Clive Owen: Not Just Another Actor from Hollywood

A  great many movie stars have converged here at 2009 Shanghai International Film Festival, and one of them is the Golden Globe Award winner for Best Supporting Actor, Clive Owen. In his recent appearance with the media, he shed some light on the rumor that he had turned down the role of James Bond and expressed a strong desire to work again with directors Kar Wai Wong and John Woo.
      
Rumors had been swirling for some time that Clive Owen turned down the opportunity to take on lead role in the latest James Bond movie. When asked about this sensitive topic, Owen quickly shot down the rumor. “It\'s long been speculated that I would be in the 007 movie, but it was only media hype. As a matter of fact, nobody has ever come to me for a serious talk about the role.”Some still won\'t believe the denials, but when asked whether or not he regretted the lost opportunity to play Bond, Owen was very clear. “I have never regretted it, because I took on some other great roles during that period of time.”
   
Clive Owen\'s BMW advertisements, in which he cooperated with internationally recognized directors such as Kar wai Wong and John Woo, have been a big hit. Ever since then, Owen has been looking for a chance to work with those Chinese directors again. “Those commercial advertisements were small movies, each one lasting just eight to ten minutes. However, I was impressed deeply by the unbelievable talent that Kar wai Wong and John Woo showed, so I hope to work together with them once again.”

Apart from talking about some Chinese film makers, Owen also revealed his recent working situation. He said there would be two movies for him this year (one of which was making its international premiere later that evening).

As an English actor, he made a successful leap over to Hollywood, but he did not think that only Hollywood could make successful actors. “Although I am in Hollywood, I still live in London as a London actor. It is only the investors and the film studios that are from the USA. We do not have many local movies in Britain. But nowadays the film industry is so globalized. It is not about just one country\'s movie industry. Investors and actors cooperate with each other on a global stage. So I am an international actor, making cosmopolitan movies.”