OnlineHost: Copyright 1997 Oldsmobile; licensed to America Online, Inc.

OnlineHost: Your hosts this evening are NINA (AOLiveMC14) and TERRI (AOLiveMC15).

OnlineHost: Andrew Divoff is the star of Wes Craven's current film, "Wishmaster." He can also be seen hijacking Harrison Ford in the Columbia/TriStar blockbuster action-thriller, "Air Force One." Other past credits include "Another 48 Hours," "Graveyard Shift," "Toy Soldiers," "Low Down Dirty Shame" and "Deadly Voyage." Welcome to AOL Live!

AOLiveMC14: Good evening and welcome, ANDREW DIVOFF! We're glad you could join us this evening.

Adivoff: Thank you. Good to be with you guys.

AOLiveMC14: LeeLyn370 has the honor of the first question this evening:

Question: Do you ever do your own stunts?

Adivoff: Yes, I do. And I have several times. It really started with Another 48 Hours where I did a lot of my own riding, but that's thanks to my stunt double John Alden. He really helped me along. He trained me and was always watchful. He's a very good stuntman.

AOLiveMC14: I LuvPlay is up next with this question for Mr. Divoff:

Question: What do you enjoy most about your profession?

Adivoff: That I get to inhabit different lives. I get to become different people and have to step back and observe and try to get out of my own boundaries. The expectations we put on ourselves.

AOLiveMC14: GROUNDSHK has this question:

Question: This is for Andrew. Do you as an actor ever get caught up in your mind and everyday life by some of the characters you play? And I want to say you did an excellent job both in Air Force one and Wishmaster.

Adivoff: Thanks very much for the compliment and for going to see them. I appreciate the support. Sometimes people's perception might seem that I am standoffish in a crowd, but it's most usually is that. But I'm usually concentrating on the character and the scene, and trying to make it better. But it never comes to the point where I use it as an excuse for a lack of humanity.

AOLiveMC14: DarkBld asks:

Question: How did it feel to portray a character who was so blatantly sadistic?

Adivoff: Well, you know it's interesting for me to hear different people's description of The Wishmaster. I can only say that as an actor, it was truly a joy to inhabit that character and to have fun with it. The Wishmaster was way more far fetched than its human counterpart. It really gives me great joy that people went to see the movie and got the character. They went for the ride, and every now and then they got tickled by it.

AOLiveMC14: MEPBlue has this one:

Question: On the set of Wishmaster and other movies do you use or did you use interns?

Adivoff: Interns . . . there are sometimes interns in some departments. As you know, the movie industry is covered by the unions that represent every craft. There are ways through those unions of ways to become an apprentice. I do not know if there were interns. There were some who came by and who did some of the assistant work, who keep their eyes and ears open. You definitely get an education being on the set.

AOLiveMC14: GROUNDSHK has another one for us tonight:

Question: Andrew what was the thing that really drove you to act in the first place and further, whom do you consider your mentors and the greatest actors and actresses of all time and the greatest influence on you as an actor?

Adivoff: That's a fantastic question. Let me answer the latter part first. Actors who have influenced me: I was very lucky to see one of my favorite actors in New York. Christopher Plummer portraying Barrymore, an American legend. Christopher Plummer is certainly one of my favorites. Morgan Freeman is one of my favorites. I like Glenn Close very much. As far as mentors, the man who brought me out of my shell -- and it's very fitting that word mentor is Greek - Milton Katstelas. As far as what drove me, as a young man, I always knew that I had a creative bent and I wanted to pursue it. I sculpt. and I draw. I have for most of my life. I'm very glad and it's affirming to me when people take the time to be interested in me and what I do. Part of what makes me want to show off as it were is my ego. I think I have something to show, and I'm proud to show it.

AOLiveMC14: Witt217 asks this:

Question: WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MAJOR MOVIE ROLE?

Adivoff: I would have to say that my first major movie role was my first movie. It was Another 48 Hours. I played the character of Cherry Ganz, and I was lucky enough to meet James Remarr, my brother in the first 48 Hours. After that, my favorite role -- partly because it's my father's favorite role -- is in a movie called Toy Soldiers. I give a lot of credit to the writer/director, Daniel Petrie, who was really supportive and took a chance on me. That was really one of the highlights of my career.

AOLiveMC14: MrMarcers asks:

Question: What was it like for you acting with an actor such as Harrison Ford?

