By Wonderwall.com Editors
3:08am PDT, Jul 2, 2010
By Jennifer Odell
News of Dennis Hopper's death on May 29 unleashed a torrent of praise for his seminal films, especially "Easy Rider." In his last days, Hopper spoke candidly about the 1969 film with Vanity Fair, expressing his appreciation for its lasting cultural relevance and wondering why the United States seems to have regressed socially and politically since that time.
Click through our gallery for more of Hopper's thoughts on his career, his personal life and more, then visit VanityFair.com to read the full story.
On "Easy Rider" and its relationship to the '60s:
"'Easy Rider' and 'The Last Movie' were the only films that I made totally on my own. Would I make it now? It was about then. And I think a filmmaker's responsibility is to show his time. Brueghel, I think, was the first artist to show his time."
On his favorite of the films he's made:
"'Blue Velvet,' probably. But I've been in such incredible movies. I think at one point I'd been in the five most expensive movies ever made — not that I had large parts in them. 'Apocalypse Now' was one."
Why an icon of the '60s voted for Bush vs. Gore:
"I looked at the two of them and said, 'Who would I rather have on my side in a fight?' Bush. That's a true story … I like Clinton, I like Obama. I hate what's happening to the country. I think we're in the worst shape I've ever seen. Just think how conservative this country has become. It's like the '60s never happened."
On his marriage to, and divorce from, Victoria Duffy:
"Who would have ever thought I'd be getting a divorce in this state? It was a big shock … Victoria got very involved with the Obama campaign, and I stepped back out of it. I thought it was good for her to get some glory. It's hard being married to a celebrity."
On his divorce from Brooke Hayward:
"On the way to the airport [to New Orleans to shoot "Easy Rider"] she said, 'You're on a fool's journey. Peter [Fonda] can't act. You're just going to make a fool of yourself.' And I said, 'Well, that's the way it's going to go.' So we got divorced in the car. We just said, 'That's it.'"
(Hayward later disputed his recollection, according to Vanity Fair.)
On whether he sees himself as an actor or artist:
"I made my living as an actor, and I love acting, so I'm an actor. But that gets you in a lot of trouble in the art world. I tell you who's got it: Viggo Mortensen. He's a terrific writer. He's a good photographer. He paints. And he makes music."
The August issue of Vanity Fair hits newsstands July 6.
