http://et.tv.yahoo.com/movies/2004/07/06/saharabts/On the 'Sahara' Set with Matthew & Penelope
July 6, 2004
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY and PENÉLOPE CRUZ are braving the blazing, shifting sands of the harsh Moroccan desert for their new action-adventure, 'Sahara,' and ET is on the set!
"It has something that reminds me of Indiana Jones," Penélope tells ET about the new endeavor. "It's that tone that is so magical. I miss those movies, and that's why I was so happy when they called me."
Based on the hugely popular CLIVE CUSSLER novel, Sahara is just one of 17 international, best-selling novels featuring action hero Dirk Pitt. In what is intended to be the first of numerous adaptations, 'Sahara' finds Dirk (Matthew) searching for Confederate gold coins that have inexplicably materialized in Nigeria. When he thwarts the attempted assassination of World Health Organization scientist Dr. Eva Rojas (Penélope), Dirk discovers a nefarious plot involving a deadly disease that could spread to epidemic proportions. With the help of his long-time partner, Al Giordino (the always plucky STEVE ZAHN), and state-of-the-art equipment provided by his boss, Admiral Sandecker (WILLIAM H. MACY), Dirk sets out to save the world from an environmental catastrophe.
World destruction may loom, but Matthew says there's still plenty of time for a little romance along the way: "I flirt a little bit with [Penélope] in the first half, and then we sort of come together in the second half and then it's a great fairly tale ending."
Did you doubt it would go any other way? The real question, however, is whether the filmmakers will be able to squeeze love scenes in between all of the spectacular action set pieces.
"We don't really have any, I'm sorry," apologizes Penélope. "There's one scene at the beach that's, like, the most romantic scene of the movie, but we don't really have any love scenes."
Love scene or no love scene, Matthew is obviously smitten with Penélope as an actress, and it appears those warm feelings may have also helped the Spanish beauty get over her spring breakup with TOM CRUISE. An off-set romance has reportedly blossomed between the two stars, and last month they were seen dining together at a number of London hot spots, although reps for each deny they are a couple.
"I think she adorable," Matthew reveals to ET about his doe-eyed co-star. "She sees everything for the first time, even if she's seen it many times before. There's a freshness and an innocence about that that I just find adorable."
Watch for 'Sahara' in theaters nationwide next year.