Dreamy Paul Walker gets into a nightmarish situation in Running Scared, an incredible and incredibly violent, profane, and sexy film, directed by Wayne Kramer [The Cooler]. The actor and the director spoke to The San Francisco Bay Times about sex, language, and working with children in their intense new film.

(San Francisco Bay Times:) Paul, this is perhaps your most mature screen role to date. Is this a new direction for your career?

(Paul Walker:) It’s definitely different from the stuff I did in the past. It’s a bit more grown up, too. I had fun doing The Fast and the Furious movies. I came up doing teen comedies Varsity Blues and She’s All That. A lot of people forget I was in Pleasantville. I pick and choose. They like the way I look, so I was cast in certain roles for one reason or another. As times gone on, [and with] a little more marquee value, you get an opportunity to make movies like this—that’s what it’s all about to me. I’m really competitive with myself, and I look at [my career] and say, with every movie I’ve done, I’ve improved. I’ve come leaps and bounds and I just hope to continue to do that, that more opportunities will present themselves. I was fortunate that Wayne was gracious and gave me an opportunity to do this movie. I’m surprised, to be honest. I saw The Cooler, and I really believed in what he could do, and I was intimidated by the role, but I was so grateful.

You got to drive pretty fast and furious in this film. Do you still have your Nissan Skyline?

I still have it. It’s my trophy car. I never drive it. It just sits parked.

How did you get in touch with the character of Joey, the mob flunkie?

For me it’s more attitude than anything. I grew up on the west coast, in the San Fernando Valley, which is nominally Latino. I had a lot of Latino friends, a lot of [whom] were gangsters. I knew the attitude, the mindset. It carries over from coast to coast. A gangster is a gangster. The street smarts, the attitude,  maybe it’s a different way of walking [demonstrates] I’m not walking duck-footed, or Latino stance [in Running Scared] I’m not doing that, but the attitude [is there] and there’s something to be said about wardrobe and costuming the black coat it really changes you.

You sport a Joisey accent, and curse a blue streak. What about all of the f-ing bad language in the film? Do you normally speak like that?

I did after the movie. I’m still working it out. It was scripted. There was some in it, but not nearly like what we ended up doing.

(Wayne Kramer:) The script was pretty profane, of course, but I would say half the language in the film was on the page, and the other half after the thought. I like to unleash actors. When they are playing such intense scenes, I’m not going to censor what comes out of their mouths. That’s the reality. When someone hits you in the face with a gun, it’s Fuck You! That’s how these guys are. I’ve never understood the panic about profanity. I think the bullets are more serious.

There’s an old line in Hollywood about never working with animals and children. You’ve just done both, with Eight Below and now Running Scared. Did you have any concerns about playing against dogs and kids?

(PW:) Hell, no. Kids are tougher; they have dialogue, but these kids [were] great. I loved being around them. The hardest part was [trying to] keep them on their game. I like to keep things loose, and I try to create a healthy environment, which sounds crazy when you consider the nature of this movie, but they are kids after all. You have to work hard and bust your ass, especially with Alex [Neuberger, who plays Walker’s character’s son] who wanted to bring it. He wanted to be as good as he possibly could.

That sex scene with Vera Farmiga [who plays Walker’s on-screen wife] was pretty sexy and intense. How much fun was that to film?

I enjoyed it. I had a great time. The thing about it was, that it’s impossible not to be sensitive to [Vera’s] situation of being the only woman on the set. She’s surrounded by a crew of 30 guys.

(WK): Vera was somebody who came to us and said, let’s make this even sexier. She’s a bold actress, not afraid of her sexuality, and not afraid to do nudity. I take my hat off to [her].

(PW): Saying it is one thing, but then to really feel it the day of we just went for broke. She wanted to outdo The Cooler.

(WK): I’m getting this reputation for doing male on female oral sex scenes in my movies. That will be my trademark.

Paul, you don’t do a lot of sex scenes in your films. Was this scene difficult?

(PW): Well, the majority of [my films] are PG-13. I’d [have more sex] if it was appropriate, if it works.

(WK): I think the audience is begging for it. How can you look like that [indicates Paul] and not be obsessed with sex?

(PW): If it’s not gratuitous, but it was appropriate with this. I loved what [Wayne] said, that it’s a young couple that have been together for 10 years, and are still hot and heavy for one another. Early on, you get the dynamic, and understand the relationship.

Running Scared is about family. What is your family like?

(PW): I was pretty fortunate. My family did their best to hold it together. My parents are separated now, my mom’s a pioneer woman. She had to be. My dad’s a tough cat. He’s a Vietnam Vet and a reborn biker. I was raised Mormon, and I don’t know if my mom’s going to see this, [laughs] but I don’t think she’s going to be able to resist. She knows how much it meant to me, and how much I loved being a part of it, and how proud I am of it. She will see it, and she will be happy for me. My father said he had a really hard time watching it.

This film has some pretty nightmarish situations. What’s your worst nightmare?

(PW): My dreams are crazy. I have re-occurring dreams that are unbelievable. They are a lot like this movie. [Laughs] Crazy, crazy dreams. Too long to explain.