More Max Martini
By now, our readers have surely seen our July issue and the Max Martini cover feature. But we always like to give you more with some exclusive online material. The veteran actor leads quite the active life and that has nothing to do with his roles in “Sabotage” or “Fifty Shades of Grey.” No, Martini likes to enjoy life with some cool hobbies and activities. So let’s jump right into it.
FITNESS RX FOR MEN: Max, you are certainly the type of person who has only one gear – high.
MAX MARTINI: If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I am a motorcycle fanatic, mostly Harleys. I also had a ’09 Road Glide and a custom Deuce. Just sold both and as soon as I get out of Chicago where I’m working in the ice and snow and back to SoCal I’ll probably pick up another Road Glide – the new one. That’s my treat to myself for all those reps and sets!
FRX: Motorcycles can be a little dangerous, but I also heard that you take it a few steps further than that.
MM: While I was living in New York, where I’m from originally, I was going to college (School of Visual Arts), bartending in SoHo at a bar then called Crossroads and working at a drop zone in upstate New York on the weekends. I actually went up for my first skydive with my buddy, Bersh. We both did tandems. I hit the ground and ran directly into the hanger and begged the guy for a job.
I started out doing shit jobs and then bumped up pretty fast to “packer.” I packed tandem rigs and sport rigs. Thousands. Scary. When I started I would trip out handing the rig over to the jumper. I’d stand outside and watch them in free-fall praying to God that the shutes would open. I eventually became known as a guy that would give you a good opening and developed a steady base of regulars. Skydiving changed my life. In 60 seconds of free-fall you completely re-evaluate yourself and your priorities. It freed me up and all of the sudden I could relax. But really relax. It’s a spiritual thing. I recommend it!
FRX: During a break in the photo shoot, we were having a little talk about one of my favorite subjects – sports. I know you’re right there with me on that.
MM: Sports are a huge part of my life. My father started me playing tennis as a young kid. I got really good and then like most kids abandoned it to my father’s horror and started playing football. Never played baseball although I love the game. It’s bizarre. I can’t throw a baseball to save my life. I can throw a decent football although Drew Brees and I were tossing the ball around waiting to jump out of a plane together and he told me I had the worst rotation he had ever seen! I thought that was pretty cool! But I soon discovered that I was a kicker and I could boot the hell out it. So that took off during high school.
FRX: Lastly, you have played so many great roles so far as an actor. Fast forward a few years from now; what do you see for yourself?
MM: Where do I want to be in my career? I really respect Sean Penn. I think the career choices he has made are so incredibly smart and interesting. I’d like to be somewhere between his career and Matt Damon. I’d like to tackle some big action roles – Jason Bourne type. Look, I’ve been boxing for years. Go around to any boxing gym in Hollywood. Ask. They know me and they’ve all seen me hit. I trained hard in that too – and knowing how to fight gives you a certain amount of confidence. That the real stuff and it translates on screen for those kinds of roles. Everybody knows when someone’s faking it or not.
Be sure to pick up our July issue with Max Martini’s cover feature, “Fifty Shades of Fitness.”
Photos by Gregory James