Tomas Milian, an American actor born in Cuba; was trained at the Actors Studio. He appeared in a few plays on Broadway, as well as in a show by Jean Cocteau in Spoleto. Mauro Bolognini noticed him and that was the starting point of a rich cinematographic career in Italy, where he played in all manner of genres. He interpreted a mad psychopath in El...
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Tomas Milian, an American actor born in Cuba; was trained at the Actors Studio. He appeared in a few plays on Broadway, as well as in a show by Jean Cocteau in Spoleto. Mauro Bolognini noticed him and that was the starting point of a rich cinematographic career in Italy, where he played in all manner of genres. He interpreted a mad psychopath in El precio de un hombre (1966) (aka "Bounty Killer"), a role he would then improve and diversify into an impressive gallery of neurotic and sadistic killers, first in "spaghetti westerns" (many directed by Sergio Corbucci), and then in violent action and police thrillers (many directed by Umberto Lenzi). His films gradually evolved into action comedies, as he played the recurrent characters of thief "Er Monnezza" and cop Nico Giraldi (the latter being originally based on the lead character in Serpico (1973)), two typically Roman characters who enjoyed great popularity in the '70s and '80s. Show less «
[on his appearances in "political" Spaghetti Westerns] I didn't care, really, about politics. I was ...Show more »
[on his appearances in "political" Spaghetti Westerns] I didn't care, really, about politics. I was ignorant as Cuchillo [from La resa dei conti (1966) and Corri uomo corri (1968)] was. That's why I was so good at [that] stuff. The actors are being used, so... you don't have to be political, you have to be like [an] ideological whore. Show less «
I'd get bored if I'd have to be good-looking all the time. I would prefer to work in a bank.
I'd get bored if I'd have to be good-looking all the time. I would prefer to work in a bank.
People like and enjoy a superhero, a man bigger than life. Then there is the other type of actor -- ...Show more »
People like and enjoy a superhero, a man bigger than life. Then there is the other type of actor -- and that's me. Show less «
During my first year in Italy, I made mainly intellectual movies where I was bored to death.
During my first year in Italy, I made mainly intellectual movies where I was bored to death.
[on how he would play a character] I just believed it.
[on how he would play a character] I just believed it.
I don't like to intellectualize what I do. Because the intellect... it was ruining my instinct. And ...Show more »
I don't like to intellectualize what I do. Because the intellect... it was ruining my instinct. And I live out of instinct. Show less «
[gesturing to torso] In here... in here, is everything, from A to Z. Okay? I could be... a good pers...Show more »
[gesturing to torso] In here... in here, is everything, from A to Z. Okay? I could be... a good person, I could be an evil son of a bitch, I could be anything. I could be funny, I could be very dramatic, I can make you cry, if you want. Show less «
[on appearing in a play in University] I saw the play's poster with my name on it, and said, "What t...Show more »
[on appearing in a play in University] I saw the play's poster with my name on it, and said, "What the hell am I doing here? I'm losing time." Show less «
What I want to do is to become the part -- to leave Tomas Milian wherever he is and become the chara...Show more »
What I want to do is to become the part -- to leave Tomas Milian wherever he is and become the character. Show less «