Ryan Reynolds: Why I wanted to do "Self/less"
Ryan Reynolds stars in a new thriller about a man with a lust for immortality.
Ben Kingsley, who co-stars in the film, plays a billionaire real estate tycoon. When he learns he's dying of cancer, he finds a radical way out.
In the psychological thriller, Kingsley, 71, pays to have his consciousness transferred into the healthy body of Reynolds' character. But the body that was supposed to be an empty vessel actually has a past. Reynolds' glamorous new life gives way to flashbacks of a different time and place.
"You have something that feels a little bit like when you have an organ donor and they reject that organ. You have a kind of a duality going on," said Reynolds. "These two consciences are battling each other out inside of him."
Reynolds, 38, was intrigued by the film's premise -- that the rich can buy their way out of death. But says it's not for him.
"No, never. It's easy for me to say that now, I'm 38 years old. But when I'm 90 and want another day or two, who knows? But I think it's sort of a cautionary tale, in the sense that you really want to make the most of your time here as it is," Reynolds said.
"Self/less" tells us it's a matter of time before science finds the key to immortality. But the question is - at what price?
The sci-fi thriller, which also stars Matthew Goode, Victor Garber, Natalie Martinez and Michelle Dockery, opens in theaters Friday.
Matthew Goode, Victor Garber, Natalie Martinez and Michelle Dockery, opens in theaters Friday.