Breach, the story of former FBI agent Robert Hanssen who worked as a spy for the Russians, is a fascinating movie due in part to the great performances of the cast. Actors Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe plus director Billy Ray and Eric O'Neill, the former FBI agent who shadowed Hanssen, recently sat down for interviews to talk about the film.

Q. Billy, what caused your initial interest in this film?

Billy Ray:  I tend to be attracted to stories that are about deception…or characters who are able to compartmentalize, to live one kind of life on the outside and a very different interior life.

Q. How was Chris Cooper selected to play Hanssen?

Billy Ray: I got a call from his agent, talked to Chris on the phone and never considered anyone else after that. He has the ability to shake your confidence in yourself. There aren't that many actors who can pull that off without twisting themselves into a pretzel, but Chris just stands there and you feel it. He was born to play Hanssen.

Q. Chris, why did this script entice you?

Chris Cooper: As a rule, if I’m interested in a script I’ll read it three or four times before I make a strong decision. This was unusual, it took one reading. Hanssen is probably the most contradictory character I've ever played. I really had to work on having something else to think about while playing a scene.

Q. Eric, how did Chris do in the role of Hanssen?

Eric O'Neill: Chris channeled the guy so well that it's almost nerve-wracking to sit and watch. Chris is so talented that he just went through my mind and sort of dipped in there and found what he needed.

Q. Eric, in the scene where you’re to steal Hanssen’s palm pilot, what was that like in real life?

Eric O'Neill: That was probably the scariest moment for me, But I was sitting there thinking, “Wow, I’m probably going to get shot right now. Oh well, at least I won’t be tired anymore. I'll get to sleep now.”

Q. This movie wouldn’t have worked as well without actors who understood the dynamics between Hanssen and O’Neill. How did each of you handle those roles?

Chris Cooper: I think the day of our introduction was the nicest I was to Ryan, and I preferred to keep it that way. And that's the same method I used to work with Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky. It didn't call for a chummy atmosphere on the set, and that was fine for Ryan and necessary for me.

Ryan Phillippe: I was really nervous screen testing with Chris Cooper because I idolize the guy. In my estimation, he's one of the best actors working today. I think that actually helped me in some ways when playing this part.

Q. Ryan, did you know immediately that you wanted to play Eric O’Neill?

Ryan Phillippe: I met with Billy Ray, read the script and started doing a little bit of research in hopes of getting the part. I screen tested, and then they choose me.

Q. This is one of the biggest cases of treason against the United States. What kind of cooperation did you get from the FBI?

Billy Ray: They declassified Eric and gave him permission to talk to me. I also talked to other people involved in the case, like Eric's wife Juliana. The FBI was very cooperative.

Eric O'Neill: With the classified information, I couldn’t tell them a lot of stuff. But once Billy started talking to the FBI, he'd call me and I’d debrief him, and the FBI de-classified some things for the movie.

Q. Chris, did you feel intimidated playing a real person instead of a fictional character?

Chris Cooper: Even though there were some embarrassing and treasonous acts committed, I still felt responsible and respectful, primarily of Hanssen's family. No doubt this is a terrible embarrassment for the country and his wife Bonnie and the children. I think the script handled some of those aspects very tastefully. But intimated? No.

Interview also posted on www.reviewexpress.com.

(Photo: Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe in Breach.

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