Transcript of Emilio "on line" November 25, 1996. America On-Line. OnlineHost : Your emcee this evening is MelanieGW (AOLiveMC1) OnlineHost : Emilio Estevez is responsible for triple duties on "The War at Home." In addition to directing and producing the film, he stars as Jeremy, a returning Vietnam vet whose traumatic war experience escalates his family troubles upon his return home. Please welcome Emilio to AOL Live! AOLiveMC1: Hello and welcome, Emilio Estevez! We are thrilled to have you with us this evening! EstevezE: Thank you. I'm very happy to be here. AOLiveMC1: Let's go right to our first question. AOLiveMC1: Jim007bon asks: Question: Which one of your Dad's performances had the greatest impact on you and why? I remember his great performance in "Apocalypse Now" as if I had seen it yesterday. EstevezE: He did a film called "Badlands" in 1973 an absolutely magnificent performance. Prior to that he did a film called "The Execution of Private Slovik" which was an absolutely stunning performance, as well, and, as a kid, I grew up watching him do wonderful work, and felt that since "Apocalypse Now" the choices that he's made haven't challenged him, so I felt that it was very important that he do this role in "The War At Home." AOLiveMC1: TEILE4 has a profound question: Question: Hi, what is the most important thing that you want to accomplish in your life? EstevezE: The most important thing, or, I should say, things that I want to accomplish: I want to be a good man and a good father and a good actor, before I'm done. I'm still in the learning process. I still feel very much like a kid in school, and every day I grow by my success and my failures and disappointments. I don't know if that answers the question. AOLiveMC1: Great answer! AOLiveMC1: Beb 001 has a good memory, and asks: Question: Emilio I saw you on Letterman not to long ago, and you said you wouldn't be interested in making a sequel to "The Breakfast Club," why not? EstevezE: I've done too many movies with numerals following the titles. I'm done doing sequels of any kind, much less "The Breakfast Club," and while I'm very proud of the film, I don't think it warrants a sequel. Recently I was approached to do a sequel to "Repo Man," and I feel similarly about that. AOLiveMC1: LilGoofba wants to know: Question: Hi Emilio! I was wondering if you and Charlie Sheen are full-blooded brothers or half-brothers, and did you grow up together? EstevezE: Yes, we are full-blooded brothers. The reason why we have different names is because I chose to use the family name. My father's real name is Ramon Estevez, and his father is from Spain and his name is Francisco Estevez. Charlie Sheen's real name is Carlos Estevez, and in the 50s, when my father was starting out as an actor, it was not popular to have an Hispanic surname, but times have changed (obviously). AOLiveMC1: Thank God! AOLiveMC1: SLaKeRxNW asks: Question: Did you have to learn how to skate for your "Mighty Ducks" Movies? EstevezE: I did. EstevezE: Ouch. EstevezE: (laughs) EstevezE: Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. AOLiveMC1: LOL EstevezE: Very painful. It was a very difficult sport to learn at 29 years old. Gravity rules. Fortunately, I had wonderful teachers, and I picked it up very fast. AOLiveMC1: Beck08 has a question: Question: Have you ever considered posing in the nude? You do have a nice body. EstevezE: (Laughs) Good thought. I will keep it in mind. AOLiveMC1: Beck08 also wants to know... Question: How did you get the idea for this film? EstevezE: "The War At Home" originally came to me as a play four years ago, and I read it and was really taken by the characters and by the dialogue. I immediately contacted the playwright, and told him I wanted to turn it into a film. When I told him that I wanted to direct it as well as star, he was a little reluctant because of my other forays into directing. "Wisdom" and "Men At Work" were not particularly commercially successful nor embraced by the critics, but after he saw my passion, he agreed to work on it with me. It took 3 years of developing the screenplay and getting turned down by every major and minor studio. EstevezE: It wasn't until the summer of '95, Disney approached me about doing a third "Duck" sequel, which I was reluctant to do, but we got creative, and I agreed to lend my services for "Mighty Ducks III" in exchange for Disney financing part of the film. The entire budget for the picture was $4.2 million, which is, admittedly, a lot of money, yet when you consider that the average studio picture costs anywhere between $40-60 million, $4.2 million is, more or less, the catering budget of those films. AOLiveMC1: LOL Emilio, when will "The War at Home" be released? EstevezE: New York and Los Angeles: November 22nd, It will be released in San Diego, San Francisco and Berkeley on November 28th, and then city by city, after that. It's what the studios call a "platform release" for pictures that are special in nature and require very specialized handling. AOLiveMC1: Jim007bon asks: Question: Do you prefer directing to acting--and if so why? EstevezE: Directing is very difficult. You have to be crazy to do it. You have to be crazier to do it a second time. Its a tremendous amount of work, responsibility, and, most of all, headaches. It's death by 1000 questions, and it's much easier to simply act in a film: you show up for 12 weeks, you do your job, and you're on to the next picture. I prefer acting overall, because it's