史泰龍 演動作片就像腎上腺素上癮
There are downsides to being a longtime action-movie hero, as Sylvester Stallone has found out: He’s had four back operations, two shoulder surgeries and a spinal fusion, that one after he fractured his neck filming “The Expendables.” Over the years, expectations of his assumed athletic prowess grew so high that he stopped wanting to play golf or basketball with anyone. When opinions about his acting abilities hit their nadir, around the time he won a Razzie for worst actor of the century in 2000, he half-agreed with his harshest detractors.
長期飾演動作電影中的英雄也有不利的一面，西爾維斯特·史泰龍(Sylvester Stallone)就深有體會：他做過四次背部手術、兩次肩部手術和一次脊柱融合術——那是在他拍攝《敢死隊》(The Expendables)把脖子弄折之後。這些年，人們對他運動才能的期望值變得越來越高，搞得他都不想跟別人打高爾夫球或籃球了。2000年，他獲得金酸梅獎(Razzie)20世紀最差男演員獎，那段時間，人們對他表演能力的評價跌至谷底，那時他從一定程度上贊同那些最尖銳的批評者。
“When you become synonymous with blunt-force trauma,” Mr. Stallone, 69, said in an interview here, his basso profundo voice sounding like it was rising from the earth’s core, “you’re not really leaving anyone with thought-provoking aftershocks of your performance.”
“當你成爲暴力創傷的代名詞時，”69歲的史泰龍在接受採訪時說。他低沉的嗓音像是從地球最深處發出來的。“你的表演真的不會發人深思。”
All of which made an unexpected upside of devoting a career to playing he-men especially sweet. Mr. Stallone’s Oscar nomination, for his supporting performance in “Creed” — the seventh film in the “Rocky” franchise, which won him his last Oscar nominations four decades ago — has left him, by all outward showings, enormously grateful and glowingly proud, if slightly befuddled.
這一切在表現硬漢柔情時產生了意料不到的優勢。史泰龍因在《奎迪》(Creed)中飾演配角而獲得奧斯卡提名，這讓他非常感激，特別自豪，也有點迷惑。《奎迪》是《洛奇》(Rocky)系列電影的第七部，四十年前他上次獲得奧斯卡提名也是憑藉這個系列。
“For somewhat of a borderline misanthrope, this is incredible,” Mr. Stallone said. “It’s the pinnacle of my life, professionally. It’s so miraculous.”
“我有點不願跟人交往，所以這簡直不可思議，”史泰龍說，“從職業角度講，它是我人生的巔峯。這簡直是奇蹟。”
Three and a half weeks earlier, he had collected a Golden Globe for his performance in “Creed,” a win that left him so dumbfounded that he failed to notice the standing ovation of the crowd. He had also failed, to his lasting dismay, to thank the film’s writer and director, Ryan Coogler, or his co-star Michael B. Jordan, which had prompted tut-tutting from Samuel L. Jackson, among many others, on Twitter.
三週半前，他憑藉在《奎迪》中的表演獲得金球獎(Golden Globe)。獲獎讓他驚呆了，他都沒注意到觀衆長時間起立鼓掌。他也忘了感謝影片的編劇兼導演瑞恩·庫格勒(Ryan Coogler)和聯合主演邁克爾·B·喬丹(Michael B. Jordan)，這讓他一直很沮喪。他的這一疏漏在Twitter上引發塞繆爾·L·傑克遜(Samuel L. Jackson)等人的不滿。
“When Sam Jackson called me out on it, I totally agreed,” Mr. Stallone said. “Forgetting to thank the director? Believe me. That’s the last thing I would’ve done.”
史泰龍說：“當山姆·傑克遜（Sam Jackson，塞繆爾·L·傑克遜的暱稱）因爲這個責備我時，我完全贊同。忘記感謝導演？相信我，那是我最不想忘的事。”
If Mr. Coogler and Mr. Jordan were miffed, they hid it well. “I love the guy!” Mr. Jordan exclaimed at an after-party that night. Then he, Mr. Coogler and Mr. Coogler’s fiancée headed for the airport, and Mr. Stallone’s private plane, which spirited them across the Atlantic for the premiere of “Creed” in London. “Sly was cracking us up the whole flight man,” Mr. Coogler recalled. “It’ll go down in history, something to tell my grandkids.”