Adivoff: Oh, wow. It was an absolute treat. The man is a professional and the man's man in the true sense of the phrase. He was inspiring both to the cast and the crew. I have to say that whoever wasn't paying attention when Mr. Ford was on the set was missing some valuable lessons. As a tidbit for you, Harrison Ford and I really hit it off because we did that fight in Air Force One. We both left with a higher respect for the other, and I have nothing but good things to say about Mr. Ford.

AOLiveMC14: Sounds like LeeLyn370 might be hoping:

Question: Are you married?

Adivoff: I am married and actually separated right now. I basically enjoy my life up in the mountains. I just go there. It's recharging for me, and it gives me a chance to get back to myself.

AOLiveMC14: LeeLyn370 also asks this next question:

Question: What was working with Wes Craven like?

Adivoff: Wes Craven was on the set a couple of times. He really sort of would come and observe. I met him, and he's actually a very quiet, unassuming gentleman. Of course, he was once a Professor of Humanities, and I understand has quite a vast knowledge. A very erudite man. But he was really very quiet and unassuming, and more than anything had a relationship with the director Robert Kurzman, and would conference with him and would let him know how he thought it was going.

AOLiveMC14: AnnaCon1 asks this next question:

Question: Wes Craven's Scream was awesome! How does Wishmaster compare?

Adivoff: It only compares that it has the name Wes Craven in it. Scream has a lot of humor in it. There is that same sort of self-deprecating humor in Wishmaster. What I liked about Wishmaster was I liked the roller coaster ride, and it contained the comedy that would make you laugh now and then. The other part was the special effect makeup.

AOLiveMC14: Elek555 asks:

Question: Do you like horror, action/adventure, or drama the best?

Adivoff: I like being an actor the best. I believe as an actor, I should be prepared and prepare myself to excel in any genre. That includes the daunting prospect of learning how to sing. But I must say that right now, I'm sort of at my prime for doing the action and I get a kick out of them. There's sort of a release from doing the very intense dramatic roles, which I like very much. It sort of does give me a chance to mention the upcoming Captured, which will star Frank Mancuso. That's a really intense story. I'll be happy to be getting into it and I'll be starting it in November. The story is intense and will be a big challenge for me.

AOLiveMC14: Witt217 has a Wishmaster question:

Question: HOW DID YOU COME TO GET THE ROLE YOU PLAYED IN WISHMASTER?

Adivoff: I mentioned Toy Soldiers before. That was one of the director's favorite movies. The director's name is Robert Kurzman, and he was thankfully very supportive of me from the first day we met of my getting the role. So I have to say that he was the instrumental factor.

AOLiveMC14: FLIRT1259 wants to know:

Question: WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO WORK WITH IF IT COULD BE ANYONE?

Adivoff: I would have to say Morgan Freeman. I'd love to work with Morgan Freeman, and there are several actors whom I admire. One is a friend of mine, William Forsyth. I'd love to do a project with him and we've talked about it. There hasn't been the time or place or the project yet.

AOLiveMC14: DarkBld has a nice comment for you:

Question: Wishmaster was the best horror movie I've ever seen. And I've seen a ton of them. You were the perfect Villain.

Adivoff: Wow. That's a wonderful compliment. I've heard the grapevine that it's considered the best independent horror film ever made. I'm not sure what the distinction is, other than the budget. So much was accomplished with the budget they had, but it was largely due to the director who also did the conceptualizing of the special makeup in the movie. He owns a company called KNB Effects, and they produce some of Hollywood's best and scariest special effects.

AOLiveMC14: HollyJoy1 seeks a little bit of advice:

Question: What advice do you give to someone who's not sure where to begin with their acting career?

Adivoff: I would say first and foremost, you have to believe in yourself. I would say if that means beginning with a dance or voice class, or if it just means going to the gym and for now going to the library and reading books on acting and renting the kind of movies you'd see yourself in, and after doing that and having a clear idea of where you're at and where you want to go, then it's time to act and get the job that will allow you to attend the class that will help you get the job. But there's always something that you could be doing.

AOLiveMC14: LeeLyn370 asks: Question: How do you turn on and off the different personalities that you portray?

Adivoff: I would say I understand the delineation between my craft and what I do to live. The two are completely different worlds and so my work is really the most exciting part of my life. That may, in a way, sound sort of weird but I do love what I do. I look forward to every day that I get to do it, but I'm very clear of my distinction of who I am and what I want to be when I leave the set. A large part of it is simply being well-prepared. Good preparation of a character.

AOLiveMC14: SLIKRABIT asks:

Question: What do you look for in a script??

