On Robert Forster
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with actor Robert Forster. Robert has played both the hero and the villain throughout his career, and I would have to say he is a sweet and enjoyable man to interview. Robert started his career playing the good guy. He played many Native American roles in such films as Banyon, Medium Cool, Journey Through Rosebud, Alligator, and The Black Hole. He enjoys playing good guys with a lot of heart.
Like many actors Robert decided to make his own film. He wrote, directed, produced and starred in a film called Hollywood Harry, in which his own daughter, Katherine, starred alongside him. He took his film to Cannes to sell it, and it was there that he met Menahem Golan. Menahem bought Robert’s film. Robert eventually realized that this was the last time he would play a good guy – for the next 13 years. Menaham then offered him a film called Delta Force. Robert played an Arab terrorist, and after that movie each character seemed to be badder than the last. Until Robert did a film called American Perfekt. This movie was great, and it featured the best bad guy that Robert had ever played. After that he was cast in Quentin Tarantino's, Jackie Brown. He was once again the good guy. This was the beginning of Robert playing the hero again, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in the film.
Most recently Robert joined the cast of Heroes for 9 episodes. He plays the father of the Petrelli brothers, Arthur Petrelli. Robert says when they offered him the role he was on the phone with the producer Tim Kring, and he asked Tim, "So what’s my character’s morality?" Tim replied, "Liquid"… Hmm, okay. So Robert took this and decided at least for the first 5 episodes his character was doing everything for the greater good, and that in doing the right thing, sometimes you do bastardly things that you believe are right.
