July 2003 Bad Boys II : An Interview with Martin Lawrence

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Interviewed by Wilson Morales Bad Boys II: An Interview with Martin Lawrence It’s hard to maintain a certain status in Hollywood. Everyone has ups and downs in this game. You just have to be level-headed and be strong to survive this business. Sequels have a way of bringing back the glory to actors who are going through a dry spell. After Bad Boys became the highest grossing film for Sony Pictures in 1995 with $65M, Martin Lawrence was on a big roll. He had hits with Life, Blue Streak, and Big Momma’s House. He joined the $20M, and life hasn’t been the same. It’s no secret that he went through personal issues and it may have affected his film status. His last four films, which include Black Knight and National Security, haven’t been winners at the box office. But if Arnold Schwarzenegger can make a financial comeback each time he appears as the Terminator, why can’t Martin do the same. Teaming up with Will Smith once again, Martin Lawrence reprises his role as Marcus Burnett in Bad Boys II. In an interview with blackfilm.com, Martin talks briefly about what gets him going. WM: Can you talk about finding your center in life? ML: I know you think I’m crazy. I go into a different room and I actually felt like it takes me to a better place positive instead of negative. When we got the script Bad Boys II and my character takes time out to meditate I loved it. I said that’s perfect because I could feel that. You’re always trying to get to a better place. Come on just driving in traffic instead of cussin’ somebody out. It takes work and be able to come to a place and try to calm yourself. It’s the every day struggle but it’s a must because it’s healthier. If somebody pisses me off and I understand it ain’t personal then I’ll go to another place and I’ll meditate. WM: Do you think folks will find the violence in the film too excessive? ML: I don’t know why they would react like that. It’s an illusion. What makes kids see a movie and drive fast? As time goes on the only thing we could do is try to help that and I think it starts with the parents. You know your child is gonna see a movie and it may have those things then maybe you need to go with him to see how they react and then you could address why did they think it was funny. There are so many faces to comedy. Sometimes people are not laughing out of the fact that when there’s something really funny; they’re laughing out of pain. Our psyche in this world is all f**ked. We giggle at things that are the hardest things to embrace but it’s because we are so crazy so to speak. You’re seeing a world, a society of people looking through their eyes and finding crutches to deal with a lot of the pains and heartaches. WM: In the film, your character goes through the motion of having swallowed some ecstasy pills. Do you do any research on its effects? ML: I watched a tape where some people were doing X and a father that couldn’t get off of it and was hanging with his children. It was real sad to me to see that. I didn’t wanna not do some research and not be accurate. I noticed the sweating and thirst, all of those things so we tried to figure out a way of making it humorous (like when I drink the water out of the flower vase) but at the same time understand that it has its effects. WM: Have we seen the best of Martin Lawrence? ML: Nobody’s ever challenged me and tapped into what I can do. I ain’t played a villain which I believe I can do and do real well. There hasn’t been any director who has been able to challenge me to go there. At this point in my life I’ve done a lot of things from stand-up to my own television show for five years to successful comedy shows, and concert films. There’s just a matter of getting better and up the game. That’s what’s exciting to me. I feel like I’m just scratching the surface and really understand the game and the talents I’m fortunate enough to be blessed with. I don’t really feel like you’ve seen the best of me. I will ride this mother f**cker till the wheels fall off!