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By Woodrow J. Hinton
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"Our new motto is the only thing worth shredding is lettuce," Paul Newman says, entering a Chicago hotel room while balancing a plate of eggs. "Wow," he says, looking over the roomful of reporters. "You're a tough crowd. Maybe I should have brought some samples of salad dressing."
The "motto" is for Newman's company of food products, Newman's Own. The 77-year-old actor is always quick to plug his line of foods. He'll talk about tomato sauces at a moment's notice. "I like to add green olives before I cook it," he says, between bites of scrambled eggs. Actually, what Newman's Own is about -- in fact, what Newman has always been about -- is giving back to people who are less fortunate.
Without doubt, Newman is a Hollywood icon. Yet, his movie career only skims the surface of his charismatic life. You think you know Newman the actor, thanks to countless viewings of his past films. In person, behind the twinkle of his baby blue eyes, Newman the man grabs your attention. He's in good shape, with a slender waist and white hair. His philanthropy equals his love for automobile racing and acting. In addition to his food company, which donates its proceeds to charity, Newman also funds a summer camp for seriously ill children. He gives back, constantly. Still, he doesn't consider himself a philanthropist.
"I've always believed that people who have more should give to those in need," he says. "It's not philanthropy. It's not anything special. It's doing what's right."
Newman has proven his worth as an actor many times over. Today, he's interested in celebrating one role, his latest effort in the gangster drama, Road to Perdition. Newman plays John Rooney, an Irish mob boss who turns on Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), a hit man who he's raised as a son. Newman has talked about finding his "swan song" role before. With Road to Perdition, a surprisingly heartfelt drama that mixes Tommy guns with a father's love for his son, Newman has found the perfect, prestige movie to end his career. Of course, he's not saying his career is over just yet.
"My wife, Joanne, is on the board of the Westport Country Playhouse, and she talked me into starring in a production of Our Town. It was my first time onstage in years, and I'll tell you, I was nervous."
Asked why he decided to return to theater after so many years, Newman answers with a sly grin. "Have you ever seen the Greek play Lysistrata? Well, I rest my case."
It's been 43 years since Newman earned his first Oscar nomination for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Through the years, he's been nominated for roles in Hud, Cool Hand Luke, Absence of Malice, The Verdict and Nobody's Fool. In 1987, Newman won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as pool shark "Fast" Eddie Felson in The Color of Money, reprising a role he played in the 1961 film, The Hustler.
Newman is a dramatic actor at heart. His subtle performance as John Rooney is a continuation of his early stage training at the Actor's Studio. He sports a heavy wool coat, a fedora and a thin mustache as Rooney; a dark three-piece suit and pocket watch completes the period ensemble. His twinkling blue eyes brighten Rooney's somber wardrobe. His sparkling charisma brings an unintended softness to the character. The Depression-era wardrobe suggests a Chicago gangster, but the likable component is Newman's own. In person, he sits up straight and answers questions deliberately, but softly.
He's casually dressed in a blazer and dress slacks. It's a beautiful June morning, and Newman is in Chicago to promote Road to Perdition. As he sits at the edge of a table, he continues to eat his breakfast. He admits he never read the comic book that Road to Perdition is based on. The film's script and the character of John Rooney was enough to tweak his interest. Newman says Rooney is a father figure much like Hanks' character, Michael Sullivan. In fact, in his opinion, Road to Perdition is basically a father-son drama. It's proof that director Sam Mendes is capable of making a different type of gangster drama.
Newman had worked in Chicago before, 15 years earlier for The Color of Money. He likes the Midwestern city and was eager to return, even if it meant working during the dead of winter.
"Years ago, if someone would have asked me to name the great American cities, I would have said New Orleans, Boston and San Francisco. Today, I would add Seattle and Chicago to that list. It's a great city, although it could use a good liberal newspaper."
Road to Perdition is an epic period drama that captures life in Depression-era Chicago. Only Frank Nitti (Stanley Tucci) is a recognizable gangster name. While John Rooney and Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) are not based on real people, their violent lifestyles are familiar. Road to Perdition is part of a long-standing genre, whether it wants to be or not.
There is a polite cadence to Newman's deliberate speech. His words are punctuated by comic asides. He considers carefully everything that he has to say, but refuses to accept his words as gospel. Basically, everyone in the room is in awe of Newman but himself.
"I don't use the word icon," Newman says, speaking quietly. "That's something that the press says to me. I don't consider myself an icon. I've known some: Brando, for example. But not me."
Newman's personal life is as well-known as his acting. His long-standing marriage to actress Joanne Woodward, which took place soon after his 1958 divorce from Jacqueline Witte, qualifies Newman as a poster boy for family life. There are no reports of brawls with security guards and torn-up hotel rooms. Hard-living, for Newman, involves racing cars. He talks reluctantly about his son, Scott, who passed away several years ago from an accidental drug overdose. Newman is a grandfather now, and he takes his private time seriously.
"I can tell you that my grandkids don't consider me an icon," Newman says.
Born in Cleveland, Newman was the son of Arthur Newman, owner of the largest sporting goods store in the Midwest. In the past, he has talked about how his father never approved of his interest in acting. His training at Yale and Kenyon College was considered lightweight. Unfortunately, Newman's father, who passed away in the 1950s, never witnessed his son's rise to fame.
The actor's first break was the 1954 Biblical epic, The Silver Chalice, but later films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting sealed his stardom. Through the years, past his matinee idol period, Newman always remained committed to challenging himself as an actor. He chose a path away from the mainstream projects. In fact, Newman is a mentor for his costars, Tom Hanks and Stanley Tucci.
"Well, what can I say?" Tucci says, speaking earlier in the day. "I was in awe of him (Newman). I went up to meet him and I was tongue-tied, and that doesn't happen often."
In 1994 Newman played a corrupt businessman in The Hudsucker Proxy. He was a weary private eye in Twilight (1998). His work in Road to Perdition is his most accomplished performance in years.
Past photos of a twinkly-eyed Newman remain in our memory. Movies have always been about beautiful people. His good looks were breathtaking. But with Road to Perdition, it's his acting talent that remains constant.
It is impossible to know exactly what Newman will do next. Some members of the press have called Road to Perdition his acting swan song. But it's easy to see a few good performances left in him.
Sitting rigidly in his chair, Newman talks about life in Connecticut, his family and his food company. The conversation is friendly and polite. He's a natural actor, but he doesn't want to speak about his career. Whether he admits it or not, Newman is a Hollywood icon, and he's earned the right to discuss whatever he wants. ©
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