‘The Unholy Trinity’ Star Pierce Brosnan on Getting to Play ‘Richer Characters,’ Director Richard Gray Eyes Calamity Jane and Stagecoach Mary Projects (EXCLUSIVE)

Pierce Brosnan is finally getting to play “richer characters,” he told Variety .

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“I tell my sons: ‘Work gets work.’ I’ve been a working actor all my life and I’ve managed to create a body of work that, I think, is entertaining and substantial. There are some wonderful jewels within it.”

Richard Gray, his director on western “The Unholy Trinity,” agreed: “Pierce’s a ridiculously good actor. Lately, he’s been doing some really good stuff. He’s had a string of films that aren’t out yet and they will show him in many different lights. Over the next 10 years, he’ll be very acclaimed.”

Brosnan has been a “great supporter” of the movie, now set to close Zurich Film Festival, which sees him square off against Samuel L. Jackson.

“Working with Pierce and Sam was a dream come true. I grew up watching these guys: they are legends. They elevate everybody,” said Gray.

“Sam plays a master manipulator and Pierce is a sheriff. He had to flee Ireland during the famine, but the town doesn’t think he’s tough enough. Both characters, they’re so witty. When there’s so much action and revenge going on, it’s nice to have some levity.”

His star added: “He’s a decent man, trying to do the best he can. So many fellow Irishmen and women built the West on their shoulders. They wanted to create lives for themselves and there is romance to that.”

“When Sam came on board, it gave it more juice. He’s magnificent. We came into it with mutual respect and then you can play. You certainly can’t take yourself too seriously when you’re in a movie like his. You need a lighter touch.”

Brosnan wanted to make a western.

“I love them. I grew up watching them as a boy. I’ve worked with many emerging directors: some of them knew what they were doing, others got lost along the way. Richie put his heart and soul into this. I had my two sons with me, they are in the movie. If they want to be actors, I am not going to stop them. They know how difficult it is.”

Gray also “adored” westerns since he was a child.

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“There’s something so pure about that genre. This time in the U.S. is so fascinating, particularly after the Civil War, between the 1860s and 1890s. Everybody was exploring that part of the country, everybody came from somewhere different, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Mexico or Australia, like me,” he laughed.

Gray moved to the U.S. 12 years ago and made Montana his home just before the pandemic.

“I definitely think of it as an international genre. Also, a lot of the things they were fighting with and fighting for are still relevant today,” he said, mentioning “strong” female characters, racial equality and protection of Native lands. In the film, Q’orianka Kilcher plays a woman on the run, accused of a crime she didn’t commit.

“It’s a traditional western in many ways, but it’s also original. We have a former slave played by Samuel L. Jackson, coming back to find gold that was stolen from him. Pierce’s Gabriel is trying to put this revenge to bed, but the town is divided. They fought on different sides during the war, so there’s a lot of tension.”

Classics like “Once Upon a Time in the West,” “Pale Rider” and “High Plains Drifter” were on his mind, admitted Gray, as well as historical accuracy.

“We put a lot of time into that, but we don’t let it stand in the way of good entertainment. We built a whole western town [Yellowstone Film Ranch] for this story. It’s a spectacular place and a perfect backdrop for a western.”

He’s not planning to stop making them anytime soon, developing a new take on Calamity Jane – “It would be fascinating to go back to her childhood” – and a series about Stagecoach Mary. Mary Fields was the first African American woman to become a U.S. mail carrier.

“We’ve been working on it for a long time. She had a shotgun and there are many, many stories about her. She wasn’t allowed to own property but still found a way to own a saloon. Then there was Sacagawea, who helped Lewis and Clark during their expedition. There’s a whole list of amazing female pioneers that would be amazing to see on TV and film,” he teased.

“The genre will survive. We’re shooting a Dracula western right now, there’s a werewolf western. I get to live, breathe and eat westerns. But I never get sick of it.”

The film is produced by Amadeus Productions. Gray, Kellie Brooks, Colin Floom, Michele Gray, Jeanne Allgood Gaisford, Carter Boehm and Cameron Lessard produce.

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