Actor Anatole Taubman talks about his role as Elvis in "Quantum of Solace", and his relationship with the villain Dominic Greene...

Anatole Taubman On Elvis
7th November 2008

Elvis is Dominic Greene’s henchman and Anatole Taubman has worked hard to develop the character to set him apart from the Bond henchmen of the past. “I love it on this picture, you have a certain format and you have it written in the script but Marc Forster is very open so you can develop the character from there. He has a vision and the artists are invited to help round that vision, we all have creative input. I want to make Elvis as colorful, as edgy and as interesting as possible. I suggested a wig with a monk cut and Marc agreed so you have the head of Elvis, then the costume department adds another layer, then you meet the makeup department and another layer goes on and you go back and forth developing this character. It is a work in progress and on the first day of filming, Elvis is created.” On the character of Elvis, “Elvis is Dominic Greene’s better or worse half, depending on the situation. The problem with Elvis is that he comes from a rough background, he has always had to struggle for everything materialistically. Greene, a wealthy influential man, took him under his wing and suddenly Elvis wore all these great clothes."

"He is a big fashionista, he loves clothes but there is always something wrong with the look, something odd and strange - and that is a reflection of his character. Elvis is the most loyal warrior that any boss could wish for but he is not very bright, a bit of a dumbo and a bit clumsy.”

Anatole shares several scenes with Daniel Craig and he has great respect for him as an actor. “I think it was a genius decision by the Bond people to cast a well known character actor like Daniel Craig to be the new James Bond. Daniel has to be very disciplined not only on screen but in his time off. He is very professional and, considering the pressure he must be under, he remains modest and accessible. I have a huge respect for him.”

Taubman has watched Mathieu Amalric’s portrayal of Greene with interest, “Mathieu does a great job because a villain is very interesting when you are trying to reinvent him in every scene so he is not predictable. He is this timid, shy, highly complex psycho case who can barely look at his adversaries. Greene deals with big business, with governments, the CIA, MI6 and plays them off against each other, Mathieu is playing that very timid. Then in the end he becomes a pitbull, an animal who is just manic and crazy like a child that just looses it and wants to extinguish the life of Bond. Suddenly out of this timid person, this mad, explosive crazy energy comes - it’s a fantastic approach.”

The filming crew travelled extensively during the six month shoot, Taubman enthused, “For me it’s the juice of life, I love travelling, seeing new places, meeting people and engaging in new cultures so it has been a part of my life for many years. Panama was amazing, everything is possible. You go one and a half hours to Colon and it is a whole different world, its run down, its dirty, it’s very poor so it is a very diverse country but a very interesting country. Our filming there brings employment and awareness to the country. They are very proud a brand like Bond gives them attention, I’ve talked to lots of locals and the feedback has been very positive.”

Above: Elvis and Greene at the opera

When asked what the highlight has been for him during filming on "Quantum of Solace", Taubman replies without hesitation, “Meeting Mathieu [Amalric]. He is a true enlightenment, a true inspiration, he is so well read, he knows about photography, about literature. I feel like I’m getting a crash course in French cultural and political history. It’s a real treat to have found a new friend. We are the odd couple in the film and we are the odd couple off screen also.”

Thanks to Sony Pictures Releasing UK.