Taking Control

Don Cheadle stars as a Special Forces officer in the twisty new thriller "Traitor." He recently spoke with NEWSWEEK's Nicki Gostin—and brought the funny. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: Are you worried about this movie finding an audience in the summer?
Don Cheadle: I tend not to think about those things because I don't have any control over it. Hopefully people by then will have seen a lot of big, crazy movies and kind of want to see a movie that's a little different.

You're a producer of "Traitor." Did you demand to have your favorite snacks on set at all times?
Well, there really is no other reason to produce a movie than to get the proper snacks. I did come up with the food that I would eat that would keep me going all day: lettuce leaf with turkey bacon, carrots, tomato, avocado and balsamic vinaigrette.

What are you? A model?
No, no, but you can't eat heavy when you're trying to work.

You learned Arabic for the movie. Was it hard?
It was easier than trying to do that damn accent in "Ocean's Eleven." No question.

I know you're straight but if you were gay, George, Brad or Matt?
Wow, that's actually a question that I wouldn't even allow to come into my mind. That's how straight I am. [Laughs] I don't know. George would take you to a nice dinner before, but then so would Matt, I guess.

What are you saying? That Brad would take you to Mickey D's?
Yeah, Brad doesn't really care too much about that. You'd get a burger.

If I blindfolded you and dropped you off in Amman, Jordan, would you be able to order some mint tea and cookies?
No. I would be able to say, "I have Semtex in the truck." I could say all the lines in the movie, so I don't know if that would work.

You were on the "Golden Girls" spinoff, "The Golden Palace." Can we say it? Betty White's a bitch, right?
Yes, she's only angelic in every other thing you see her in, but on the show she was completely evil. Made out of evil.