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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 5 March 2020
Returning to acting, Jagger plays a man of wealth and taste

By JAKE COYLE lease, it’s steadily grown a
Associated Press cult following with Jagger’s
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s been performance often ranking
nearly 20 years since Mick among the best by a musi-
Jagger last acted, but as cian in a film.
the new film “The Burnt Or- He played the title char-
ange Heresy” shows, his acter in Tony Richardson’s
chops have gathered no “Ned Kelly,” the “bone-
moss. jacker” in Victor Vacen-
In the film, which Sony Pic- dak’s cyberpunk “Freejack
tures Classics will release Fri- (1992) and a drag queen
day, Jagger co-stars along- in “Bent.” He was an ex-
side Claes Bang and Eliza- ecutive producer on the
beth Debicki as a devilish short-lived HBO series “Vi-
art collector who cunningly nyl,” and produced the
convinces an art journalist James Brown biopic “Get
(Bang) to use a rare inter- on Up.” And then there are
view with a reclusive artist the many documentaries
(Donald Sutherland) as an that have indelibly cap-
opportunity to steal one of tured the Stones, including
his paintings. It’s Jagger’s “Gimme Shelter,” about
first film since 2001’s “The the tragic 1969 Altamont
Man From Elysian Fields.” concert; Martin Scorsese’s
And, he says, it might be his “Shine a Light,” Brett Mor-
last. gan’s “Crossfire Hurricane”
“I wish I had done a lot and Godard’s intimate but
more acting. I’ve just done chaotic doc, “Sympathy
bits and pieces here and for the Devil.”
there whenever I’ve been “I used to say to Jean-Luc,
able to,” Jagger said in an ‘What’s the rest of the mov-
interview by phone. Then ie like? Can you explain
he chuckles. “You know, to me what the rest of the
I have another job. I have movie is like?’ And he really
several other jobs, really.” This image released by Sony Pictures Classics shows Mick Jagger in a scene from the film, "The couldn’t. I don’t think he re-
When the 76-year-old Burnt Orange Heresy." ally knew. It was like: What
hasn’t been performing Associated Press a genius,” says Jagger.
with the Rolling Stones, “When I was really young, I
Jagger has carved out a Herzog’s famously delirious B. Willeford’s 1971 novel, discovery, I think it’s quite used to watch a lot of for-
peripatetic but adventur- “Fitzcarraldo” (1982) was is an elegant, stylish kind fitting.” eign cinema,” he adds. “I
ous career in movies. He’s cut because the original of film seldom made any Jagger is less sure about watched early Roman Po-
favored more experimen- lead, Jason Robards, got more, with glamorous ac- the connections between lanski movies when I was
tal filmmakers, working with sick. When shooting restart- tors in a glamorous setting “The Burnt Orange Her- a student and we used to
Jean-Luc Godard, Nicolas ed in the Peruvian jungle, (Italy’s Lake Como). esy” and the band’s clas- think ourselves great intel-
Roeg and Werner Herzog. Jagger had a conflicting When Capotondi first met sic 1968 single, which was lectuals and just watch for-
Acting a little less than Da- Stones tour. His part was Jagger in London to discuss partially inspired by Mikhail eign films and New Wave.
vid Bowie but more than deleted and Klaus Kinski the part, he was struck by Bulgakov’s beloved Russian We were very into that.”
Bob Dylan, Jagger’s film took over for Robards. Her- the rock star’s humility. “He novel about Beelzebub in Jagger, who last year
career has been consis- zog has called Jagger’s said, ‘Look, I haven’t done 1930s Moscow, “The Mas- had heart surgery, is cur-
tently intrepid. He’s a very departure “one of the big- this in 20 years. I might be ter and Margarita,” and rently prepping the North
good actor, even if his big- gest losses I’ve ever expe- rusty,’” recalled Capoton- a Baudelaire poem. But American leg of the Roll-
screen performances will rienced as a director.” (Bits di. Jagger’s art dealer is, for ing Stones’ “No Filter” tour
always be dwarfed by the of Jagger’s performance Jagger found ways to sure, “a man of wealth of this summer. His day job,
gyrating spectacle of his ki- be seen in documentaries shape the character, giv- taste,” and one that play- again, calls. Jagger is cer-
netic stage persona. like “Burden of Dreams” ing him slicked-backed hair fully trades on Jagger’s de- tain to remain a regular
“I always liked the idea of and “My Best Friend.”) and a slightly menacing monic charisma. soundtrack to cinema; the
it,” Jagger, speaking by “It was a pity about that. Chelsea accent from the “It was in my grasp to do Stones’ remain an irresist-
phone from France, says of That was a shame,” says 1960s. In the film, Jagger’s this character. I thought ible score to countless films.
acting. “I enjoy the change Jagger. “So Klaus Kinski did art dealer presents Bang’s it would be fun to do,” (Most recently, “Sweet Vir-
of pace and the change of the job on that and did it writer with a kind of Faus- says Jagger. “He basically ginia” lent a luminous lilt to
focus of your performance. better than I. Nevertheless, tian bargain, and things charms and threatens him the finale of “Knives Out.”)
When I’m performing these it was an experience.” get darker from there. Ca- to do what he wants. It’s But Jagger acknowledges
days, it’s mostly in very But the timing and the potondi considers the char- not a lot of screen time but ”The Burnt Orange Heresy”
large places in front of lots script lined up for “The Burnt acter a version of the devil he’s the one who sets off could be his big-screen
of people, whereas when Orange Heresy.” It’s direct- -- an apropos role for the the action.” swan song.
you’re on a small set, you’re ed by Italian filmmaker Gi- writer of “Sympathy for the One of Jagger’s first films “If I don’t get offered an-
performing much more useppe Capotondi, whose Devil.” remains one of his most other decent role, it might
subtly and not such elabo- twisty 2009 debut film “The “To play the devil is some- celebrated: Roeg’s hal- be,” Jagger says. The he
rate gestures. You have to Double Hour” proved his thing that can appeal to lucinatory 1970 film “Per- laughs. “It’s not planned.
really tone it down.” talent for conjuring a noirish most actors. It’s such a ser- formance,” in which he If someone offered me
Sometimes, fate (and tour atmosphere of intrigue and pentine character,” says played a drug-addled, something to do in the au-
scheduling) has intervened. mystery. “The Burnt Orange Capotondi. gender-bending rock star. tumn, I’m sure I’d do it if it
Jagger’s performance in Heresy,” based on Charles “Given the Rolling Stones Critically slammed upon re- was a good part.”q