Gary Sinise is a man on a ‘Mission’

David Neil

Monday, March 13, 2000 | 10:08 a.m.

Walking into the room on an early Monday morning recently, Gary Sinise carried a rather loose demeanor, and his voice reflected a bit of passivity. Whether or not this was the norm for the everyday actor or whether he simply hadn't had his first sip of the morning coffee he held in his hand is uncertain. But he was the first to laugh and say, "If I had a personality that was marketable, I would have probably sold it by now."

Contrary to his off-screen personality, he is quite the opposite concerning his busy career. At the age of 18 the Chicago native helped found the Steppenwolf Theatre Company (along with Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry), in which he served as artistic director for seven years. Finally he crossed the bridge from stage to screen and made his directorial debut with "Miles from Home" (1988) before directing himself in the remake of the classic "Of Mice and Men" (1992).

But it wasn't until his Academy Award-nominated performance as Lt. Dan in the 1994 Oscar-winning film "Forrest Gump" that Sinise's name became recognizable to mainstream movie fans.

Since then he has made memorable turns in such movies as "Apollo 13," "Ransom" and his award-winning performances in the made-for-cable films "Truman" and "George Wallace." Now, on the heels of "Reindeer Games" in February and in rehearsal for this spring's stage presentation of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" at his beloved Steppenwolf Theatre, Sinise -- who appears tired and worn out -- works up enough enthusiasm to talk over his latest sci-fi feature, "Mission to Mars."

Question: Did you ever dream of being an astronaut, much less playing one in the movies?

Answer: (Smiles) No, I have to admit, not really. I got the opportunity in "Apollo 13" to play one, but I didn't get to go on the ship. In that movie I loved the character I portrayed and working with all of those associated with the film. But "Mission To Mars" was a different experience because I play the central character, I get to go on the ship, I get to save the day.

It was wonderful being the hero, especially after playing the bad guy in that other movie ("Reindeer Games").

Q: Did you get the chance to visit NASA before production began?

A: I did for "Apollo 13," but not for this. I finished "Reindeer Games" two weeks before I put the space suit on, so it was a pretty tight schedule. I didn't have much time to do a lot of research, but thankfully I had worked on "Apollo 13" and had spent a lot of time with astronauts. And we had phenomenal technical advisors with us on the set, like Story Musgrave, who was with us almost the whole time. He was very helpful.

Q: Speaking of veteran astronaut Story Musgrave, he sort of embodies the whole persona of being a space aviator, wouldn't you say?

A: (Nodding) He is just fantastic. Story is like my character Jim McConnell in that he is the kind of person who would do what Jim McConnell does ... given the circumstance. If he were presented with the opportunity that McConnell is in the movie ... he would definitely take that next step.

Q: Your co-star Tim Robbins had said that these astronauts possess a gleam in their eye like no other human being he has ever encountered, because they have seen for themselves our planet from afar. What sort of impact did these men and women have on you?

A: Spending time with these astronauts, you kind of get to know them a little bit and you observe that their emotions are kept in check quite often. They are very serious, but at the same time there is something really crazy about them, too. To be able to put themselves in harm's way like they do. I just want to know as much about their world as I can and there is nothing restricting about that. It's actually liberating to have that available to you, and not creating a false representation of what they actually do. Every role has particular challenges and I did the necessary research for my process.

Q: With such a heavy background in theater, I'd suspect you prefer movies that allow you to interact with actors versus the technologically-oriented films.

A: I prefer actually talking to a person in a scene rather than a piece of tape (laughs). Quite often, for example, we would have to do a close-up while we're in the space helmet and there is no room for the other actors to be there in the shot. So we'd listen to what they are saying over our earpieces inside the helmets and look at a piece of tape as if we were talking to them. You often do that kind of acting when working on a movie like this.

Q: Half of the movie you are in this heavy astronaut gear that had to be somewhat difficult to get in and out of every day during production.

A: Yeah ... we each had our little teams of people who would help us put on the helmets, the boots and all of the gear. We actually had these cool suits on underneath. You know it gets very hot in these suits because they're thick and underneath you wear what is kind of like long underwear with these tubes running all through it. Then they hook the tubes up to a pump that filters ice water through the suit so your whole body is kept cool underneath the suit. Now if you weren't kept cool, you'd start sweating or your faceplate in the helmet would steam up.

Q: How do you go from one cinematic or stage project to another, especially since you come from a very serious background and affiliation with the Chicago Steppenwolf Theatre Company?

A: To me every project is different. "Mission to Mars" is as far as you can get from "Reindeer Games." That was really nice to go from that kind of a character to a very noble character like Jim McConnell in "Mission to Mars," in a movie that I can take my kids to. There is nothing wrong with that. I mean, my kids have been asking me for years (laughs), "When can we see one of your movies?" And finally I think this is one I can take them to and they can enjoy. I'm going to do a play in a month, so there is another facet of what I do. I really don't want to do the same kind of things over and over. I'll do commercial films, cable movies, theater, whatever feels right to me.

Q: You appear to have kept both your life and career pretty balanced. Is that the case?

A: It's all an act (laughs). I think there is something to be said for taking the "slow road." You know, I didn't start acting in movies until I was 35 years old. I directed a movie before I acted in them. And in directing, you stay fairly anonymous unless you're Spielberg or you have a lot of success in that area. But I'm glad it has been a steady progression because I've built up a lot of experience in the theater, working with many actors, and that has all come into play.

It has been a slow, steady progression and thankfully it has gotten better over the years and I've had mostly good experiences. I mean, being nominated for an Oscar in "Forrest Gump" was good, but so was the first play I was in during high school (laughs). That was like a life- changing experience during an emotional time of discovery in my life. Keep that in perspective, appreciate your good fortune and remember those really wonderful moments along the way and that is part of a tapestry of things that hopefully add up.

Q: What was the play in high school?

A: (Smiles) "West Side Story." I was Pepe (laughs). Pepe, the Shark.

Q: This is the second picture you've done with director Brian De Palma, and you've done a few films with John Frankenheimer in the last couple of years, as well as a couple of Ron Howard pictures. Were those conscious decisions on your part to stick with those same directors?

A: Well it was good fortune in some ways because they are, after all, the directors who didn't have to cast me in those roles. It certainly wasn't up to me. They just came back to me and luckily they did.

Q: Do you plan on directing movies again?

A: (Pauses) Ah ... yeah. I don't have a specific project, but yes. I'm actually looking forward to the next time that I do, not that it will be in the near future. But having worked with all these really good directors since the last time I directed my own film, I'm going to steal a whole bunch of stuff (laughs).

Q: Last question, would you give up a great role to play a season with the Chicago Cubs?

A: (Smiles) Well, if the Cubs wanted me to play ... I mean, I may be a little nuts but I certainly wouldn't pass that up (laughs). Right now, my Cubs are rebuilding so I don't think my help would be necessarily a good thing.

David Neil, along with Jeff Howard, writes the Movie Guys column, which appears Fridays in the Sun.

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