Was there a point early in your career when you thought you could change minds through film?
I guess I did. When I was younger, naive. I thought, Maybe The Candidate will affect young people. The point of that film was that we select people by cosmetics, not substance. I thought maybe that point would get through and they would demand more of their candidates. But I’ve come to feel that [film] is not going to change anything.
Do you wish you had acted more in recent decades?
Yes. I segued into directing because I wanted more control of the story. But I started as an actor. I am an actor. I think a lot of people think that I don’t [act] anymore or that I’m more involved in Sundance. But it’s not true.
[blockquote]I’m not a left-wing person.[/blockquote]
Not according to your check book:
http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Robert_Redford.php
Now now, Archer — you know all those people just show that he’s a “moderate independent.” ; > )