Adivoff: Within the first act, I look for it to make me want to read the rest of it. I look for a challenge, and for a character that really speaks to me. Something of a character that I can speak through and become. I think I'm the luckiest guy in the world.

AOLiveMC14: MAGNAVOX6 would like to know:

Question: Andrew I like to congratulate you for your bright future coming up as an ACTOR. You really deserve the attention and recognition from everyone. Do you have any future PRODUCING job and what kind of movies would they be?.....:-)

Adivoff: That's very kind! Thank you. I would like to make a movie that could, in a way without being preachy, could educate. I speak several languages, and I would love to play otherwise historical characters in these different countries. That is really sort of one of my dream. And I don't know . . . I guess by just pursuing it, goodness, I'm just flattered by the remark. One of my dreams is to play Don Quixote.

AOLiveMC14: Kgator88 asks about your multilingual talents:

Question: In the bio AOL put up for you, it says you speak 9 languages. I'm impressed! How did you get interested in language studies?

Adivoff: Thank you. I was born in Venezuela of an Irish American mom and a Russian dad. I spoke Spanish everywhere, and I also attended an American school as a young child. By the time I came to the States, languages were the obvious things for me. I studied them and I guess obsessed on them to the point where I was basically illiterate in the sciences and math, something which I am remedying every day. I also stay up with my languages. I read publications in different languages, watch movies and listen to radio stations just to keep as current as I can. As I mentioned, I am going to Sitges in Spain for the Sci-Fi Horror Film Festival with Wishmaster. I'll get a chance to speak Catalan again.

AOLiveMC14: FLIRT1259 asks:

Question: WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE?

Adivoff: I would love to do comedy. I think I have a knack for comedy. One of my favorite things about an obscure movie called Oblivion was the chance I had to play a wacky character opposite Issac Hayes. It was a lot of fun. So yes, any venue where I can go and learn and do comedy, especially with a SNL troupe which makes its living off of comedy. I respect that, no question.

AOLiveMC14: RUSSGS asks:

Question: Where was Wishmaster filmed?

Adivoff: Wishmaster was filmed in and around Los Angeles. We used a big big stage up in a place called Chatsworth, and we converted it into several different sets. That including Robert Englund's set/home, where the party was held. We did some location shots at the mansion for the scene with Tony Todd. Very cool guy, Tony Todd. We were also downtown in one of the office buildings. Those were all cool scenes. Those guys were all great . . . sort of my big brother goblins.

AOLiveMC14: TuRbO2Ton asks this about Wishmaster, I presume:

Question: Was any of the script changed or any parts of the film edited that you wish was kept in there?

Adivoff: Yes. There were a lot more special effects. They were curtailed for budget considerations. There was also a way, and it taught me a lesson, a way in which I said a certain line that goes, "The spit just hit the fan." That ended up on the film a different way and I was caught a little off guard. I am a self-critic, and I always feel I can learn something.

AOLiveMC14: Kisk asks:

Question: What languages do you speak??

Adivoff: I speak Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian and then Russian and German.

AOLiveMC14: RUSSGS asks about FX:

Question: Wishmaster was GREAT!!!! How was working with all the special effects?

Adivoff: Thank you very much. It was great, especially the Wishmaster makeup. The first time that I put that makeup on, because it goes on as a neutral color latex and the colors are painted by the artists, I got a chance that first time to sit in my trailer and look at the makeup, and it just blew me away -- the way it looked and the way it moved. It really helped me to get into the character. I can't say enough about KNB effects. Every now and then, it feels weird acting with a green screen behind you which is where they put in the creatures coming out, the fires and beings that are levitated. But it was all fun. Everyone worked hard to make sure it ended up on film and into the theaters. And thank you again for the compliment.

AOLiveMC14: Cagedhrt2 has this to ask about your current film:

Question: Did you have a favorite scene in Wishmaster?

Adivoff: Was there a Cagedhrt1? ;> Hmm . . . I would have to say that one of my favorite scenes as the human persona was the scene with Chris Lemmon. I think the blue eyed character, as I refer to him, was as playful and unthreatening as I can be as an actor, and yet there was this sort of gleeful danger that was ready to explode. I must say, forgive me for dwelling on it, but it was a favorite moment. Another favorite scene is the end scene and working with Tammy Lauren, because she was so great at making me believe that she was scared to death. We were great friends. She was very generous and a very good actress, as anyone who has seen the movie knows.

AOLiveMC14: FLIRT1259 asks:

Question: WOULD YOU EVER WANT TO DIRECT A MOVIE?

