EW Well, how far can you go right now because of 9/11?
RW You can start off talking about the idea of 72 virgins. There was an article in the New York Times about how the actual translation isn't 72 virgins, but 72 clear, crystal raisins -- which must be pretty rough if you go to the gates of heaven going ''Where are my bee-atches?'' And they hand you a bowl of grapes. For three months the topic was a no-fly zone. Now how far you push it depends on how brave you feel and if the audience is going with you.
EW How did you get into the head of a guy like Sy in ''One Hour Photo''?
RW There's a lot of videotape on disturbed people. Just to get a tone, you know? The rest is just extrapolation of your own neuroses and insecurities. When you look at a videotape of Dahmer...
EW You looked at videotape of Jeffrey Dahmer?
RW Oh yeah, there's great stuff.
EW You just pop it into the VCR in your living room?
RW Well, not with the kids around. ''Kids, sit down. Watch this guy. He's kind of funny!'' And there's a book out there that's basically a study of psychosis and different psychological syndromes.
EW How do you shake it at the end of the day?
RW You just have to. You can't take stuff like that home. I shook it after the take. I'd start f---ing around again with the crew. Just blowing off steam. Especially at the end where you're getting into the incest s---. And you've got a knife and two naked people and you're threatening to cut off someone's b---s and stuff 'em up his a--. ''Okay, lunch, everybody!''
EW You mentioned that you tapped into your own neuroses and insecurities. What are we talking about here?
RW Well, I was an only child. There was no abuse or anything, but there was loneliness. I mean, I have a very happy life. But have I had a very lonely life at times? Yes.
EW So you're a clown crying on the inside?
RW God, no!
EW Is it hard trying to disappear in a character like this when you're so well-known off screen?
RW Well, it's easier now. Maybe because the ''big star'' thing has been there so long that you can finally get rid of it. For me, my career has been like a bungee jump -- it's been up and down and all over the place. That's what was so great about premiering [''One Hour Photo''] at Sundance. People came up and said, ''After 15 minutes I forgot it was you.'' I was like, ''F---in' A!''
EW Did winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for ''Good Will Hunting'' free you up to take more chances?
RW Nah, that's just one of the perks. It's a moment that had a half-life of about six months. The first day people were like, ''Hey, congratulations!'' A month later it was ''Didn't you...?'' And six months later people were calling me Mork again.
EW Were you surprised that ''Smoochy'' flopped?
RW I think it's hysterical. But it was a hard sell. But it didn't bother me because I was on the road [doing stand-up], and I wasn't questioning ''Well, am I funny?'' It was a strange, nasty movie. It's one of those things where a handful of people come up and say [he slips into a creepy stalker voice], ''F---in' 'Smoochy' rocked, man! I've got no pants on!''
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