Joseph B. Mauceri Finds Out What it Takes To Be an Eight-Legged Freak in the Marvel Universe With Doc. Ock, Actor Alfred Molina

In SPIDER-MAN 2 Peter Parker's life becomes even more complicated when he is pitted against a powerful new nemesis, Dr. Otto Octavius (MOLINA) — “Doc Ock.” Peter is working on a college paper on Dr. Octavius, and his good friend, Harry Osbourne, introduces him. Peter and Otto become friends, but all that is shattered when Peter is on hand to witness Otto’s transformation into Doc. Ock. Once again he must deal with the dilemma of face a foe who was once a friend, played by actor Alfred Molina.

An accomplished and versatile actor with more than 50 film, television and theater productions to his credit, Alfred Molina, with the help of some special effect magic, brings Doc Ock to life in SPIDER-MAN 2. Molina recently starred as Diego Rivera in “Frida” opposite Salma Hayek, Edward Norton, Geoffrey Rush and Ashley Judd. Molina also appeared in the hit Columbia Pictures thriller “Identity” opposite John Cusack, Ray Liotta and Amanda Peet. Molina made his movie debut with a small role in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” His breakthrough role came in 1987 when he portrayed Kenneth Halliwell, the tragic lover of Joe Orton in “Prick Up Your Ears.” His other films include “The Impostors,” “Anna Karenina,” “Species,” “The Perez Family,” “Maverick,” and “Texas Rangers.” For television, Molina served as a producer and actor for the CBS situation comedy “Ladies Man,” co-starring Sharon Lawrence and Betty White. He also starred in another sitcom, “Bram and Alice.” Molina made his Broadway debut in 1998 in the Tony winning play “Art” with Alan Alda and Victor Garber. Molina returned to Broadway earlier this year as the star of “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Minskoff Theater. Still sporting a beard for his stage role, Doc. Ock let down his tentacles to chat with us about SPIDER-MAN 2.

World Of Fandom: You’re a star of the stage, screen, and television. What attracted you to Dr. Otto Octavius, a.k.a. Doc. Ock?

Alfred Molina: The money was great and it was a chance to be in a big film! I’d never worked on a film quite this big before. In fact, probably the last film I did that was this big was “Raiders of the Lost Arch.” Twenty-four-years ago that was a state-of-art film, but in comparison to what is technically available now it seems almost crude.

World Of Fandom: How did you come across the role?

Alfred Molina: I was on a list with a whole bunch of other actors. I was asked to come in and read for Sam. I thought it was a “meet-&-greet” because I didn’t really think they would be interested in me. Just because this wasn’t the type of film I’m normally associated with. Than we had a second meeting and they asked me to read again. I was very relaxed because I didn’t feel there was anything at stake. By the third meeting I realized I could smell something in the air. The minute I thought the stakes were a bit higher I sucked! I read badly because I was nervous, and I made stupid jokes. Avi Arad handed me a pair of sunglasses and said, “Try these on.” I did and they put me on video saying something stupid like, “Oh, is this my screen test? Ha, ha!” Nobody laughed, and I though that I’d really screwed this up. As it turned out it was those sunglasses that got me the part! 

World Of Fandom: So, given all the different characters you’ve played; is there a key to playing a Marvel villain?

Alfred Molina: Ah, the key! Well, if Avi Arad is the room basically you’re doing what you’re told.

I like playing villains, but I think it’s just like any role you choose to play. There’s a certain degree of detective work you need to do because, in a case like this, the character already exists in another medium. It’s not something that’s completely brand new. Therefore, there is a certain amount of detailed paid to what the character looks like and what type of character they are in the original manifestation. In the end, because it is the movie version of a comic book character, it has to change and evolve in some way, with a certain nod to all the work that went on before. When you take into consideration all the work of the comic book artists and writers you try to approach the role with as much freshness as you can.

World Of Fandom: What do you feel attracts you to the villains?

Alfred Molina: There’s a kind of freedom involved and there is a requirement to be inventive. When you’re the leading man in movie audiences have a higher expectation of you. If you’re a brand, they expect variations on that brand. So there isn’t the same creative freedom afforded you. Playing the villain gives you a lot more wiggle room to play.

World Of Fandom: Given the history and success of the both the Marvel comic and the first film, did you have any expectations about playing this villain?

Alfred Molina: The only expectation I had was that it would be an tremendously different experience from making a movie like 3 people sitting around a diner table talking. It certainly lived up to my expectations, and the main difference was the scale on which I had to work was very different. On a big movie like this where there is an amazing amount of special effects and technology the actors role, in a sense, is not quite as crucial. You have a different relationship to the material and you have to surrender to that. You’re suspended sixty-feet up in the air, and you’ve been there for 3 hours. All the shot requires is that you’re reacting to being punched in the head. It’s not a good time to turn to the director and say, “Can we discuss the inner most working of the character because I’m a bit worried about my motivation.” You have to go with the flow and it’s fun. Acting is just like being a Plummer and his toolbox. One day you’re fixing a showerhead and the next day you’re working on drains. The tools all come out of the same box.

World Of Fandom: Speaking of tools how was it to act and have these tentacles you shared most of your scenes with?

