Frank (Richard Coyle) plays a small time drug dealer in London. He’s handsome, has a stunning stripper girlfriend named Flo (Agyness Deyn), and a high-energy joke-cracking best friend named Tony (Bronson Webb). He does have one small problem—he owes ruthless drug lord Milo (Buric) a lot of money. Frank talks Milo into supplying him with narcotics on credit so that Frank can then sell the drugs at a profit and make enough money to pay Milo back in full. Of course, things go horribly wrong.
Zlatko Buric agreed to a one-on-one interview with me.
Dorri Olds: What was it like to reprise this role?
Zlatko Buric: Really strange, because of the time that had passed.
Were you nervous that the remake wouldn’t be as good?
Yes, I was a little scared of making the new film. When I talked with Nicolas Refn he told me it wouldn’t be a straight remake and that it would take place in London. That was strange for me. When we shot the first time, I was very sure of things. The original was in Copenhagen and I knew the places because I was living there.
Were you born in Copenhagan?
No, I grew up in Croatia. In the old days Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia were one country in Yugoslavia. But I’ve lived in Copenhagen for a long time.
What sort of preparation did you need to get ready to play Milo again?
For me, it was okay because I got an idea. In this London version, Milo is a Turkish man. I know a lot of Turkish people in Copenhagen and I was able to receive a lot of support from a very nice actor—a Turkish man who lives in London.
How did it feel making the movie this time?
Strange because I could feel that this character of Milo, from 16 years ago, was still inside of me. I had never been totally released from the character. This time it felt different also because everything was speeded up. People need things fast now.
Do you mean audiences want more action?
Yes. I felt there was a big change with time and when we started shooting in London, I could see it changed because of this location but also because it was made as a much speedier film. Before this time, we had shot in sequence at a longer time without cutting. Scenes were at a different pace.
Would you say that is because of the immediacy of the Internet?
Yes, people’s perceptions are different. People are more fragmented. They’re not patient.
Did you prefer the side-kick character, Tony, in the older films?
No, I liked it then and I also like it now. This Tony character is better in the new version. In the Danish version he was a cold, cold person. In this remake, Tony was like a younger boy without a black cloud in him. He’s more naïve. The other Tony was slower in the mind and more violent.
Agyness Deyn, who played Flo, is a model who never worked as an actress before. Did that make it difficult to work with her?
We were never on the set at the same time. I saw the film for the first time a few days ago at theAustin Film Festival. All of the characters are lighter. They aren’t so heavy as they were in the first film. In this new version the audience felt more emotion for the characters. In the first version Frank didn’t really have a strong connection with the girlfriend. They don’t have sex and there’s no emotional connection. They were both on too much dope. But in this new version, the audience gets an emotional connection between Frank and Flo. It is easier for the audience to connect with both characters. In the first version people cared about Frank, but not in the same way. In this version, Flo is a real girlfriend that Frank cares about, that he loves. I thought Agyness Deyn was great.
Were other actors in all three of the original films?
No, I am the only actor who is in all three. The first story was about Frank, the second was a story about Tony and the third was a story about Milo.
Would you agree to doing a sequel?
Yes, sure. If it happens that would be great. Nicolas Refn is really hot on the idea to remake all three. It depends on money for production. We were on such a low budget. It was tough work—long days of shooting. On set it was really nice and I have great memories.
Are you a big star in Copenhagen?
Yes, I’m considered very famous in Denmark. The “Pusher” movies played in all of the theaters. Every day, still, when people see me they say the same lines as Milo, “Hey, Frank.” Whenever I go in a shop, after so many years, they still say it. It’s strange. But it’s nice. I like it. I’ve done a lot of other work since then but Danish people love certain lines from the “Pusher” films.
What do you think of New York City?
I was in New York in the early 1980s to 1990s. I played in a theater called Franklin Furnace. It was hot like a kitchen. That was at the end of the Eighties. It was live theater. I had a good time in 1991 when I played in a theater in the East Village near CBGBs. I loved hearing the music. I hung out there and at the Knitting Factory. New York is the place. It’s a strange mix of Europe and America. So great. I have good friends in New York.
Have you been in movies here in the U.S.?
In America I did one film in 2012. Steve Friers, who’s English, was the film director. In 2002 I played in one film that was nominated for awards. That was in England. The movie was called, “Dirty Pretty Things.”
You do look so familiar.
I put the magic on you [laughs]. Talking to you, it feels like you are family [smiles].
Rated R. 89 minutes. Now available on demand through Time Warner cable. Opens in NYC theaters Friday, October 26, 2012.