AUGUST 7, 2006ÑWorld Trade Center is not the 9/11 film anyone expected from Oliver Stone.
The controversial director of JFK and Nixon dispenses with the politics and conspiracy theories to tell the little-known true story of two Port Authority police officers rescued from the rubble of the Twin Towers.
Sgt. John McLoughlin and Officer Will Jimeno (played, respectively, by Nicolas Cage and CrashÕs Michael Pe–a) found themselves buried under the World Trade Center while trying to assist people fleeing the North Tower. They remained trapped for 12 hours before they were eventually found and pulled to safety.
Stone also recounts how their wivesÑDonna McLoughlin and Allison McLoughlin (played, respectively, by Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal)Ñcoped with the possibility that they died when the World Trade Center collapsed.
Prior to World Trade CenterÕs Aug. 9 release, Michael Pe–a visited Miami to discuss his role as Officer Will Jimeno. Here are Pe–a's comments on:
Portraying Will Jimeno
I spent like a week living in his house with him and his family. You could see him a raft. If you see him, heÕs like a big personality. I had to try to capture that. I saw the way he interacted with him and his friends and family, and I asked a lot of questions. Then after a week or so I gave out with the script and asked him specific questions about any details that might help me with portraying him. I think I was there on the weekend. I brought up some buddies, like the guy playing Dominick Pezzulo (Jay Hernandez), to hang out with him. Plus, he was on set almost every day. Even though it might have been tough a couple of times, he put himself aside because he said this story is bigger than us. He wanted to make sure this story was told for his friends, to look at the camaraderie and to focus at people coming together.
Whether audiences are ready for World Trade Center
If it was up to me, they would have seen it Sept. 12, 2001. I think itÕs not soon enough. The focus was brought on the tragedy so much, and I donÕt know how many times I saw the building come down just when youÕre flipping. WouldnÕt it be great if they would have been like, John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno are trapped under the rubble and thereÕs people out there to rescue them. Not that it would have balanced it out, but I think there would have a shift in focus and it would have been really cool to see somebody. É I know it would have lifted my morale to see these two guys, theyÕre trapped and eventually rescued.
Where he was on Sept. 11, 2001
I was with my girlfriend at the time. She had a phone call. SheÕs got some family in New York, in Brooklyn. We turned on the television and we see whatÕs going on and it almost seemed like something out of a movie. The feeling was to go to a friendÕs house, to go with people where there is people. And thatÕs exactly what we did. Fifteen minutes into it, I called a buddy. É Everybody goes the house. Some girls are holding houses or theyÕre watching TV. ItÕs that sense of support you were looking for, of camaraderie, of friendship. I think thatÕs what this movie taps into. ItÕs not just about the buildings coming down. ThatÕs where the story starts. ItÕs about everybody coming together. ThatÕs why I wanted to do the movie.
World Trade Center is now in theaters. Click here for more information.
Click the links below to read World Trade Center interviews with:
ÑDirector Oliver Stone
ÑMaggie Gyllenhaal
ÑWill Jimeno
ÑAllison Jimeno
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