Actor Peter Wellers many screen credits include the 1984 cult classic The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension! and David Cronenbergs 1991 adaptation of William Burroughs Naked Lunch. He has also directed a host of TV show, including Hawaii Five-0, The Last Ship, and FXs Sons of Anarchy, on which he played the role of ex-cop Charles Barosky. But 30 years after the release of director Paul Verhoevens ground-breaking science fiction extravaganza RoboCop, Weller remains best known for portraying the films titular character Alex Murphy, a Detroit cop who is murdered and then resurrected as a heavily-armed, and armored, cyborg. How did Weller land role? In a rare interview about the film, Weller explains just that.
My agent, Rick Nicita, said, This guy, Paul Verhoeven, hes making a robot movie,' recalls the actor. I said, Ive seen everyone one of Paul Verhoevens movies. Soldier of Orange. Spetters. The Fourth Man. I think hes one of the most insightful, gifted filmmakers. I said, Its going to be more than about robots. Rick laughed and said, Well, I dont know. Im reading it, and it looks like a robot movie.
I went to meet Paul and the first thing I said was, This is going to be an operatic film with a small story in front of it, thats how you make all your films. He said, How do you know that? I said, Because Ive seen all your films. We started talking about this theme of making tiny personal stories with the backdrop of, like, the Russian revolution going on, not unlike Chekhov.
So, he wanted to meet me again, and then he wanted me to audition. Now, I dont audition. Im half-dyslexic, Im a very slow reader, I do not audition well, I do not make sense out of words on a page. Ive kind of conned my way into a career without auditioning. I think Ive auditioned four times in my life. I bullsted my way into a career and I certainly bullsted my way into doing RoboCop. They flew me out to audition. I said, Listen, guys, Im not going to audition. Finally, in the room, Paul said, Well, do you know any mime at all? Would you move through this room? I had not met Moni Yakim, who designed the movement for RoboCop, but I did know dance, and I did move for Paul, and he said, Okay.
The next thing I know, Im waiting for this offer, and Rick Nicita says, Hey, by the way, [legendary Italian producer] Dino De Laurentiis wants you to do a reboot of King Kong [1986s King Kong Lives]. Do we want to hold out for this offer for RoboCop? Or do we want to talk to Dino? I said, What do you recommend? He said, I recommend that we go talk to Dino, because youre going to get an offer for, like, seven figures to do this King Kong movie. I said, Well, weve got nothing to lose by meeting Dino, but, meanwhile, Im hoping that this robot movie happens.
As I walk in the door with Dino, the first thing out of his mouth was hysterical. Rick said, This is Peter Weller. Dino says, [adopts Italian accent] Peter Weller, Peter Weller. How much money you want not to do this fing robot movie? Wow. That was Dino. No beating around the bush. He didnt have time for it. But, the fing robot movie astounding! All of a sudden, youre a younger actor, and youve never made that kind of loot before, and you start thinking about Ferraris, and all kinds of other jazz. [But] about two hours after meeting with Dino, the offer came in for RoboCop, so I went there.
The decision would prove extremely wise. A box office hit, the films mix of action, special effects, satire, tragedy, and a string of unforgettable performances from its cast which also included Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith, and the late Miguel Ferrer would over time elevate it to the status of a bona fide classic. To celebrate the films 30th anniversary, Birth.Movies.Death., SYFY, and the Alamo Drafthouse theater chain have combined to present a special screening of RoboCop at City Hall in Dallas the exterior of which doubled as the headquarters of the films sinister Omni Consumer Products (OCP) corporation on Sept. 10. Weller himself will be present at the screening to take part in a Q&A which will be live-streamed to Alamo Drafthouse theaters around the country.
Im done talking about RoboCop, really, says Weller. Basically, I vowed not to talk about it again Ive said everything I want to say. But this is special because (a) its the 30th anniversary, and (b) theyre having it in the city where it was shot, and (c) I grew up in that state and around that city. Many of my dear friends are still in Dallas. So, its an homage to the city.
