Ron Perlman on"GOOD DAY NEW YORK," March 22, 1994
Interview by Cheryl Washington

Transcribed by Pat Paone

Washington: Ron Perlman is perhaps best known as the Beast with a heart in the TV series "Beaty and the Beast." Well, now he's done several films since then, and stage productions too. His latest film is called "Cronos," and he joins us now to tell us all about that production.

Washington: (Turning to Ron) Thank you so much for coming to "Good Day New York." It's really good to see you. I know you just got off the plane.

Perlman: That's right.

Washington: So you're feeling a little tired, yes?

Perlman: Yeah.

Washington: Just a tad.

Perlman: The old joke - I just flew in and my arms are very tired.

Washington: So I guess you didn't get a chance to see the Oscars last night since you were in flight.

Perlman: Ah, well because I started off in LA and because they are on at six p.m., I got a chance to see a good portion of them, and the limo had a TV in it on my way to the airport, so I got to see a little bit more of it. Then I had a ticket agent at American Airlines - - can I say that on the air? I guess so.

Washington: You just did. It's all right.

Perlman: That filled me in on best picture, so I pretty much was up to speed. I was able to sleep on the plane, you know, knowing that the western world was safe.

Washington: Absolutely! Now your new film, "Cronos" is pretty much up to speed, I must say. I saw it over the weekend. Very enjoyable. Why don't you tell us a little bit about the film and its message.

Perlman: Okay. "Cronos" is the first work of a Mexican director named Guillermo del Toro. I don't really know how I got involved in the film other than the fact that del Toro was a premiere, special effects makeup artist in Mexico, before becoming a director, and since special effects makeup is a club to which I am a charter member, he knew more about me than I knew about him. He sent me a copy of the script. It was incredibly interesting in terms of most scripts that you read are driven by story or character. This was heavy on story, but more heavy on imagery than anything that I'd ever read in the recent past, and that always makes for more interesting films than it does for interesting reading. I subsequently met del Toro. We had a one hour dinner where he talked about his visual sort of - vision of the way this film would be realised and I just knew, after spending some time with him, that he was capable of real cutting-edge film making.

Washington: Capable indeed! I mean, my heavens, it's already won the 1993 International Critics Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and it's picked up nine Ariels, which is the Mexican equivalent to the Oscars. Why don't we take a look at you in action in the film "Cronos." [turns to camera] Ron Perlman. [A clip from "Cronos" is shown]

Washington: Ron, interestingly enough, you're the only American in this Spanish-orientated film.

Perlman: Right.

Washington: Why do you think that they selected you?

Perlman: I don't really know.

Washington: Besides the fact that you're so good for it.

Perlman: Well, thank you. Thank you. Well, I don't know. I think that - - the film takes place in 1996 and del Toro had a sort of shrewd - sort of vision three or four years ago when he was writing this thing, that NAFTA was going to become a reality. So he, sort of subtitles this the first Post-NAFTA Mexican Film and chose to have a lot of foreign influences as part of the fabric of the society at this particular time and place. So, to have an American, sort of, you know, peripherally involved in this action, in a sort of unsavoury way was, you know… I won't interpret that, but … [Smiles]

Washington: You are going to star in another foreign film, as we begin to wrap, "The City of Lost Children", which is going to be filmed in Paris.

Perlman: Right.

Washington: And you're also doing "Fluke" for MGM.

Perlman: Right.

Washington: You've got a full plate.

Perlman: Got to keep it that way. Baby needs a new pair of shoes. [Laughs]

Washington: [Also laughing] Well, in that case, keep on working. We want to thank you so much, Ron, for coming on the show.

Perlman: Pleasure.

Washington: Good to see you again. [They shake hands]

Perlman: Good seeing you.

Washington: The name of the movie is, once again, "Cronos" and it opens March 30 right here in New York. Thanks Ron Perlman for coming to "Good Day New York."

Perlman: Thanks for having me.