Adivoff: Yes! And thanks for all of your questions, first of all. I would like to direct. I have my sights on a short film that I wrote and would like to direct. It's a surreal dream, and it takes place in Golden Gate Park (San Francisco). It's an allegorical tale. I'm sorry. I can only talk about it.

AOLiveMC14: Hakim5630 would like to know:

Question: Mr. Divoff, would you consider yourself a risk taker in the type of roles you select or have played?

Adivoff: Yes I would. I must, before I go any further, I must say that there is nothing that scares me more than mediocrity. I look for challenges in roles, and I have specific expectations about taking chances, risks . . . and learning.

AOLiveMC14: CLMaier has a nice comment:

Question: I wanted to tell you how impressed I was with your guest appearances on Highlander: The Series. You have a wonderful facility with accents!

Adivoff: Thank you very much. And again, thanks for watching those shows. It's really been a treat for me. I got to do one of the very first Highlanders, in which my head was not severed. But we corrected in the last Highlander, I guess. LOL. I lost my head in that one. That was kind of cool, though. We did a bald cap which the makeup girl Carolyn did a wonderful job, to a full wig. It was fun to travel and make that art within that character.

AOLiveMC14: HilandVei also has a question on the same subject:

Question: How was it playing two vastly different characters both times you appeared on Highlander: The Series?

Adivoff: Well, as I said, I think I had enough time in between the two. I did the first one in its first year. It was one of the first shows filmed. The last one was done 8 or 10 months ago. I must say Adrian Paul is a gentleman, and great to work with. It was interesting to see him grow from the time I did the first Highlander to the time when I went back. He grew as an actor. It was rewarding seeing your friends fit into what they're doing, and doing it well. You're happy for them. And he does it well.

AOLiveMC14: Kgator88 has this next question up tonight:

Question: What are the differences in working on a major movie like Wishmaster as opposed to a tv guest spot like the 2 you did for Highlander?

Adivoff: You know, I never allow myself to let those include a budget or the arena in which I have chosen to work. Once I make a choice on a role, I am committed to it 110% and am always very happy. I can always find that each time out, I learn something. As long as I do, I know I'm on the right track.

AOLiveMC14: TuRbO2ToN asks this question:

Question: In working with films like Air Force One and Wishmaster do you ever worry about working with weapons props after what happened with the Brandon Lee incident?

Adivoff: It's a very interesting question, especially because I was thinking about that today. I did a movie with Lou Diamond Phillips about 2 weeks before the accident happened. I met Brandon Lee, and he was as promising a human being as he was an actor. He was in the same class with the same acting coach as I, and when I went back to the classes he came up to me and was very complimentary of my work. Anywhere, there's a scene where Lou shoots me in the mouth. An off screen event. There was a break before we shot the scene. I got down on the scene and requested that I hold the gun. I'm very conscious about being safe, especially with weapons. I handle weapons very well, but I would rather have them out of my hand and in the box. But as we know, the accident to Brandon Lee happened a few weeks later. Lou was devastated -- he was a good friend of Brandon's -- and he gave me a hug. It made what we did in that scene a lot clearer. And of course, we all miss Brandon.

AOLiveMC14: Hakin5630 is up next with this:

Question: Have you ever been approached with doing a foreign (outside of U.S.) film?

Adivoff: I had the great opportunity of working as a dialect coach on a foreign film in Czechoslovakia, which was entirely a foreign production. I have worked overseas, but all of those times were for American companies. It is my goal and focus to find projects in Europe that would allow me to play characters in those various languages.

AOLiveMC14: We have time for one last question from our audience.

AOLiveMC14: And this honor goes to TerriKewl:

Question: Is there any part of your career that you would change? And if so, what would that be?

Adivoff: The wonderful thing about my career and any true actor's career is that it is in constant change. That is really the very joy of it. If I would change anything, some days I think there were 12 hours in a day. Some other days, I wish there was 124. But I'm quite happy to focus on new challenges and new roles.

AOLiveMC14: Thanks for joining us tonight, ANDREW DIVOFF! It was a pleasure having you here!

Adivoff: First of all, I want to thank everybody, especially to everyone who had repeat questions. Thanks for sharing your time with me. As far as Wishmaster goes, I want to reiterate what a great pleasure it was. I had a chance to tell the crew and cast that it was an experience I will never forget. It was a labor of love on all levels, and I'm very proud of it. And thank you again for your time.

AOLiveMC14: Thank you also to our wonderful audience tonight! You had some great questions! That's all for now, folks! Good night everyone!

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