Returning to the director’s chair for the first time since 2006’s “Apocalypto,” Mel Gibson has brought Doss’ amazing story to the screen in the intense war drama “Hacksaw Ridge” with Andrew Garfield in the role of Doss. Vince Vaughn plays Sergeant Howell, the drill sergeant who tries at first to drum Doss out of the service until he realizes just how deep-seated his beliefs are and then bears witness to his incredible bravery and heroics. For Vaughn, the role is a marked change of pace from the glib, fast-talking types that he has portrayed in such films as “Swingers,” “Wedding Crashers” and “The Internship.” Like the film as a whole, Vaughn’s work is strong, smart and manages to avoid most of the usual war movie cliches. The result is one of the best performances that he has given to date.
Recently back in his hometown of Chicago to promote “Hacksaw Ridge” and sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during Game 4 of the World Series at Wrigley Field later in the day, Vaughn sat down with me to talk about the film, working with Mel Gibson and the new challenges of playing an authority figure.
“Hacksaw Ridge” is, I believe, the first war movie that you have done—certainly the first one dealing with World War II. What was it about this particular project that interested you?
I had a very small part in “For the Boys” as an extra and I did an episode of “China Beach” one time when I was a kid. But this was the first real part in one that I had. Mel is my favorite director—if you look at “Apocalypto,” which I think is on a whole other level, and “Braveheart” and “The Passion of the Christ,” those are great movies. I had never heard this story before when it came across my desk. I didn’t know who Desmond Doss was and I was really inspired by this guy’s conviction. You know, war can bring out the worst in people and this guy came from love and refused to hurt someone even as he put himself in harm’s way to help people, even where the enemy was concerned. I couldn’t believe that this had happened and at that level. He did it consistently. It wasn’t just one moment that he did this—he was this way for his duration—and I found it to be really inspiring. I think at a time when they throw a movie out if it doesn’t have a clear-cut sequel or franchise, it is nice to be a part of a movie that is about an ordinary person who did extraordinary things that were coming from a place of love. For me, the character was great because I got to show so many different colors. You get to be funny, you get to be strong and show some empathy, so I really enjoyed the part on top of it as well.
It is a change for you because in many of your films, you have played anti-authoritarian types but here, you get to play the ultimate authority figure—a drill sergeant.
That is an interesting perspective. I hadn’t looked at it in that context. I think I just approached this role for what it was, which was that these kids were my responsibility, that we were going to the worst place possible and I want them to stay alive and I want them to be able to help their brothers next to them to stay alive. It is my responsibility to prepare them for that. I did my research—I have military in my family and a lot of military friends—and I just approached it from that perspective. It was good to use a sense of humor so that you don’t go tone deaf and sometimes you have to be strong but coming from love. Not to give away too much but I have that scene after Desmond has gone what he has gone through and I can see there is real conviction in him, there is empathy. I think that you just really load yourself up with the purpose of the character and then just sort of react. Of course, Andrew Garfield is so tremendous in the movie that it made it easy to work across from him because he was very connected to the scenes.
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