Martinez On Life, Love And "Chocolate"
Olivier Martinez has returned to the spotlight for a new werewolf film, "Blood & Chocolate," and for recent developments in his personal life. The sexy French actor and his superstar girlfriend, Kylie Minogue, announced their split on Friday, amid tabloid reports of infidelity.
They said in a statement given to the The ShowBuzz that they made a mutual decision to go their separate ways but will remain close friends.
Martinez stars as the leader of a pack of wolves in the new thriller that he filmed last year in Romania with actors Hugh Dancy and Agnes Bruckner. Earlier this month, the private actor, who does not speak openly about his personal life, talked with The ShowBuzz about the film and about his interests outside of the movie industry.
Audiences in the U.S. may know him best from 2002's drama "Unfaithful," in which he played the man who woos Diane Lane away from her husband, but Martinez says that taking his latest role as Gabriel, a wolf looking for a new mate in "Blood & Chocolate," was one of his biggest acting challenges yet.
"I'm fascinated by the wild in general and especially by the wolf; it's beautiful, smart, interesting animal. And, it's very rare for an actor to have the possibility to play an animal," he says. "That was most of the reason why I do the movie. I studied wolves for a while, I was with them in the cage and everything. It was cool."
Real wolves were on the set of the film with a trainer, but Martinez said that he wasn't at all fearful of the wild animals. Even though he didn't have to do it for the movie, he allowed one wolf to jump on his chest.
"If you are able a little to read the signs, it's not very dangerous. I didn't feel any danger around them. But I knew at any moment something could happen, but it's like in life. It's more dangerous to cruise the road," he says.
The actor has experienced the dangers of cruising the road first hand. About 15 years ago, he was in a severe motorcycle accident that almost left him in a wheel chair.
"At that time I was very safe and a stupid driver did the wrong thing and I couldn't avoid the accident. It was not my fault," he says. "Most of the time bikers are cautious about if they fall, they might die. They watch out. The helmet saved my life."
Perhaps the near-death experience honed his fearless outlook on life and allowed him to stick by his ex-girlfriend while she battled cancer in recent years. He's clearly a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of guy — so much so that he doesn't even like to speak about future projects.
"It's part of my job to not know what's going to be next. It's how I live anyway, just in the moment," he says.
Spend a few moments with Martinez and it becomes evident that he could be every adventurous girl's dream. He rides motorcycles, sails boats, travels the world — jet setting from L.A. to Europe to Africa. He could fit the bill of modern day renaissance man.
Sailing is one of his biggest passions. He owns a vintage wooden Alden sailboat that he often takes out on the Mediterranean to see where "the wind pushes us."
"A sail boat is a fantastic way to travel because what is important in a sail boat is not to go from one point to another — it's the opposite of the plane. Between this point and this point, that's where the story happens, so it's the opposite," he says.
There is at least one thing that Martinez is fearful of and that's airplanes. "I don't like the plane. I'm scared in planes, I fake it. I don't show it, but I don't like planes. It's funny because I can be in a storm in the sea and I'm not scared," he says.
Even growing older doesn't seem to faze the actor, who turned 41 on Jan. 12. He recently gathered with close friends and family members to celebrate.
"I usually don't celebrate my birthday. I don't like birthdays, who cares? I mean, one year more or less. But this year it was organized behind my back and I couldn't say anything, with people I love and it's nice. I went somewhere special but I cannot tell (where) … but it was not a stripper club! No, no, no, it was more traditional. It was in a place. I'm mysterious. I like to be mysterious!" he says with a laugh.
Martinez says he doesn't have plans for another important upcoming holiday and his reasons would make any girl swoon.
"Everyday should be Valentine's Day," he says. "I don't like just having a day for lovers. I mean, if you love, you love every day. You can celebrate it every day."
By Amy Bonawitz