如果庫格勒和喬丹真的生氣了，那他們可一點兒也沒表現出來。在當晚的餘興派對上，喬丹歡呼道：“我超愛那哥們！”然後，他和庫格勒以及庫格勒的未婚妻前往機場，搭乘史泰龍的私人飛機，飛過大西洋，參加《奎迪》在倫敦的首映式。庫格勒回憶說：“斯萊（Sly，對史泰龍的暱稱）在飛機上讓所有的人開懷大笑。它將載入史冊，將來我會講給孫子輩們。”
By week’s end, the awards news shifted to the homogeneity of the Oscar acting nominations, which all went to white actors. That Mr. Stallone received the lone nomination for “Creed,” a film written and directed by a black man and largely about black characters, only fueled the controversy, making Mr. Stallone’s joy over the recognition bittersweet.
到了週末，關於獎項的新聞全部轉向奧斯卡表演類獎項提名的同質性——獲得提名的全是白人。史泰龍是《奎迪》獲得的唯一提名。這部電影的編劇和導演是黑人，主要講述的也是黑人角色，所以史泰龍獲得提名更是讓人們議論紛紛。本來，得到認可讓史泰龍非常高興，但是此事令他喜憂參半。
“This guy here deserved it before I deserved it — this is his baby, and I just hung on for dear life,” Mr. Stallone said, referring to Mr. Coogler. “When he brought ‘Creed’ to life, he brought me to life.”
史泰龍提到庫格勒時說，“他比我更應該先獲得認可。這是他的孩子，我只是苟延殘喘。他孕育《奎迪》時，也讓我重獲生機。”
As talk of boycotting the ceremony circulated, Mr. Stallone said that he asked Mr. Coogler whether he should not attend the ceremony. (He recounted this story again at the Oscar nominees’ luncheon on Monday.) “I really wanted to get his opinion on what he thought my behavior should be,” Mr. Stallone said. “He said, ‘You should go, enjoy yourself and represent the film.’”
隨着抵制奧斯卡的呼聲越來越高，史泰龍說，他問過庫格勒自己是否應該參加頒獎儀式（週一[2月8號]，他在奧斯卡提名午宴上講述了這個故事）。史泰龍說，“我真的想知道他覺得我應該怎麼做。他說，‘你應該去，盡情享受，代表這部電影。’”
In a phone interview, Mr. Coogler fell silent when questions about the protest, #OscarsSoWhite, were posed, but said he was thrilled for Mr. Stallone. “Any good thing that comes to Sly, I smile ear to ear,” Mr. Coogler said. “The movie was such a family affair. Whenever anything comes for it, it feels like a piece for all of us.”
在電話採訪中，當被問及#OscarsSoWhite這一抗議活動時，庫格勒陷入沉默，不過，他說他很爲史泰龍高興。庫格勒說，“不管什麼好事，只要是發生在斯萊身上的，我都特別開心。這個劇組就像一家人，不管它獲得什麼讚揚，感覺都是對我們所有人的讚揚。”
For this interview Mr. Stallone, sartorially impeccable, his face looking as hewn from granite as ever, went to the five-star Peninsula Hotel. The place was impeccable, and, after sitting down, Mr. Stallone, who comes across as self-aware, self-effacing and a little silly, slid a plate of macarons and petit fours across the coffee table. “I bought these for you,” he deadpanned. “Very sweet of me, I know.”
爲了接受這次採訪，史泰龍穿得無可挑剔，走進同樣無可挑剔的五星級半島酒店(Peninsula Hotel)。和往常一樣，他的臉看起來像是用花崗岩雕刻出來的。他給人一種有自知之明、謙遜和憨憨的感覺。坐下來之後，他把一盤馬卡龍和花式小蛋糕從咖啡桌那邊推過來。他面無表情地說：“這是我給你買的。我很貼心，我知道。”
He had met Mr. Coogler, who he described as “a full-fledged genius, a savant,” three and a half years ago, before Mr. Coogler’s first feature, “Fruitvale Station,” came out.