less wear and tear on the soul. Yet I have another project that I plan on directing! AOLiveMC1: Jim007bon has another for you: Question: Is there a particular film you would like to remake and star or direct in? EstevezE: I'm very leery about remaking classics. I think classics should be left alone. There is a B Movie that is a favorite of mine that would be interesting to remake called "Capricorn One" starring Elliot Gould, James Brolin, Telly Savalas and O.J. Simpson. It's a classic conspiracy-type film, but we still may be 5 to 10 years away from being able to remake it. AOLiveMC1: Beerwench asks: Question: Emilio, the movie was FANTASTIC. I commend you on your choice of Kathy Bates as the mother. She was excellent. Did she audition for you or did you just give her the part? EstevezE: You don't audition Kathy Bates. She's *so* wonderful, and so real, and so moving that there was never any thought about anyone else to play this role. And thank you for your very kind review! AOLiveMC1: DDowers10 wants to know: Question: Any movies you regret making? EstevezE: Sure. Any you regret seeing? :) AOLiveMC1: LOL AOLiveMC1: DDowers10 asks one from the other perspective: Question: Any movies you wish you didn't turn down? EstevezE: Not really, no, I don't think so. I think that you could spend your life looking over your shoulder and having regrets, and if you're constantly looking over your shoulder, you're going to trip if you're attempting to go forward. While the choices I've made haven't always been the best choices in retrospect, they were the best choices at the time. Question: I have really enjoyed all of your films. Am a big fan of your entire family. I wonder, of all your works, which is your personal favorite and why? Thanks, Judy Rio111 EstevezE: I probably have 3 personal favorites: "Repo Man," because of its style and its wackiness and its originality. "Breakfast Club," because it was the first time, as an actor, that I was able to explore an interior life of a character. And, more recently, "The War At Home," which fulfilled my desire as a director to finally direct a movie with substance. And confidently be able to call myself a filmmaker in its wake. AOLiveMC1: Cumngtme want to know: Question: "St. Elmo's Fire" was a cult classic for my generation! Are you still friends with everyone from the movie? EstevezE: No. It's not that we're not friends, but everyone has gone off in their own direction, doing their own thing, and our paths rarely cross. AOLiveMC1: Sprock928 asks: Question: How does it feel knowing the Anaheim Mighty Ducks was named after a movie starring you? EstevezE: Initially, it was kind of embarrassing. The whole "Mighty Ducks" phenomenon has gotten so out of control: not only has it spawned a movie franchise, a hockey team, and a Saturday morning cartoon, but the countless billions that the merchandising continues to rake in is mind-boggling. It was certainly something that I had never anticipated when I signed on to do this little movie about a lawyer who coaches an inner-city hockey team. AOLiveMC1: N1TAZ asks: Question: How did you feel about the movie ANOTHER STAKEOUT? EstevezE: Well-intentioned. It was wonderful working with Rosie O'Donnell and Richard Dreyfuss. EstevezE: (Big Rosie fan). AOLiveMC1: Who isn't?! EstevezE: We had many laughs, but it didn't translate into a movie that was as good as the first. AOLiveMC1: Well, I enjoyed it! AOLiveMC1: DACOASTER wants to know: Question: What is the movie "The War at Home" about? EstevezE: In a nutshell: the movie deals with a dysfunctional family in Texas in 1972 and I play a Vietnam vet who's returned home from his tour of duty and he is a thorn in the side of his family. He refuses to get a job. He refuses to dress appropriately for Thanksgiving dinner, and he wreaks havoc under the roof of this very conservative family. On a deeper level, the movie is about what happens when we lose the ability to communicate; when we live in an environment where there's an absence of love, and when our parents are giving us the things that they think we need, as opposed to what we really need. I think it's a movie that every young person will be able to relate to, whether he knows anything about Vietnam or not. AOLiveMC1: Natey79 asks: Question: Is theater arts a good major if you want to DIRECT? EstevezE: Absolutely. It'll help give you an understanding of actors. So many directors that I've worked with don't know how to talk to actors. Oftentimes, they're scared of actors, and to participate in a theater arts program will help to give you a greater insight into the insane mind of an actor(laughs). Because, basically, we're all nuts, and if they didn't pay us to do what we do, I'm sure we'd all be locked up. AOLiveMC1: LOL! AOLiveMC1: EBradgolf asks a more personal question: Question: What do you do in your spare time? EstevezE: Haven't had much spare time lately. But the snow is now falling, and I am an avid snowboarder. Look for me on the slopes. Because that's where I'll be taking my R&R this winter. AOLiveMC1: Be careful! :> AOLiveMC1: BethHeke wants to know: Question: Emilio, out of all your movies I think I remember "In the Custody of Strangers" the most of your early films. I really thought you and your father were terrific in that TV-movie! Do you have good memories of making that film? EstevezE: Absolutely. I was 19 at the time, and it was a wonderful role, and a wonderful break for me. AOLiveMC1: DMB 23 asks: Question: How did you start