This interview was originally published on ComicBookMovie.com.
In The Stoic, after a group of mercenaries raid a gang's den, they flee to a country hideout with two hostages. A Stoic, a member of a criminal clan, enraged about the women's capture, attacks the mercenaries.
The conflict escalates into an explosive showdown between the Stoic and the mercenaries' ruthless boss determined to kill him.
British actor Scott Wright leads a cast which also sees screen icon Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) deliver a memorable supporting turn as the enigmatic Carlisle.
During our conversation, Flemyng talks candidly about what drew him to The Stoic and the fun of hopping into a movie in exchange for "a brown envelope full of cash." On a more serious note, the actor also explains why he takes pleasure in supporting independent projects like this one given his own start alongside then-up-and-coming filmmakers Matthew Vaughn and Guy Ritchie.
Finally, we hear from him on his role as Azazel in X-Men: First Class and why he didn't reprise the role in Deadpool & Wolverine despite being offered the chance to return by Marvel Studios.
The Stoic is now available on Digital and On Demand, and you can check out our full interview with Jason below.
You’ve been part of some iconic British gangster films, but when The Stoic came your way, what was it that drew you to this project?
Well, you know what, the thing is, I’m really lucky that…you’re never in fashion, you’re never out of fashion, right? It means you can’t quite be boxed, so the amount of stuff I do is prolific and very varied. So when this came along, the real truth if I’m really honest with you which I will be is there’s an amazing line producer I’ve worked with called Neil Jones who is a Welsh guy. He line produced my first feature film called Eat Locals and he was like, ‘Jason, listen, you can’t have the crane and have the tower. You have to choose one or the other’ and I’d go, ‘Well, I can if I pay for it.’ He’d say, ‘That’s not the way it works, Jason, there’s a budget. You’re meant to stick to the budget.’ I really loved him and he was great with me. Since then, we’ve basically developed stuff together and one of the projects looks like it might happen early next year which is great. He phones me up every now and again and goes, ‘Listen, somebody dropped out yesterday so we need you here tomorrow. Will you come and help us out? I’ll give you a brown envelope full of cash.’ And I go, ‘I’ll be there bruv, don’t worry.’ That’s kind of what happened on The Stoic. I don’t think anyone pulled out, but he was like, ‘Do me a favour, Jace. I know you don’t know them but they’re nice lads. You can you get down to Wales for two nights?’ ‘If you want me there, bruv, I’m there.’ That’s how it worked.
When I spoke to Scott Wright last week, he was so excited to have you as part of this film. You didn’t get to work together that much but what did you make of him? It feels like this was a real passion project as he looks to do something new with his career.
As you know, I can see by the shelves behind you that you’re a big film fan, and the logistics are horrible. The logistics and hurdles of getting a film made…maybe 0.5% of the population ever do it, so anyone that ever does it like Scott and Jon, who was the writer and director, I’ve got nothing but respect for anyone who gets it done at whatever level. If what comes out is, at a budget reasonable or even encouragingly good which I think The Stoic is, then I think it’s a really, really great thing. It’s their first movie. Money makes things easier and look better. It can also ruin things eventually but between £1 million and £5 million, that’s the real key area where you can really use money to make something special. I think that’s where they’re headed.
Carlisle is a small role, but he helps establish the role of the film and he very matter-of-factly takes out a knife and kills someone. What do you enjoy about coming in to play a character like this?
Honestly, I can do that standing on my head. It’s really just about supporting young or new filmmakers and being part of their new entourage. You have to keep…it’s quite nomadic, the film business, so the Matt Vaughn, Guy Ritchie Lock Stock, Layer Cake group took me twelve films in. It ended with X-Men and then they move on and you need to reestablish yourself in a community of artists and creative people. You need to always keep trying to reestablish yourself and change people’s perceptions of what you’re trying to do. The Stoic, for me, is part of that. My missus goes, ‘You need to go and make money for the family, but you’re allowed to make two shorts and one independent where you earn nothing a year and I won’t moan about it. If you do more than that, I’ll moan about it.’ She’s right. Disappearing down to Wales for two days and coming back with a brown envelope of money is not a bad thing to do but you can’t do that every weekend.
You mention working with filmmakers like Matthew Vaughn and Guy Ritchie, they helped put you on the map as an actor -
Absolutely.
And when you come on to a film like this, you’re the big name that’s going to help them get attention. Does that feel quite strange for you now?
Well, in a little way…I wouldn’t think that I was that, but at a certain budget between 26p and £6.50, I might be quite interesting. I’m being self-effacing, but whatever helps get it over the line which they did. After they made it, they found people to invest in its distribution and publication and all the things which are really hard about filmmaking once you finish the film. If I helped a little bit in that, then I’m chuffed to bits. I know if they go further down the line, I’ll be in consideration and that’s great. No one owes you anything and the reason I did it is not because I think these two will be big filmmakers and give me a part, the reason I did it is because it’s like a circle. You’ve got to put in to get back and I’ve been really lucky like that as you know. I’ve worked with the best filmmakers in the world and if I can help out, I’ll jump in, especially if it’s through a mate like Neil Jones. That makes a big difference.
