One of the reasons I’ve been thinking about him is that about 15 or so years ago, I was really low, and I was in a bookstore, and I saw that David Lynch had this book, “Catching the Big Fish,” about creativity. In it he says that one of the benefits of meditation is that it helps you become more you. Then I started meditating. That one sentence in one book by David Lynch changed my life. Have you ever had an experience like that? Where from afar someone changed your life? The prophecy. Changed my life completely. Going back to Matthew, it must have been a seed planted. But I wasn’t ready for it, or I didn’t understand it. I was 20 then; I’m 70 now. I’m on that 50-year journey to understanding.
Did an artist ever change your life? Yes. My English teacher, Bob Stone, who was in “Othello” with Paul Robeson. He wrote a recommendation letter for me for the American Conservatory Theater, which I still have. He basically said to them, “If you don’t have the ability to give this young talent what he needs, then don’t accept him.” I was like, “Wow, reverse psychology.” But he was, artistically, especially early on, the most important person, because he had been there. He understood the game.
This is a base question, but did you find that you cared about not getting an Oscar nomination for “Gladiator II”? I was sitting there smiling, going: Look at you. On the day you didn’t get a nomination for an Oscar, you’re working on “Othello” on Broadway. Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I’m so upset. Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that’s exciting.
Is there anything you want people to take away from this interview? Believe in something greater than yourself. Believe. Look at the world. What does it give you every day? Fires. Death. Murder. Politics. Dictators. Division. Look at the world we’ve created for ourselves. That’s all I’m going to say.
This interview has been edited and condensed from two conversations. Listen to and follow “The Interview” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music or the New York Times Audio app.
Director of photography (video): Aaron Katter