your acting career? EstevezE: Oh boy. I started in theater in junior high school, and then in high school my interests leaned more towards athletics, until my senior year, when I realized I was not going to be a professional athlete. I joined a theater program in Santa Monica High School and never got cast in any of the school plays, with the exception of a two or three-line role every now and again. But I wasn't discouraged! EstevezE: The day I graduated from high school, I landed my first television show. It was a syndicated, half-hour special, called "Seventeen Going on Nowhere" This piece of film was very instrumental for me, because I was the lead and many agents and casting directors subsequently had film of me to look at. It was important for me for people to have a perception that was not "Hey, this guy's riding on his father's coattails", but rather "Hey, this guy's talented and he's doing it on his own" Hence the decision to use my own name. AOLiveMC1: Beb 001 wants to know... Question: How is family life going Emilio? EstevezE: Family life is good. I have two wonderful children, ages 10 and 12, who are extraordinary human beings and best friends of mine. I feel very fortunate to be a young father., AOLiveMC1: Movida97 asks: Question: Emilio, do you find it challenging to be a Latino in Hollywood. It hasn't seemed to affect the roles you do. EstevezE: Well, I don't "look" Latin. I think my Irish genes are stronger. Perhaps, initially, the Irish look and the Latin name was a hurdle, but one that I easily overcame. AOLiveMC1: MoJoBaby asks: Question: Is there any competition between family members for movie roles? EstevezE: Not at all. AOLiveMC1: A RED SWA wants to know... Question: Being very well known, how do you keep your feet on the ground and not let your success go to your head? EstevezE: I've managed to keep my private life as private as possible, and I've managed to stay outside of the Hollywood circles that often lead to "downfalls" by living outside of Hollywood (I live an hour outside of the madness) and that allows me to have some perspective on what it is that I do. What I do for a living is not who I am. AOLiveMC1: DMB 23 is interested in knowing: Question: Do you pay attention to movie critics making comments or criticizing the movies you acted in? EstevezE: Sure. Many actors will tell you that they don't read reviews and are not affected by them one way or the other, but they're full of it. In a movie such as "The War At Home," the success or failure of the film will be determined by two things. The first, and most important, is word of mouth. If people go to the theater and see the film, they will talk about it and talk about it positively. The second is for positive critical reaction. If the critics embrace "The War At Home," as the New York and L.A. Times have, then that will certainly help. So the answer is: yes. AOLiveMC1: DDowers10 has a fun question: Question: Out of all the great people you have worked with who has been the most fun? EstevezE: Probably --it's a toss-up, but, probably-- Richard Dreyfuss and Mick Jagger. While the film with Mick was not nearly as successful as the film with Richard, we did manage to have a lot of laughs. AOLiveMC1: Jim007bon asks: Question: Did you find that the "brat pack" stigma was unfair and if so what did you find unfair about it? EstevezE: I certainly did find it unfair. It cast this group in a very unfair light...a really negative light. I've always considered myself a very diligent, hard-working actor, and to be dismissed as someone who takes his career lightly, without much care or thought, was completely preposterous. The writer, David Blum, who coined the phrase, should look over his shoulder when he walks down the street when I'm in town (laughs). He will be dealt with brutally and savagely (laughs) AOLiveMC1: AOLiveMC1: Here's a heavy one from Xjjb: Question: Emilio, if you were to identify one profound event in your life, what would it be? EstevezE: Besides my birth? EstevezE: (laughs) AOLiveMC1: EstevezE: Let's say...it would have to be when I was living in New York City, in 1967, I was 5 years old and I was mugged at knife point in front of my own building. AOLiveMC1: Yikes! EstevezE: It helped to tarnish my faith in my fellow man. Definitely a profound moment in my life. AOLiveMC1: The time has really slipped by! Only enough for one final question: AOLiveMC1: SnowyNS16 asks: Question: Emilio, what was it like to work with kids who were just starting out on their careers in the movies "Mighty Ducks?" Do you think they were inspired or looked up to you? EstevezE: It was refreshing to work with these kids, all of whom had great energy and great enthusiasm. While I never set out to be a role model for these kids, I became one. AOLiveMC1: Thank you so much for dropping by and answering our questions, Emilio! EstevezE: Thank you. Being an AOL member myself, and having sat in on many celebrity chats, I found the questions on this one to be very insightful and intelligent, and I thank you for making it easy on me! :) See you in cyberspace... AOLiveMC1: Well, thank you! :> OnlineHost: Thanks for joining us in the Oldsmobile Celebrity Circle this evening. Remember, Oldsmobile brings an exciting guest online every Monday through Friday, and transcripts from the events can be downloaded using keywords: "Oldsmobile" or "AOL Live" within 24 hours after the event has ended. OnlineHost: Copyright 1996 Oldsmobile; licensed to America Online, Inc.