We here at Screen Rant received the honor of sitting down with star of stage, screen (big and small) Laurence Fishburne. We discussed his new project, The Ice Road, which is now streaming on Netflix.
After a remote diamond mine collapses in far northern Canada, a ‘big-rig’ ice road driver (Liam Neeson) must lead an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the trapped miners. Contending with thawing waters and a massive storm, they discover the real threat is one they never saw coming.
When it comes to this movie and this role, the info that you had to learn sounded so authentic to me. How did you prepare for a role like this?
Laurence Fishburne: I didn't really have to do that much preparation for this. I mean, it was pretty cut and dry. Our director did all of the heavy lifting on that. He knew this world intimately, and he just shared the stuff that we needed to know.
For me, it was a chance to work with Liam Neeson. It was an opportunity to represent in an environment where the first thing you think of is not African American people in this vocation, particularly in that part of the world. The presence of a Native woman who's a real badass was also something that was attractive to me and made me want to be a part of it.
All those things together - the self-sacrificing nature of this character, Goldenrod, is something that I relate to, and I always find I like those kinds of characters. And again, like I said, the first first element is Mr. Neeson.
The film itself has themes of man versus man and man versus nature, and it's all wrapped in a character study. Were you pitched this from the agency or management with all the cast already connected?
Laurence Fishburne: Only Liam. It was a very straightforward kind of offer: here's the script, here's the character, here's where you're going to shoot it, here's number one. And I was like, "Oh, yeah. I'm in."
Not only in this role, but in other roles, you are very reactionary. You don't need too much dialogue to tell what you're thinking, because it's right on your face, and you deliver it in a way that's awe-inspiring. How did you master that?
Laurence Fishburne: I have to say that I think it's probably just the result of practicing the craft for as long as I have been. And hopefully, as the years have gone on, I've gotten better at some things.
Last question: what's the longest road trip you've ever taken?
Laurence Fishburne: I once rode my motorcycle in the UAE through the empty quarter, through Oman and Bahrain and back. That was one. And then I also did, with my motorcycle group, Munich to Monza. We rolled over the Alps through the Dolomites. Yeah, that was a long one.
The Ice Road is now streaming on Netflix.