Buddy Movie

Russell Crowe as Buddy Cianci? That's hard to envision.
Russell Crowe played John Nash [in A Beautiful Mind], he played the cigarette guy [Jeffrey Wigand in The Insider]; fascinating characters. None of them have the characters Buddy had - an amazingly flawed human being. You get to play funny, tough, sad, sweet, sexy.

Sounds like you knew Buddy.
I have known Buddy and about Buddy my whole life. Indirectly, Buddy was responsible for my career. He kept Trinity [Repertory Company] alive. If you know anything about Providence, you know Buddy. He's a politically driven genius.

Is that why he was so loved and hated?
He could run from prison right now and win. He just would.

Do you know him too well? Will The Prince of Providence be an honest portrayal?
This will be Buddy, warts and all.

Any films you can draw from to tell Buddy's story?
Oh, of course. All the King's Men, The Last Hurrah, Raging Bull, Citizen Kane - a guy who was bigger than life who got caught up in it. Whether he did it for the right reasons, I don't think anybody gives a [expletive].

Tell me a Buddy story.
At his sentencing, the judge kept calling him Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Later, Buddy said to someone, "If I'm Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, how come I didn't get two [expletive] paychecks?" That's Buddy in a nutshell.

How will you handle his toupee?
His hair is an important part of the character. Should he wear it, change it, add a little salt and pepper? It's like another character on top of his head.

You and I both grew up in Rhode Island. What is it with our state's dirty politicians?
I think the politics in Rhode Island go on everywhere else in the country, except Rhode Island is 30 by 60 miles, so it's the most densely populated state. It generates dramatic infighting. We don't have a football team. Politics is our sport.

What do you love about the state?
I love that it is one crazy, happy, dysfunction junction. You get the sense it's one big happy family here. Everything's so familiar. The Italian influence in this state certainly has influenced my life.

It seems tamer with Mayor David Cicilline.
Cicilline cares about Rhode Island. He is openly gay, incredibly accessible to everyone in the state. He inherited a lot of baggage.

Speaking of that baggage, how do you think Buddy's doing in jail?
Buddy's a survivor. I hear he's reading a lot, in good shape. The last chapter in that guy's life is far from over.