Alfred Molina: It was definitely different because some of it was computer generated, partly animation, and some of it was practical. I had them strapped on and there were puppeteers operating them. They tried to use the practical tentacles whenever they could, certainly when we were in close or medium shots. This way the puppeteers could be out of the shot and give them some life. Of course the big set pieces of climbing up buildings, and the like, were computer generated.

To a degree it was constricting because I had to think about this certain amount of weight was carrying. Like everything else, you try to incorporate that into what you’re doing. The first couple of days we were rehearsing with them I discovered quickly that I would have to adapt my body language to this new circumstance. I could really bend, turn, and move in quite the same way. So I had to find away for Doc. Ock to move with all that stuff on.

World Of Fandom: You mentioned talking with the director about your motivation, did you and Sam Raimi talk about what your visions for this character?

Alfred Molina: Sam was very interested in a way to find a way to tell the story that was both fresh and inventive, but at the same time capturing the essence of the character that was already there in the comic book character. We both started looking through back issues of the comic, and I think Doc. Ock first appeared somewhere in the mid-sixties. When he was first drawn he was this big brooding character. Than Doc. Ock became more sleek and sophisticated, and eventually even got rather athletic. However, the one thing that was constant through all his manifestations was this rather sardonic, almost cruel sense of humor. We both felt that it was an important element to hang onto.

World Of Fandom: When you finally saw the finished film did you feel that you “mastered” the character?

Alfred Molina: I don’t think that I’ve ever had that wonderful feeling where you feel like you “mastered” it or “nailed” it. I certainly never trust actors when they come off stage after a performance and they say, “Oh, I nailed that tonight!” That never happens. I sat there watching this movie and there were scenes where I was thinking, “Shit, I could have done that better!” You can never be satisfied, and if you are than it’s time to retire.

World Of Fandom: Than to put it a different way, what did you think of the character when you finally saw him on screen?

Alfred Molina: I always loved the character and thought it was very interesting. He’s complicated and I hope audiences dig him as much as I do. Although, I don’t remember Doc. Ock from back when I was a kid and collected Marvel comics. I think I had a nice collection. I lost it along the way somewhere.

I do remember that I was a big fan of the Marvel characters, and not liking the DC characters at all. I hated Superman. I could never understand Superman. I never understood how no one recognized him when he was Clark Kent. He had the same haircut and the same build. I could never understand why people never recognized characters that didn’t have a mask on. Batman was so bleeding moral, as was the entire DC universe. Everything was good or bad. Marvel they had ambiguity. Peter Parker is a perfect example; he’s a reluctant hero. He becomes Spider-Man practically by accident. That spider could have landed on anybody. Doc. Ock is a reluctant villain in a sense. That’s something that applies to the all the Marvel characters and that’s an interesting quality. It makes them much more intelligent and sophisticated as characters.

World Of Fandom: Like Hugh Jackman, you’re currently staring on Broadway in “Fiddler on the Roof.” As it offers you the chance to meet your fans as you leave by the stage door, have you found that you already have Doc. Ock fans?

Alfred Molina: There is two distinct groups wait at the stage door. There are the grandmas who are coming to see “Fiddler on the Roof” for the umpteenth time, and they’re bringing their grandchildren who have never seen it before. The kids are interested in it because they know Doc. Ock is in it. I think that’s how the grandmothers got the kids interested in the play in the first place. It’s nice to see how it spans the ages and its very gratifying.

World Of Fandom: One of the nice perks of being in a Marvel comic book movie is that you get your own action figure. Have you seen yours yet?

Alfred Molina: Yes I have, and I’m glad to say they’ve been awfully flattering. I’ve never had pecks like that because I have middle-aged man breasts.

World Of Fandom: Did they ask you to model for the figure?

Alfred Molina: I can honestly say I did not model for the figure. I think they got Brad Pitt. My wife saw it and said to me, “Honey, why can’t you look more like that!”

World Of Fandom: I understand that they did get you to do some work on the video game.

Alfred Molina: I did actually and it was a lot of fun. I believe they did two versions. I know nothing about video games, but my friends who have 10 and 11 year-old sons and daughters were terribly impressed with what I did for the game.

World Of Fandom: Between “Fiddler on the Roof” and Doc. Ock, where do you see your career going from here?

Alfred Molina: I hope to keep working. I don’t think there is such a thing as a career. A career is a myth. It isn’t what you have ahead of you. It’s what you got behind you. As you’re going through your life working you have no idea of what’s ahead of you. My career is what I ended up doing over this past 30-years. When it comes to the idea of choice, that’s something I’ve only been lucky enough to have of late. It’s been nice, but most of the time you hope there’s another job after this one. I just hope it continues.

World Of Fandom: As these things tend to go, if Doc. Ock came back would you be interested in reprising the role?

Alfred Molina: There’s no way of knowing. I think that really depends on the audience. If they come back and say they love Doc. Ock than I’m sure they might consider bring the character back. With the way things are in the Marvel universe, you never die you just disappear for a while. He may well come back.

©All Photos SONY 2004.
© 2004 JOE MAUCERI  and WORLD OF FANDOM