Harvey Keitel on ‘Lansky,’ Quentin Tarantino, and Why He Turned Down Ridley Scott's Offer to Direct

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Published on June 25, 2021 9:58:49 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXsoagLMNI

Duration: 10:22

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With writer-director Eytan Rockaway’s Lansky now playing select theaters and available On Demand, I recently spoke with Harvey Keitel about playing one of the legendary figures of 20th century organized crime in America, Meyer Lansky. During the wide-ranging interview, Keitel talked about why he wanted to play this role, why Lansky made it to old age, what is it about Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, Meyer Lansky and Charlie Luciano that people keep telling stories their story, and more. In addition, we also talked about what it was like studying under acting teachers Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg early in his career, why he turned down Ridley Scott’s offer to let him direct, if it ever gets old when people want to talk to him about Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, and why he loves Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.

Lansky is about a down-on-his-luck writer (Sam Worthington) that gets the opportunity of a lifetime when Meyer Lansky (Keitel) agrees to tell him his life story. As his story unfolds, the films goes back in time to tell the story about how Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, Charlie Luciano, and Lansky rose in the ranks in the National Crime Syndicate and gained power. The film alslo stars John Magaro, AnnaSophia Robb, Minka Kelly, David James Elliot, David Cade, and Danny A. Abeckaser.

Check out what he had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about.

Harvey Keitel:

When did he feel like he made it as an actor and wouldn’t have to do a side job to pay rent?
What was it like studying under Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg?
What is it about Bugsy, Meyer Lansky and Charlie Luciano that people keep telling stories about them?
What was it about Lansky that said I want to do this?
Why was Lansky able to die of old age when most gangsters don’t make it?
Does it ever get old when people come up to him wanting to talk about Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction?
Why he loves Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.
Did he ever think about directing?
How Ridley Scott offered him a directing job and explains why he didn’t take him up on the offer.

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