This whole concept of stoics isn’t one I was overly familiar with, but does it help when the concept is an interesting one and something you can be excited about?
Yeah, absolutely. My old man used to say, you’ve got in your back pocket, you’ve got your f*ck off money and if you go into your back pocket and you’ve got some cash and aren’t under stress, you can say you’re not interested. If that’s gone and you need to go to work, then you do whatever project is in front of you. This wasn’t one of those moments. This was something I thought was really cool and different. The whole slightly intellectual idea and concept of the stoic. They did it on purpose and they did it to take it above the quagmire of gangster movies and to make it something a little bit more elevated and I think they did a really good job.
Deadpool & Wolverine came out this summer but you weren’t playing Azazel. Vinnie Jones said he was contacted and decided not to do it. Did they ever reach out to you?
It was the same thing. The same thing happened. Basically, they came to us and were like, ‘Would you like to do it? It’s three days fighting, two days makeup tests. Basically, you’ll be hired as a stunt performer.’ [frick], mate, listen, if I needed a couple of grand I’d have done it, but I didn’t at the time so I was like, ‘You know what, let a stunt man do it and they’ll do a good job. It’s fine.’ It’s actually not done me any harm because everyone keeps going, ‘Man, we saw you were in Deadpool, another big movie.’ Okay, if I get a few signatures at Comic-Con because I was in Deadpool, I’ll take it [Laughs].
Matthew was going to come back for Days of Future Past before things changed. It looked like there were big plans for Azazel to be a big part of Magneto’s group. They killed your character off-screen, though, so were you disappointed that things didn’t pan out?
You know what, the truth is, those big movies are lucrative and fun to a degree. The reality is, you’re five months away from home. You put all that makeup up and they go, ‘Cut, thanks very much Jason. We’ll see you next Thursday.’ It can be wearing. Even though of course it’s a thrill and I grew up wanting to be in those big movies…even here, in Malaysia, people are like, ‘Oh, Azazel, Azazel, we love you!’ I’m doing pictures with that whole [pose] with the knives. That’s amazing, but the reality is, if you don’t want the money, it’s not very artistically fulfilling. By the way, my mum went to work every day and hated every minute of it so I’m not saying I need to love every minute of going to work, but those big movies are financially thrilling, and artistically disappointing.
I completely understand where you’re coming from. I can see how as an actor you’d want something more to sink your teeth into than a few days of stunts.
Yeah, I’d take The Stoic over Deadpool any day of the week.
[Laughs] Of course, you got another chance with comic books in Pennyworth and you did a lot more with that character.
That was great fun. I mean, there you go, that’s the point. When you go to work and you’re filming, you want to be on set every day. If you’re at home, it’s great. Pennyworth was at Leavesden and I could go home. If I was off for three or four days, it was fine but when you’re away from home on X-Men or Benjamin Button or anything like that, it’s really tough. It’s a choice. ‘Do I want to be away from my life, miss my kids and my wife or do I want to stay at home and choose the projects that are here?’ The truth is, when it’s David Fincher, I’ll go away but with Marvel and X-Men stuff, if Azazel came back, I’d love that, but now I’m probably in a position where I can say, ‘You know what guys, I totally get Azazel doesn’t speak much…maybe we could just do it over 9 weeks and then just shoot me out.’ Maybe they’d listen, maybe they wouldn’t. It’s nice to be in a position where you’re not absolutely gagging to do that. All the figures behind you, I can see them all…unless you commit, you ain’t getting a figure. That’s the difference. I’d rather have a family than a figure. That was good!
A lot of people will remember you in those comic book roles, but when it comes to your other iconic roles across your career, how do you feel when people do recognise you for those very specific characters?
It doesn’t matter, mate! Film is a popular art form. The truth is, Lock Stock is obviously forever, but there were these guys, some roofers, on my street and they were opposite my house. As I’m walking out the door, I could see them looking at me and a few of them whispering. The next day, they’re like, ‘Morning!’ so I say, ‘Morning, lads!’ And then the next day, ‘Excuse me, mate, are you the geezer from Lock Stock?’ ‘I went, yup, that’s me, the geezer from Lock Stock.’ He goes, ‘What have you done since then? Nothing?’ ‘No, no, I’ve done one or two bits. Have you seen the street I live in?’ ‘Sorry mate, what have you done?’ ‘I’m not going to shout my whole CV to you up there but trust me, there were other films apart from Lock Stock!’ [Laughs] That’s the way it is. It’s always going to be like that. No matter what I do, when I go to Russia, they’re like, ‘Transporter 2! Very good film.’ It’s geographic what people like. It’s all about where you are in the world. There’s not a lot of call for Seed of Chucky and Spice Girls: The Movie. There isn’t really a place I get hounded for that.
Something that is consistent throughout your career, including The Stoic, is the way you support the British film industry. How important is that?
Like I said, for me, I’m in a lucky position to do enough work annually to support my kids and family. I’m not into flash cars but I like to travel and stuff, but I can do that and can afford to do little independent movies which I love that remind me why I did it in the first place. So yeah, that is important to me.
The Stoic is now available on Digital and On Demand.