Steven Bauer nicely fits the bill of the modern day movie star.
First of all, he looks like one. Born to that particular personal destiny,
he is, morever, a true rarity, a naturally respectful good-guy, with
a reassuringly fresh and open personality. On film, as in life, he provides
the ideal hero, if occasionally outmatched by insurmountable odds. Amidst
the twisted turmoil, out of a sympathy you gain for him, you find yourself
wishing, wanting, waiting for him to succeed.
USA Films recently hosted a press screening of director Steven
Soderbergh's labrynthine masterpiece, 'Traffic'. Soderbergh also directed
the acclaimed 1999 film, 'The Limey', and this year's highly successful
social consciousness raising 'Erin Brockovich'. The lights went down.
There was a shudder of anticipation, but almost nothing could have prepared
this small group of afficionados for the dense story about to unfold.
As the end titles rolled, there was perfect silence. From nowhere,
a voice invited us to meet a few of the stars: "Please follow me."
One's eye naturally gravitates to Steven Bauer. He often portrays
precise characters, subtly strategic thinkers who are highly charismatic,
if in a conservative format. The effect is sexy, in a man's-man sort
of way. While his good looks are reassuring rather than threatening,
and highly representative of the star that he is, in person this classically-trained
actor is masculine, focused, informally professional, economical in
movement, and lively in conversation.
The roguishly handsome actor displays an uncanny ability to
remain at east in any situation. In public he is surprisingly accessible,
possessed of a disarmingly contagious charm, backed by a presentation
of total sincerity. He shows great patience with the many people who
recognize him in public, treating each to his full attention,for as
long as time permits: "I'm perfectly comfortable with that situation.
Actually, I've never felt much difference between myself and the 'man-on-the-street.'
I AM the man on the street. They are expressing their gratitude and appreciation.
They ask what I am doing and often tell me how my movies have influenced
their lives. How could I be less than gracious? Not only that, throughout
the years that human contact has provided the greater part of the inspiration
for my life as well as my work... I thrive on it!"
SCARFACE
Steven Bauer's unforgettable performance as 'Scarface's' Manny-
the classic easy-going nice-guy - won him a permanent place in Hollywood's
fictional firmament. 'Scarface' suggests from the start that Manny's
nice-guy tendencies-the real reason audiences care about his characters-
will eventually cross him in the end. As in so many of his subsequent
roles, Steven finds himself counterpoised against his nemesis, an increasingly
inhuman, power-mad monster. In this case it is Al Pacino's blustering
Tony Montana, Miami drug lord turned cocaine-vacuum-cleaner.
STOLEN HEARTS CLUB
Next up was 'Thief of Hearts', a cult favorite in which a bit
of second story work turns weirdly romantic. It's fans may not be as
inclined to mention the film's controversial story, but Steven created
an indelible impression in not a few minds playing an art-thief-with-a-heart.
Divided between his loyalties to his social and anti-social proclivities,
Steven is, again, the proficient professional, this time as a burglar
whose specialty is fine-art theivery. After teaming up with an old partner
in crime (played with great exuberance by a young David Caruso) he finds
himself on the brink of major criminal success, but he's torn by an overriding
desire to separate himself from the criminal affiliations made suddenly
unacceptable by his latest romantic liaison. The scenes are powerful and
the dialogue realistic: "There is an interesting story there," Steven continues,
"something like a dream come true. David and I were able to rework the dialogue
and present our ideas to the director. He liked a lot of what we brought
him so that helped us really tie the characters together in a realistic way."
His voice becomes more animated when he recalls circumstances surrounding
the production of 'Thief of Hearts': "Right after 'Scarface', Don Simpson
and Jerry Bruckheimer approached me about a project. "Top-secret so don't
say anything but this is the hottest script in town," they told me. It was
called 'Top Gun'. "You're just right for the lead! This role will make you
a star! About that time Tom Cruise hits it big with 'Risky Business' and
the next thing I know he's in 'Top Gun'! Well, that's Hollywood. I'm sure
I've stepped on a few toes myself."
CAUGHT IN 'Traffic'
Watching 'Traffic' may leave you speechless. After such thorough
examination of a phenomenon as complex, there is almost nothing to say.
The story is adapted from a British television show called "Traffik" that
examined international drug smuggling. Soderbergh's 'Traffic' is about
the smuggling of drugs across the Mexico-U.S. border at Tijuana. The
film examines America's carefully-regulated War on Drugs in unprecedented
detail, from top to bottom, an overwhelming experience. The story is structured
to take more than two hours for the last pin to fall into place. After
watching 'Traffic' you get a remarkably accurate picture of how the overall
system works, or more specifically, how it does not work. The final product
is a staggering biopsy of a system of modern warfare in which [to quote the
movie's advertising] "No One Gets Away Clean".
GOING TO LA JOLLA IN MY MIND
As the movie opens we find Steven incarnated as Carl Ayala,
a picture-perfect La Jolla husband, the handsome man and the right
credentials. Matched against Catherine Zeta-Jones' hard-driven Helen
Ayala. Until now he has appeared as a stable provider of fast-new money
ensconced in a deep-Old Money background - Carl is handsome, sexy, and
considered very successful if perhaps slightly eccentric - but government
agents will soon burst that pretty balloon.
