Cary Elwes. Hubba hubba. No one's saying the man isn't a great actor, but he's also obviously a dreamboat. The British screen star stole a generation of ladies' hearts as Westley, the farm boy in The Princess Bride, and then he made us laugh in Mel Brooks' spoof Robin Hood: Men in Tights, forever solidifying our affections. Since then he's appeared in numerous other features, as diverse as Saw and Ella Enchanted.
Elwes currently lives in Los Angeles and is working on quite a few films, including Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson's upcoming The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn. He'll be in town this weekend for the Florida Supercon. We spoke with him about being approached by fans with the catch phrase "as you wish" and about his favorite young lady -- his daughter.
Cultist: How did you get involved in the The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn? Is there anything that happened on set that was interesting?
Cary Elwes: I've known Steven a long time and it was the first opportunity for me to meet Mr. Jackson, who I'm a great admirer of, obviously. For any actor to have two incredibly prolific and talented filmmakers sitting together on set directing you, is a gift. A gift I absolutely relished. I thoroughly enjoyed it. They're just fun to be around. They're very precise in what they wanted. I love being directed by them. A joy to work with.
You were sort of a sex symbol for many years. Was that stressful or enjoyable?
(Laughs) I don't think I was, but that's very kind of you to say so. I never considered myself one, and I nobody made me aware that I was one. I never thought anything one way or the other.
Do people still come up to you on the street and say things like, "as you wish!"?
Yes. The simple answer is that I do get a lot of fans who love The Princess Bride to this day. I'm lucky in that it seems to have crossed over from generation to generation and become something of a cult classic. You're very lucky as a actor if you've done anything that has any resonance or longevity. That one seems to have both.
Do you prefer doing comedies or more serious roles?
Either one, depending on if the script is good. Comedy is obviously a little more fun. You get to laugh a lot more on the set. But I love working with talented people because that drives my own creativity.
You're coming down for Supercon. Do you do these events often?
I do a couple here and there. I haven't been to Miami in a long time. I enjoy being with the fans and giving back to them. They've given so much to me, and I really feel like I enjoy getting feedback from them.
Do you have a hobby or a favorite thing to do?
My favorite thing to do is be around my daughter.
How old is she?
She's four.
What's your favorite thing to do with her? Do you have a favorite father-daughter activity?
Anything she wants to do.
Will you take her to see the Tintin movie?
It's a little violent for a four year old. She's really more into Dora the Explorer, that's about as violent as we get. I'll try to keep her away from adult themes, if I can help it for as long as I can.
Any parenting advice?
I don't know that I'm a good enough father to offer advice. I just love my child. The best advice I could offer is just love your child.
Is there anything you're looking forward to doing when you get here in Miami?
I guess, go swim in the ocean. I love the waters of Florida. They're very warm.
Florida SuperCon opens this Friday at noon and runs until Monday at 8 p.m. at Miami Airport Convention Center (711 NW 72nd Ave., Miami). Miami Single day tickets cost $25, except for Monday when tickets cost $15. A four-day full event pass costs $50 and a VIP all-access weekend pass costs $150. Win free tickets here. Visit floridasupercon.com.
Follow Cultist on Facebook and Twitter @CultistMiami.
Follow Cultist on Facebook and Twitter @CultistMiami.