Patrick Stoner: Forgive me. I have to start with the obvious: how has the Oscar [for Best Actor] affected you?
Nicolas Cage: It was just great. I never took the part [in LEAVING LAS VEGAS] with that in mind. Well, YOU know that. We've talked about my career choices for years. I've always been a bit quirky in my choices. It was gratifying to have one of those "bizarre" choices pay off so completely. In fact, I wanted to do a thriller [like THE ROCK] before I ever dreamed I would win that award.
Stoner: Well, how did your acting style mesh with Connery's? I know how you like to delve into the inner workings of your characters. He's your classic pro who comes in and gets the job done. Any problems working together?
Cage: Not at all, and I'll tell you why: we both love music and we both think of acting in a musical sense. . .
Stoner: What? The dialogue as music?
Cage: As music, yes. We both hear the rhythm and the music of the lines and we play them just like we're playing an instrument. That made it easy to work with him. Well, you can hear that in his movies, can't you? Think about some of his roles--that voice, almost singing the lines. Once we found out how we shared this feeling, everything else just fell into place.
Patrick Stoner: I was just talking with Nic [Cage]. He told me a fascinating thing--at least it's fascinating to this old acting major. He said you both think of your dialogue as music. Is that true?
Sean Connery: We do. Yes. Well, it is, isn't it? Every line has its own natural rhythm. The trick is--the effort is--to find it. Nic is very good at that. He has a great ear, and that makes him a good partner in acting.
Stoner: In all of the times we've talked, I've never known this about you. Forgive me, but we're very interested in craft at public broadcasting. How does this work--exactly?
Connery: Well, take a line with five words in it. Think of them like they're five notes on the piano. Now, you can play those words in any number of ways--with different emphasis, different tempo, and the pauses. . .
Stoner: . . . the pauses are as important as the words?
Connery: Or MORE important sometimes. Those five words can be read "Dum de dum...de DUM" or "Dum de DUM. . . dum. . . . . dum." What's the best way? What conjures the best image in your mind? What reveals what's going on in the actor's mind? You can change the meaning with a slight twist on a word, or even on a silence. Sometimes, a look is the word. But it all flows like music, and when it works it's beautiful to hear.