BETWEEN TAKES

GUY PEARCE THE STAR OF A SPY AMONG FRIENDS ON ROUTINE AND MEMENTOS

- MATT MAYTUM

What’s the first thing you do when you arrive on set?

If we’re talking about literally arriving at work, prior to being on set, per se, it’s getting the costume. One of the things I make very clear to all the PAs, etc, that are running around, telling us all what to do, is: I don’t need anyone to tell me what to do. There’s always somebody who says, “Make-up are ready for you now.” And I say, “I know, because I’ve done this for 35 years.”

How do you prepare for a shoot?

I have to draw up a sort of a whiteboard for myself, because I need to know when I need to learn what lines. [Shows Teasers an example from his array of folders.] I have to mark up for myself when I have scenes that require lots of dialogue, just so I know when I need to learn them. I’m a bit dyslexic, so I need things mapped out.

Besides the big folders, what else do you always take to set?