Veteran actor and filmmaker Robert Davi (“Licence to Kill”) chatted about his iconic career and his latest endeavors.
The late four-star U.S. Army general and former Secretary of State Colin Powell once said: “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” An individual who is the epitome of this quote is Robert Davi.
Davi is an award-winning actor, screenwriter, director, producer and jazz vocalist. With over 140 film and TV credits, he has frightened us, romanced us, made us cry or had us in laughs.
‘Licence to Kill’
He is known for his portrayal of the opera singing baddie in “The Goonies” and as one of the most popular James Bond villains Franz Sanchez in “Licence to Kill” to FBI Special Agent Big Johnson in” Die Hard” or Al Torres in “Showgirls” to most recently Leo Marks in “The Iceman.”
Simply put: Robert Davi is one of the film industry’s most recognized tough guys.
On being a part of “License to Kill,” he said, “Doing a James Bond film is every actor and producer’s dream. Every actor grew up with the Bond franchise, it’s the most successful series in film history, so to be part of that legacy is wonderful.”
He has also starred in the small screen in hit shows like “Profiler,” “Stargate Atlantis,” “Criminal Minds,” and “CSI.”
‘Davi Sings Sinatra’
He is also one of the top vocalists of our day in interpreting the Great American Songbook. His debut album “Davi Sings Sinatra — On the Road to Romance,” produced by Phil Ramone. “That album went to No. 6 on the Billboard Jazz Charts,” he said.
In his early acting years, Davi attended Hofstra University on a drama scholarship. He then moved to Manhattan, New York where he studied with the legendary acting coach Stella Adler, who became his mentor.
Quincy Jones praised Davi and this album, “Wow! I have never heard anyone come this close to Sinatra’s sound, and still be himself. Many try, but Robert David has the voice, the tone, the flavor, and the swagger. What a surprise.”
“Davi absolutely touched me down to my soul and brought back the essence and soul of Ol’ Blue Eyes himself,” Quincy Jones stated about the CD.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, at a time when streaming and technology “You need to grow with the times. We had silent film, then talkies, then black and white, then color and technicolor, and CinemaScope. Technology keeps growing. Even in terms of transportation and what is happening in the world with everything. I can see us traveling and not having us leave our homes. That’s all going to happen, I don’t know if it’s good, but it will be the Meta world. Everything evolves.”
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and aspiring actors, he offered the following quote, which is carved on the tombstone of Nikos Kazantzakis (who wrote the film “Zorba the Greek”): “I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free.” “An actor needs to know his craft, and the history and the lineage of acting,” he underscored.
“Study your craft, study art, and what is happening in the world. Get the truth in politics and not just the one-sidedness of it, and go against the current. Watch great films and great acting,” he said.
“Study Stella Adler,” he added, referring to his mentor.
Background on Robert Davi
Robert Davi was born in Astoria, Queens, to Maria (Rulli) and Sal Davi. His father was an Italian immigrant and his mother was of Italian descent. Davi was introduced to film when he was cast opposite Frank Sinatra in the telefilm, “Contract on Cherry Street.”
Later, his work as a Palestinian terrorist in the award-winning television movie, “Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami” brought him critical acclaim and caught the eye of legendary James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli and writer Richard Maibaum, who cast Davi as Colombian drug lord and lead villain Franz Sanchez in the Bond film “Licence to Kill.” Today, Davi is one of the top Bond villains of all time ranking at the top of many lists.
Davi also received critical acclaim within the industry for his provocative portrayal of Bailey Malone in “Profiler.” The show struck a chord with audiences, paving the way for such shows as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Without a Trace,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Criminal Minds” and many others.
Some of Davi’s most notable film credits span 30 years and include cult-classics and blockbuster hits with roles as Jake Fratelli in “The Goonies,” Max Keller in “Raw Deal,” Special Agent Big Johnson in “Die Hard,” Al Torres in “Showgirls,” Leo Marks in “The Iceman” with Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans and James Franco, and most recently, with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger among a large A-list cast in “Expendables 3.”
He has worked with such esteemed directors as Steven Spielberg, Richard Donner, Blake Edwards, John McTiernan, Paul Verhoeven and Patrick Hughes.
In addition, Davi has worked on film projects with acting talent such as Marlon Brando, Roberto Benigni, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Christopher Walken, Benicio Del Toro, Danny Glover and Catherine Zeta Jones, among others.
‘My Son Hunter’
He spoke about directing the film “My Son Hunter,” which was written by Brian Godawa and Phelim McAleer. It’s a fictional retelling of the lifestyle and scandals of Hunter Biden, the son of American President Joe Biden.
“I read the script and I made some changes, and the writers said ‘absolutely,’ and that’s what happened,” he said.
Special awards and accolades
In 2011, Davi was awarded the “Military Order of the Purple Heart” (MOPH) Special Recognition Award for dedication and service honoring America’s service members, veterans, and their families.
In June of 2013, Davi was honored with a star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto, Canada.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Davi said, “I am just beginning.”
Success
Davi defined the word success simply as “following your dream.” “Success could mean different things such as being there for your family and going after your dream. There are many different areas of success,” he said.
For his fans, he concluded, “The best is yet to come.”
To learn more about actor and filmmaker Robert Davi, check out his IMDb page, and follow him on Instagram.
