Under Fire

EW Did you have any regrets about that interview when you heard later about Heston's Alzheimer's symptoms?
MOORE He doesn't have Alzheimer's. He says he has Alzheimer's-like symptoms. He's not resigning as head of the NRA. He's going to go out and campaign for Republican candidates this fall. He's in preproduction on his next movie. I hope he doesn't have it and I don't want him to get it, but he was sharp as a tack during the interview.

EW How'd you get that interview?
MOORE I had been trying for two years. I'd gone to his agent. I'd gone through the NRA. I'd shown up at places where he was and couldn't get in. I had given up on trying to get him. So we're in L.A. and the crew sees a star-maps sign and says, ''Let's find Heston's house!'' And I said, nah. And the whole van starts chanting ''We want a star map! We want a star map!'' So just to shut them up I say okay. And I'm thinking, No way, right? And then, out of this little box [in front of his house] comes the voice of Moses: ''Helloo!'' I'm like, Holy s---!

EW Are you still an NRA member?
MOORE Yes. But the Illinois branch petitioned the national to have my membership revoked.

EW But the NRA is dedicated to defending the right to own exactly the kind of handguns you want banned!
MOORE I was a member when I was a kid in [the Boy] Scouts. I was not a member as an adult until Columbine. And after Columbine I said: ''The NRA has 4 million members. I know for a fact that there are 5 million Americans who agree with me on this issue, so can I get 5 million Americans to join the basic membership and run for president against Charlton Heston and then dismantle the organization?'' After a couple of months I thought it would be too much work, but I had already gone ahead and bought a $750 lifetime membership.

EW Some people will savor the irony of you giving $750 to the NRA.
MOORE Oooogh. That was really painful. What can I say? Guerrilla tactics sometimes are expensive.

EW At the Toronto film festival you said that Regal Entertainment Group [which controls approximately 5,700 movie screens in North America] wasn't going to exhibit the movie in any of its theaters. What's the status?
MOORE I've been told it has since been resolved. But as Reagan used to say, and this applies to all things: ''Trust, but verify.''