Q&A John Malkovich

By Rebecca Winters Keegan

John Malkovich plays King Charles II in The Libertine, out Nov. 25.

This is a very dirty movie. Was that its appeal? I liked the take on the period, that whatever's wrong in your life you can blame on the king.

Ever thought of doing TV? I've been talking to Hugh Laurie about doing something on House. We're friends. It's just so hard to find the time. I just finished Beowulf.

Why are so many Beowulf projects under way? Scary monsters are like Hula Hoops. They come in and out of fashion.

I see you have some designs in your sketch pad. How's your clothing line coming? Yes, that's a little light sweater design for fall-winter 2006. I've got a new line based on a movie I just finished about the artist Klimt.

Are you wearing any of your fashions? No. Today was a big disaster. I spilled coffee on my sweater.

Theater actor, clothing designer ... has it occurred to you that you and P. Diddy share job titles? Bizarre, isn't it? I hear he doesn't want to do anything but draw clothes.

Whose head would you like to inhabit? No one's, really. Because I'd want it to be someone really smart, and that's a heap of trouble. If you're too smart it can limit you because you spend so much time thinking that you don't do anything.

Like Johnny Depp's character in The Libertine? Exactly. The Earl of Rochester could think quite profoundly. He was born a diamond and turned himself into coal. The film is about people's responsibility to their gifts.

Why don't you vote? I retired in 1972. Politics is not really my thing. One side says, "The tree is sick, and all it needs is proper water and food and it will get healthy." The other side says, "The tree is sick. Cut it down." If it's not my tree I have a tendency to butt out.