Andy Garcia has built one of the most respected and multi-dimensional careers
in entertainment with an impressive resume that includes portrayals as diverse
as Cuban musician Arturo Sandoval, Italian painter and sculptor Amedeo
Modigliani,  casino owner Terry Benedict
and his latest, Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili. During a recent visit to New York I sat down with Garcia to talk about his latest and future projects.

Garcia
is a writer, director, producer, Grammy winning musician and music producer and
a devoted family man married to his high school sweetheart since 1982. He gained international stardom as well as Academy Award and Golden Globe
nominations for his role as heir apparent Vincent Mancini in the legendary classic
“The Godfather Part III.” But he is much more than an actor.

We spoke with the
Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree during his visit to accept the HBO NY
Latino International Film Festival’s Impact Award. In a revealing conversation Garcia talks about portraying a sitting president in Renny Harlin’s powerful war drama “5 Days of War,” his
role as executive producer in “Magic City Memoirs,”  his upcoming projects and the love for his
family.

HOMBRE: “5 Days of
War” deals with the armed conflict between Georgia and Russia, what attracted
you to the film?
Andy Garcia: It was a very challenging role.  You have a sitting president dealing with a
major crisis in his country, so it’s a heightened dramatic state. I like Renny
as a director and it’s a genre he handles well.

H: What is the
message of the film?
AG: To me this is an anti-war movie. There is nothing that
should not be resolved diplomatically. That’s what you hope for. There are
situations that are unavoidable like World War II and Nazi Germany with all the
atrocities. But you hope that as a society if there is respect there will be no
regret. That’s how I look at it.

H: Tell us about
the film?
AG: Someone told me that the film is like the first 12
minutes of “Saving Private Ryan” except that it lasts two hours. It’s very
visceral. You have relentless anxiety watching it.  From a creative standpoint it’s a very good
war movie and Renny should be commended. When I first saw it, the reality of
that first scene took me by surprise. It captures the brutality of war very
well.

H: The film may be
controversial for its take on the war, what is your opinion on that?
AG: To me it’s an artistic process. It’s not a political
process. You have to see the script, who’s directing it and then you make a
decision. I don’t make movies with agendas. It’s an artistic decision.

H: Did you know you were the Georgian
President’s favorite actor?
AG: I didn’t know that going in. I would have charged more money! (laughs)

H: Can you share
an anecdote about filming in the presidential palace?
AG: The phone would ring and I would pick it up and say ‘Putin
I’ll call you back’ (laughs). You have to make light of it. You’re in the
president’s office and the phones are ringing!

H: How did you
become involved in “Magic City Memoirs”?
AG: It’s a movie I knew of about because my daughter was
in it. An independent movie out of Florida by young filmmakers. Written, acted
and produced by young people. I went to visit the set and they showed me some
dailies and said ‘we’d like to get your opinion once we finish.’ I said I’d be
glad to see it, but don’t wait until you’re finished. When you have an assembly
of the film come to LA and we’ll sit down and watch it. After seeing it I gave
them my impressions of the movie and they came back the next day and said ‘Can
you help us?’ The movie’s raw material was so powerful, so beautifully acted, so
beautifully shot, an important subject matter, filled with reality. I just
thought the storytelling was off. It didn’t need other things; just things were
in the wrong spots. I really got involved in the post-production aspect,
helping them find the movie that represented the strongest version of what they
had shot. They asked me if I would be executive producer and I said I’d be
honored and I’d do what I could do to help. I thought the message was extremely
important and if the movie can save just one life it would be a worthy cause.
That’s why I’m involved.

H: Were you
concerned about your daughter’s romantic scenes?
AG: It doesn’t bother me. I know where the guy lives
(laughs). It’s in the contract. 

H: Did you work on the soundtrack for “Magic City
Memoirs”?
AG: No, the kids made all the choices. I was involved in
the editing room. Structural things. One of my main contributions was to start the
film with the boy’s memoirs. They had it 25 minutes into the film. I said no,
that’s the first shot of the film. The movie starts with his point of view. And
they hadn’t thought of that. And it’s not a genial thing. Sometimes you need someone
from the outside to have a fresh eye, to push you and nudge in the right
direction. So whatever wisdom I can bring after so many years of knocking my
head against the wall you share that with the kids and that’s important, it’s
important to me anyway.

H: What’s coming
up next?
AG: “Cristiada,” about the Cristeros war in Mexico in the
20’s is in post. I just finished a movie called “Open Road” with Camilla Belle
where I play a homeless father. I’m sure there are others but once I do things
I kind of let them go. Unless I’m involved as producer or creatively, like
“Cristiada;” I’m still chiming in on that. But I have personal projects I
constantly want to get off the ground. I have a project I wrote about Hemingway
that I’m trying to complete financing for, which I’m also going to direct. I
have a couple of comedies, a couple of independent films we’re in the process
of casting.

H: How do you feel about being
recognized by the HBO International Latino Film Festival?
AG: It’s flattering that someone thinks of you and they
want to give you an award. Especially for something that you value, that you’ve
dedicated your life for, it’s your work. I’m very honored. Especially in this Festival.
It’s an important festival because it gives a forum and an opportunity to young
filmmakers to show their work. These kinds of things I like to support and do
whatever I can.

H: Are there other
living or historical personalities you would like to portray?
AG: I’ve written a part in my Hemingway movie to play the
character of Gregorio Fuentes who was his captain and inspired him to write
‘The Old Man and the Sea.’ I’ve gotten too old to play Jose Marti but it’s a
character that really fascinated me. I’d like to make a movie about him.

I had
the pleasure of playing Modigliani which is a character I enjoyed a lot. Arturo
Sandoval is in a way historical, it’s an actual person, a real life character.
I tend to lean to characters in my own culture because I’m very stimulated by
composers who have an incredible body of work. Somebody asked me about playing
Chopin. I have no idea if I look like Chopin but someone mentioned it. In
theory that would be very stimulating. I would need to read the script. People
play Toulouse-Lautrec and they’re not 4 foot 5 so there’s a lot of things you
could do sometimes. While I was in Russia someone suggested I should play Putin
so you never know. Imagination is a beautiful thing.

H: What do you
like to do when not filming?
AG: I have a family and that keeps me pretty busy. I have
a 9 year old boy which takes up a lot of time in your schedule to stay young
and engaged in his life. My girls are older and do their own thing but the 9
year old needs attention. So I do that. I like to fish, I play golf. My vices
are not too complicated. 

I play music every day I would say that’s my addiction.

I play piano and percussion.  I still have a band, we still perform. I have
a desire to record another album with original material of mine. I have the
stuff written, I just haven’t had the time. It’s more of a personal artistic
venture. The music business is hard. My music is classic traditional Cuban
music or as my cousin likes to say it’s Cuban music hipped out. Or ‘Hipiado,’
Cuban hippie music is how he called it. I guess you can say it’s hip Cuban
music. To me all Cuban music is hip.

 Andy Garcia Photographed exclusively for HOMBRE by Bradley Thurber

Location: Loews Regency Hotel, New York, NY

Special Thanks: Gabriel Reyes, Reyes Entertainment