Actor Napoleon, last seen in Sivakarthikeyan’s Seemaraja, has signed his second Hollywood independent film Christmas Coupon. The hero played by actor Aaron Noble is a famous ice hockey player and Napoleon essays Kumar, his agent, in the flick. The actor along with his costar Sheena Monnin, a former Miss Pennsylvania beauty pageant titleholder, was in Chennai to promote the film.
Napoleon, who has acted in more than 100 films and was also an MP, MLA and Union minister, talks to DC on his experiences working in Hollywood films and why he quit politics.
“My first English film is Devil’s Night, a horror thriller, where I portray the role of a museum curator. It is yet to hit the marquee. It has lots of CG and hence takes more time. In Christmas Coupon, I portray a key character and it is shot completely in Detroit, Michigan. Except Rajini sir who had acted in Hollywood movie Blood Stone, which was shot in Mysore, no one else had acted in a straight English film. I am proud that I could make it to Hollywood and I have also signed my third English film,” the leggy actor reveals.
So, how was it speaking the dialogues in American accent English, we ask. “Oh, it was tough initially. I am getting used to it now. Moreover, it was live recording and no question of correcting the diction during dubbing as the case in Tamil films (smiles). So, I do my rehearsals before shoot. Since the movie is on ice hockey, the entire film was shot on freezing cold weather.”
He asserts, “Like how I started as an 60-year-old villain with Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu when I was 27 and then did character roles and quickly transformed into a hero, I am confident I would do the protagonist role in an English film in 2021. Thanks to my friend and executive producer Tel K Ganesan who was instrumental in getting me on board”.
For some reasons, his political life has taken a backseat. “Yes, I am staying away from politics for the last five years despite people inviting me. I had moved to the US . My wife and I want to look after our elder son who has been affected with muscular dystrophy and we have the facilities he needs in the US to lead a life like other normal individuals.”
On his next in Tamil he says, “I have completed shooting for Karthi’s next in Bhagyaraj Kannan’s direction. I have four film offers, but accepting only one, as I cannot stay here full time. An official announcement will come soon.”
Sheena Monnin, on her part, said that she has watched clippings of Napoleon’s Tamil films and was very impressed. “He is a thorough professional and it was a great experience working with him in the film.”
