Brett Ratner

Brett Ratner is everywhere right now. With exposure including a multipage spread earlier this year in Vanity Fair--where he is a contributing photographer--and special features in industry standard Variety, the prolific director has charmed his way onto Tinseltown's A-List.

With his first seven films, including the Rush Hour franchise and X-Men: The Last Stand, netting roughly $1 billion, Ratner is one of Hollywood's most bankable directors. The 37-year-old—who has romanced such women as supermodel Naomi Campbell and Rebecca Gayheart—is also among its most in-demand socially.

As Ratner sits down to discuss Rush Hour 3, which heads to theatres August 10, he is full of questions. While he sings praises for series stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Ratner gets an education in gay lingo and makes a shocking revelation.

Ratner: So, during my last gay interview, the guy was on the Internet and said, “I'm looking at you right now, and you're a bear.” What's a bear?

The Advocate: For starters, it means you're hairy.
There's no hair on my ass. I have no hair on my balls. So why am I a bear?

Is there hair on your chest?
[Pulls down his collar] A little bit, but barely. Look at my legs! [Pulls up his pant leg] Look at my legs. I'm not a hairy "bear." I don't even have hair on my back!

Maybe you're a "cub"?
Like a teddy bear?

The term "cub" implies you're younger, you're fuzzy.
So they'd like me in prison?

Maybe? I've never been to prison.
Are there bear bars?

Oh, definitely.
And only bears go in there? Hmm. I'll have to check it out. [Laughing]

The author, Paul Pratt, and Brett Ratner

So what brings you back to the Rush Hour series?
I love Jackie and Chris. They're my friends. I've known them for years and years and years. They're a great comedic duo. There are very few of them that exist in the history of film. The combination of Jackie's physical comedy and Chris's verbal comedy, it's just an amazing combination. I love making these movies. They're fun.

Rush Hour 3 follows a trend in action films. Being gay has increasingly become a punch line. It happens several times in this film.
Which ones? Where? I don't remember.

What about when the girl takes off her wig and Chris Tucker becomes angry and accuses her of being a man?
No, no! That's from my personal experience. My first blow job was from a man, but I didn't know it was a man. That's where that comes from. It's based on personal experience. It happens to a lot of people.

Is that common knowledge?
No! Well, among my friends, but I'm not homophobic or uptight about it. That happens to a lot of heterosexuals. You meet a girl in a bar, and it turns out she's not a girl. I think a girl should tell you if she's a girl or a man--that way it's your preference. It's comedy. Look, in this movie we don't pull any punches. We make fun of black people. We make fun of Chinese people. We make fun of French people. We make fun of gay situations. We make fun of whites. It doesn't matter. It's the type of movie it is. It's a fish-out-of-water comedy. You have to have those types of situations to have the comedy. That specific idea was because it's happened to me. It's happened to my friends. We'll get together with a girl, and it'll turn out to be a guy. The reaction is “Oh, shit!” if you're not gay, which is funny, I think. Getting into the situation is funny. I laugh whenever I see one of my friends talking to a girl, and I'll ask, “Is that a man or a woman?” It's funny, especially if you don't know about it. If you know about it, fine. If that's your preference…

I never expected that answer.
I know! I know. I'm too good an interview. Did you expect me to challenge you?

Let's do some word association. I'll name people you've worked with or know. You tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Madonna.
Gay. [Both laugh] No. Madonna? Brilliant!

Britney Spears.
I haven't worked with her…but I'd like to. [Giggle]

Why? Because she's hot?
No, just because she's complex. She's talented. I like her music. I think she's good. I think she's a little lost and confused right now, but she's good.

Naomi Campbell.
Nuts. [Giggle]

In a good way or a bad way?
Good way. I like nutty people. Who else?

Roman Polanski? [He plays a cop that gives Chris and Jackie a body cavity search in Rush Hour 3.]
Legend! I mean, he's my hero. The guy is like…He's a fan of Rush Hour. That's how I got him to be in it. We're friends, but we met because he saw Rush Hour and loved it. Then we became friends. I asked him to be in the movie, and he said, "OK, you'd better write a sequel." I called to tell people, and they said “Roman Polanski is not going to be in this movie.” I said, "Yes, he is," but they didn't get it. You don't like the finger up the butt? Is that the gay thing you mentioned?

That's one of the things.
But that feels good sometimes!