Friends of the Phantom editor with Billy at Phantom premiere

The role of the Phantom was more difficult than viewers realized.  In addition to the physical regimen of weight training,
the complexities of bringing a two dimensional character to the screen required a special kind of talent.
Lee felt his hero should be charming and smiling, yet he must appear menacing to evildoers.  His character seems fearless
to attain the illusion of immortality, but still subject to human frailty.
The following is an excerpt from a conversation I had with him at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia when he was
promoting The Phantom film.

What sort of research did you do for the role?
I've been reading the comic for eight years.  I hadn't read it as a child. I was only introduced to the Phantom in Australia during
Dead Calm. I was so intrigued by this completely accessible naturalist hero that I tried to embody Phantom consciousness in my
day-to-day, to increase my compassion and awareness and capacity for good deeds, whild trying to mimic the behavior and body
language. At the beach...that was just something I read in the comic. When I went to go swimming, I was two inches taller, looking
for someone in distress, maybe beyond the buoy. It brought out the superhero in me. I thought it was such a relief, a character like
this was available for me to bring to the screen.  As far as the research was concerned, I just tried to embody what I thought were
the virtues.
Although it is was an action adventure, is there anything you would like to say about the character development?  You had a nice on screen chemistry with Diana.
There was a lot cut out.  There was more back story into the character that I wished had remained on screen...an introduction to
the Bangalla, and introduction to Devil and Hero...a little tour down Keela Wee Beach.
What things did you learn on this that will effect your future work, if anything, from the Phantom?
Greater diplomacy in relationship in working with the directors. And beyond my work in life, it heightened my capacity for compassion,
sensitiviy...increased my access to the living library.

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