三年半之前，在庫格勒的第一部正片《弗魯特韋爾車站》(Fruitvale Station)上映之前，史泰龍就見過庫格勒。他覺得庫格勒是“一個成熟的天才，一個專家”。
The younger director came up with the idea for “Creed” when his own father, a devout “Rocky” fan, fell gravely ill (he has since recovered). Mr. Coogler wanted to tell the story of the illegitimate son of Rocky Balboa’s old boxing foe and friend, Apollo Creed. Set in present-day Philadelphia, the film would explore the city’s vibrant black culture through the eyes of Adonis Creed, who seeks out an aged and ailing Rocky to train him.
這位年輕導演產生拍攝《奎迪》的想法是因爲他父親突然得了重病（後來又恢復了），而他父親是《洛奇》的鐵桿粉絲。庫格勒想講述洛奇·巴爾博厄(Rocky Balboa)的拳場對手兼朋友阿波羅·奎迪(Apollo Creed)的私生子的故事。這部影片以當代費城爲背景，透過阿多尼斯·奎迪(Adonis Creed)的眼睛探索這座城市生機勃勃的黑人文化。阿多尼斯找到年邁體衰的洛奇指導自己。
Despite landing a meeting with Mr. Stallone, Mr. Coogler did not think for a moment that the storied actor would agree to the film. So, en route to Mr. Stallone’s office, Mr. Coogler stopped at a Best Buy to get a Blu-ray of “Rocky II” for Mr. Stallone to sign. The movie was his dad’s favorite, and Mr. Coogler figured he would never see the star again.
儘管庫格勒得到了和史泰龍見面的機會，但他完全不敢奢望這位著名演員會同意拍攝這部電影。所以在去史泰龍辦公室的路上，庫格勒在百思買(Best Buy)買了一張《洛奇2》(Rocky II)藍光光碟，想請史泰龍簽名。他的父親很喜歡那部電影，庫格勒認爲自己再也沒機會見到這位明星了。
Indeed, Mr. Stallone was wholly unconvinced, at least at first, having been happy with the series’ apparent final installment, “Rocky Balboa” (2006), which he starred in and directed, receiving respectable reviews. “A recipe for premier disaster,” was how Mr. Stallone viewed yet another Rocky film. Yet there was a confidence and buoyancy in Mr. Coogler that he intrinsically recognized. “He’s unspoiled, he’s unfettered with material success, and he’s hungry,” Mr. Stallone said. “He reminded me of some other brash young guy in 1975.”
的確，史泰龍完全沒有被說服，至少一開始沒有。他對這個系列明顯的最後一部《洛奇6：永遠的拳王》(Rocky Balboa, 2006)很滿意。那部電影是他主演和導演的，得到了不錯的評價。史泰龍對再拍一部《洛奇》電影的看法是“它要是上映就是災難”。但是庫格勒身上有一種他從本質上認可的信心和向上的力量。史泰龍說：“他沒有被寵壞，不受物質成功的束縛，充滿熱望。他讓我想起了1975年的另一些敢闖敢幹的年輕人。”
One plot point (spoiler alert) in the “Creed” script that gave Mr. Stallone extreme pause, though, was Rocky’s cancer diagnosis. Mr. Stallone didn’t like it and didn’t think his audience would either, but Mr. Coogler would not budge. Mr. Stallone said he equivocated until his wife, Jennifer Flavin, called him out. “She said: ‘You’re afraid to do something you’ve never done before. That’s called being a coward,’” Mr. Stallone said, leaning back in his chair, and laughing. “She was right.”