Carl Ayala is the story's essential missing link. The man who
pulls the strings. At one point one of Ayala's principal enemies, General
Salazar (Tomas Milian), brags to Benicio Del Toro's character, Javier
Rodriguez: "My strategy is more profound". "Fate will demonstrate his
strategy's weaknesses. The Ayala character knows that, above all, power
follows money. Between the story's mystery and the action surrounding
him, either Carl Ayala, his money, his associates, or his name serve as
the fulcrum around which the big picture revolves.
HAVANA FAREWELL
The Echevarria family first left Havana in 1959, only months after Castro's
revolución. Esteban "Rocky" Echevarria was three at the time.
Arriving in Miami in 1960, Esteban was immediately enrolled in public
school where he showed an early appreciation for academics - especially history,
literature, and art. After graduating from Miami Coral Park High School
in West Dade in 1974, his greatest ambition was almost to become a football
player, but for the call of the stage. His collegiate dramatic successes
began with a role in "Summer and Smoke" for Miami Dade Community College.
A timely trip to Europe soon inspired him to enroll in the University
of Miami's highly-regarded theatrical department, headed at the time by Bob
"Buckets" Lowery.
"As it turned out, my junior college sociology teacher, Manny Mendoza, was
producing a show called "Que Pasa, USA?" He asked me to read for the
role of Joe Peña, the typical all-American Cubano teenager caught in
the tug of war between cultures. They had been trying to cast the role for
three months. Well, I walked in. I was Joe Peña!
It turned out to be the first bilingual sitcom! The first season
was aired in Miami, but the show was picked up by PBS for national broadcast
after the first season. They syndicated us across the United States, and it
still airs nationwide to this day."
"After several seasons divided between television and stagework, "Que Pasa"
began catching the attention of Hollywood casting agents. Tony Bill
was directing a movie called Boulevard Nights. His casting agent,
Vivian McRae, called to inform me that they were flying me to Hollywood for
a screen test!" That trip convinced him a move to Hollywood was in order
if he was ever going to realize his true ambitions: "I was fortunate
to have a teacher at the University of Miami named Ron Feinberg, a Hollywood
actor who was teaching the business of acting in Miami on a one-year assignment.
He believed in my potential. He was stuck in Miami so he offered
to let me stay at his home in Beverly Hills while I got a career started.
Ron became my first manager, introduced me to my first agent, and helped
me get a foothold in the business."
It was about this time Steven decided to change his name. Rocky
had just been released and Stallone's character was fast becoming a household
name. "It became too much to introduce myself as 'Rocky'. Not
to mention the fact that most Americans found it difficult to pronounce Echevarria,
so I chose my maternal grandmother's name, Bauer. Esteban became Steven
and there you have it!" he explains with a laugh.
During a time he was making guest appearances on numerous television shows,
Steven met and married actress Melanie Griffith. The couple soon moved to
New York to study with Stella Adler. Steven then won the supporting
lead role in Scarface, and received a Golden Globe Award nomination
from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for his work. He became
suddenly famous, a success, it seemed, almost overnight.
In 1985 Steven and Melanie had a son, Alexander. In 1990 Steven had
another son, Dylan, a product of his second marriage. "The two relationships
that brought my sons will always be very special to me. These two boys
each have a special light. They continuously teach me about the responsibilities
of a man in the modern world, and I, in turn, am able to pass on to them the
learning I have accumulated over a journey through life. For them I
am eternally thankful."
VIVA HOLLYWOOD! Primal Fear, Raising Cain, Stranger By Night, Wild Side, The Beast, Sweet
Poison, Warm Texas Rain, Sword of Gideon, Wildfire, the Michael Mann production
of NBC's Drug Wars: The Camarena Story, and a recent cameo role
in For Love and Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story with Andy
Garcia, his long-time Miami friend, all of Steven Bauer's many performances
over the years have displayed clear elements of the charisma we find in the
great movie stars: A wrinkled smile reminiscent of Clark Gable's earlier,
racier roles; the pure good looks of a Mel Ferrer or Tyrone Power; the spare
movement of a young Gary Cooper or James Stewart; the boundless exuberance
of Burt Lancaster; the taciturn rebellion of the classic Bronson; with a
bit of Brando brooding thrown in for good measure.
Beyond his acting, Steven brings to the screen an iconic value - at this
point he's almost a brand name, known and recognized everywhere. Perhaps
that is why Director Steven Soderbergh cast him. Rumor has it that during
a discussion regarding the casting of the role of Carl Ayalla, Soderbergh's
casting director, Lisa Zane, made a suggestion: "What about Steven Bauer?"
Soderbergh agreed immediately. "Perfect! Of course! Why
didn't I think of that?"
For this classically trained actor, the role in Traffic may prove
a defining moment. It may be an awakening for new fans, but it is above
all a general realization of an actor's destiny: "My judgment is better
so my options are more carefully thought out. Being cast in Traffic
confirms that learning from your mistakes is acceptable. You can
even repeat them a few times. I have learned a great deal about life
over the years, which is essential for an actor. And I've enjoyed the
process. Now I'm ready for anything."
Circumstances suggest the best is yet to come for Mr. Steven Bauer.
