K. acting wise how different is it for you, is it pretty much the same or is there a different approach to it?
VJ: Hmm.it's very much, first of all the government is strangling the acting in England because they are not giving in tax breaks to people to finance the movie, and they're strangling it. They don't have the big budgets they have here, this is the mommy and daddy of movie making, England and places like that are still pupils you know.
Q: You have been acting for a little while, are we going to see you producing, directing?
VJ: Not yet, I just love the acting, that's what I am sticking to for the moment.
Q: How long have you been acting?
VJ: I think Lock Stock came out in 1999, so about seven years. So I have done 28 movies in seven years (laughing).
Q: With such a busy schedule do you ever have time for your family?
VJ: Yeah, well my wife is out here. My daughter and son come out, they are currently in school but they come out wherever we are on location. So yeah it works well.
Q: Being a parent, is it easier for you to pick a movie like this that is very family friendly or do you not really think about it that way?
VJ: An executive at one of the big studios said, "you know what, I see you in family movies." Because I do sort of get you to laugh at my characters in a straight faced way.
Q: You have a couple of other projects that are currently in production. Filthy War and.
VJ: That never happened.
Q: So Filthy War is not happening at all?
VJ: Well it'll happen but not for a while.
Q: You just recently finished some re-shoots for the X-Men: The Last Stand
VJ: I am doing some Sunday as well.
Q: Wow. shooting it locally?
VJ: London
Q: Going to London to shoot that? Is Brett going to be there or is it second unit stuff.
VJ: Yeah Brett
Q: How do you transition working on She's the Man to Juggernaut on X-Men: The Last Stand, Juggie is probably one of the most loved villains in the comic book world. How do you transition? Do you read the comic books? How do you get mentally prepared?
VJ: Yeah, you do all that, you do your studying and then when I was putting the gear on I was turning into Juggie, you know plain and simple. You know it was like when I played soccer I didn't train that hard. Well I mean I trained physically hard but I never use to make big tackles or that [during training]. But when I crossed that line, you know ready for that big kick off, I just changed.
Q: X-Men, you were originally brought on when Matthew Vaughn was still involved as the director, did it have much impact on you when he left and Brett came aboard?
VJ: No since I was doing She's the Man in Canada and Brett Ratner was coming up and Lauren Shuler Donner said we got the new director and he wants to meet you, he loves you. I met with Brett for five minutes, he said I love your stuff and it's going to be great working with you. A lot of the actors that were on with Matthew didn't make it, so I was pretty lucky then.
Q: The script overall remain the same. A lot of the concepts that Matthew had brought on to script stayed on through Brett's vision as well, is what I am told.
VJ: Yeah that's right.
Q: How was it working with Sir Ian McKellan?
VJ: It was great; most of my scenes are with Sir Ian.
Q: Can you tell us how your character develops, this is obviously the first time we see you in the X-Men franchise.
VJ: He breaks me out and says were going to war with the X-Men do you wanna come and I'm like yeah, I got nothing else to do today, lets do it. I become like his main gladiator, he has everyone, and he has Pyro and everybody doing their stuff. But Magneto knows when it gets really tough he sends Juggie in.
Q: Were your children fans of the X-Men franchise?
VJ: The boy is, yeah for sure.
Q: So when they found out that daddy is going to be Juggernaut, what was the first reaction from your family, kids?
VJ: It was good because they knew they are going to be eating and that I will be able to buy some groceries for a few months that is always the first joy.
Q: Knowing that you are going to have an action figure, would you have believed it ten years ago.
VJ: No never.it's a fairy tale; it's all a fairy tale.
She's The Man Opens on March 17th
www.shestheman-themovie.com
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