不過，《奎迪》劇本中有一個情節（有劇透哦）讓史泰龍沉默了很久，那就是洛奇得了癌症。史泰龍不喜歡這個情節，覺得觀衆也不會喜歡，但是庫格勒不肯讓步。史泰龍說他猶豫不決，直到妻子詹妮弗·弗萊文(Jennifer Flavin)點醒了他。“她說：‘你害怕去做從沒做過的事。那就是懦弱，’”史泰龍靠到椅背上大笑着說道，“她說得對。”
To prepare for his role, Mr. Stallone hired a full-time acting coach, Ivana Chubbuck; his skill set, he said, “had basically atrophied.” When production began, he was still paralyzed by the devastation of losing his oldest son, Sage, who had a fatal heart attack in the summer of 2012 at 36. (Mr. Stallone has a second son, also from his first marriage, and three daughters with Ms. Flavin.)
爲了給這個角色做準備，史泰龍請全職表演教練伊萬娜·查伯克(Ivana Chubbuck)指導自己。他說，自己的那套技能“已經基本退化”。拍攝開始時，他仍爲失去大兒子塞奇(Sage)而十分頹廢。塞奇在2012年夏季36歲時突發心臟病去世（史泰龍還有個小兒子，也是在第一段婚姻中生的，還跟弗萊文生了三個女兒）。
He figured his grief would be off limits, but Ms. Chubbuck forced him to drill deep. “You just feel responsible,” he said, of Sage’s death. “That you weren’t there. Here you save all these fictitious people, and you can’t even save your son.” Once that floodgate opened, he said, his emotions streamed out, shifting both his performance, and his mourning. “It helped,” Mr. Stallone said. “I can talk about it now. There’s some solace in that.”
他認爲自己的悲痛是禁忌話題，但是查伯克迫使他深入挖掘。他談起塞奇去世的事時說，“你覺得自己沒盡到責任。當時你不在他身邊。你在這裏拯救這些虛構的人物，卻救不了自己的兒子。”他說，一旦閘門打開，他的感情洪流就奔涌而出，既改變了他的表演，還改變了他的哀痛。史泰龍說：“它有幫助。現在我能談這事了。我從中得到了慰藉。”
He has also found deep solace in the acclaim his performance drew from Hollywood’s establishment. Irwin Winkler, who has been producing films with Mr. Stallone from the first “Rocky” on, said seeing Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg leaping to their feet to applaud Mr. Stallone’s Golden Globe win was especially gratifying.
他的表演得到好萊塢權威人士稱讚，這也給了他極大慰藉。歐文·溫克勒(Irwin Winkler)從第一部《洛奇》起就和史泰龍一起拍電影。他說，史泰龍獲得金球獎時，他看到湯姆·漢克斯(Tom Hanks)和史蒂文·斯皮爾伯格(Steven Spielberg)立刻站起來鼓掌，這特別令人欣慰。
“It would be a great moment for any actor, and certainly it was for Sly,” Mr. Winkler said. “I don’t think they gave him respect for the last 40 years.”
溫克勒說：“對任何一位演員來說，這都是激動人心的時刻，對斯萊來說更是如此。我覺得在過去40年裏他得到的尊重不夠。”
Looking back, Mr. Stallone said he’s not sure how much respect he deserved anyway. Appearing in action films became, for him, almost like an adrenaline addiction, he said, “an endurance contest that doesn’t challenge your soul, at all.”
回顧過去，史泰龍說，他也不確定自己到底值得獲得多少尊重。對他來說，出演動作電影幾乎就像腎上腺素上癮，“它是無法挑戰靈魂的耐力賽”。
The kudos he is receiving now makes him wish that he had pursued roles that involved showing vulnerability, which he did to glowing reviews in “Cop Land,” in 1997, and of course, in “Creed.”
他現在獲得的榮譽讓他後悔以前沒多演一些展現脆弱的角色，他在1997年影片《警察帝國》(Cop Land)和《奎迪》中演繹的這類角色獲得了熱烈讚美。
“Now I look at it in the cold light of day, and they’re right, quite honestly,” he said, of his critics of yore. “I think the world could have lived without ‘The Expendables’ without spinning out of orbit. I really do.”
談起很久以前批評他的那些人，他說：“現在我能客觀冷靜地看待這些，坦率地說，他們是對的。我覺得，沒有《敢死隊》，這世界照常運轉，不會脫軌。我真的這麼認爲。”
