Laurence Fishburne laughs off being mistaken for this fellow star
“Years ago, I was doing an interview in New York City. A woman interrupted and said, ‘I’m so sorry to bother you, but I’m a big fan, Samuel L. Jackson.’ ”
The only problem? She was face-to-face with another one of America’s most accomplished actors.
The good news is Laurence Fishburne has a keen sense of humor.
“I took out a pen and wrote, ‘I wish you the best. Love, Sam Jackson,’ ” the 63-year-old chuckles. “Sam and I have a running joke about it. People mistake us for each other all the time.
“I’ll get, ‘What was it like to star in “Pulp Fiction”?’ Sam gets, ‘Did you like playing Ike Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It”?’ ”
“I’m not complaining,” Fishburne continues. “It’s one of those good problems to have.”
Mixed-up fans aside, Fishburne has portrayed a string of memorable roles in work including “Apocalypse Now,” “The Matrix,” “Black-ish” and the “John Wick” franchise.
In his latest film “The Amateur,” out this weekend, Fishburne stars opposite Rami Malek. The spy thriller revolves around an unassuming CIA cryptographer (Malek) who persuades the agency to send him overseas to target the terrorists who killed his wife. Fishburne plays an elder CIA operative and mentor.
The film also stars Rachel Brosnahan, Caitriona Balfe and Julianne Nicholson.
Why choose this or any project? “My intuition is my guide,” Fishburne says. “It has always been that way, and it has worked out to my advantage.”
The Los Angeles-based actor shares his good life advice:
Two key factors
“There are a few keys to aging, in my opinion,” he says. “Stay hungry and stay curious. I also like to think that everything I do in life prepares me for the next step. There is no wasted time. You’re always learning for tomorrow.” One more tip: “Someone told me, ‘You can be happy or you can be sad and angry; both take the same amount of effort.’ ”
Two-wheel freedom
When he wants to relax, Fishburne rolls out his motorcycle. “I like bike riding big distances on my BMW,” he says. “On a motorcycle, you can really think about things. Plus, there is this incredible freedom from stress, worry and sweating the small stuff in life.”
Movie magic
Fishburne got a kick out of filming “The Amateur” in different key locations. “It goes back to Hitchcock’s early days of filming in London as a hub,” he says. “Paris is another great cinematic city. I also love the use of Virginia in the United States and Langley Air Force Base. … It takes place all over the world and takes you to places that you haven’t been before, which is part of the magic of movies.”
‘More please!’
Fishburne and Malek had a head start on forming their on-screen rapport. “It was pretty natural. Rami and I met seven years ago at a party. We instantly liked each other and admired each other as actors,” he shares. “It was pretty clear we wanted to work together. … When I read this script, I was like, ‘Yes! More, please!’ Actually, being in London working together, our friendship got deeper and richer. So, ‘More, please!’ of working with friends. Friends are treasures.”
Precocious start
A bit of a fib is what jump-started Fishburne’s career. “I told them I was 16 when I had my interview for ‘Apocalypse Now.’ I was 14,” he recalls. “I don’t think I was fooling anybody. … What happened was I was sitting there talking to a producer who remembered me from something I did when I was really young. A secretary walked through the room and the producer said, ‘Excuse me, do you think this kid could pass for 18? Could he play 18?’ She shrugged her shoulders and said, ‘Yeah, I guess so.’ That’s how I got the role. Imagine how different my life would have been if she said, ‘Nah.’ ”
Wait your turn
“My friends made it big when I was still struggling. I couldn’t just say, ‘These guys suck,’ ” the actor says. “They were just doing their thing, which is great. I just didn’t get to be included. It humbled me and made me a better human being to have to wait for it.”
Redefine serious
“I’m often called a serious actor,” Fishburne says, “but the key here is I take what I do seriously — I’m not always a serious person in life.” How is he a funny guy? “People actually do think my name is Morpheus,” he shares. “They will yell out, ‘Morpheus will you …’ I’ll will finish it by saying, ‘Remind you that Morpheus is not my real name?’ ”
Imitating life
“I love playing an ordinary human being who is dropped into extraordinary experiences,” Fishburne says. “Seemingly ordinary people must rise to the task every single day. That’s called life.”
Speak your mind
Fishburne loved his role in the TV series “Black-ish.” “What was really cool about it is now I’m in the grandpa chair,” he observes. “There’s a lot of stuff that I got to say that I couldn’t have said 25 years ago. It wouldn’t have been received in the same way. It’s nice to be old enough to say what’s on your mind.”
Remain open
“I love what I do. I continue to look for different thing to do by just staying open to many things,” Fishburne says. “I’ll ask: Will this nurture me … body, mind and spirit? If the answer is yes, then I’m excited.”
