Pierce Brosnan talks about 'Mama Mia' and Streep

By Stone Martindale Jun 16, 2008, 23:43 GMT

mama mia...Pierce Brosnan - Los Angeles Premiere - Grauman\'s Chinese Theater - Hollywood, CA, USA © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos

Pierce Brosnan opened up about losing his first wife to ovarian cancer, and his latest film, "Mama Mia."

Brosnan, who was in Maui to receive the Maverick Award, spoke first to “Extra” about preparing for his singing role in "mama Mia" working with the legendary Meryl Streep.

As for his almost total lack of singing skills, Brosnan exclaimed, “If somebody gives you a job, you don’t question it. You say, ‘I’m in.’”

Brosnan told Extra, “I would go home, make some coffee and I would go out to the beach, put my iPod on and sing SOS.” He continued, “I would drop the boys [sons, Dylan and Paris] off at school, I would play them ABBA [in the car] and they would say, ‘Shut up. Turn it off, Dad. I don’t want to hear you.’”

Although "Mama Mia" is based on the hit songs of the Swedish group ABBA, Brosnan admitted, “No, I can’t say I was a fan of Abba’s…But I have the greatest respect with what they’ve done.”

To calm his nerves on set, Brosnan revealed, “I just looked at Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard, my cohorts in this…and they were as scared as I was.”

As for working with Meryl Streep, Brosnan commented, “I had the time of my life last summer in the company of Meryl Streep who is easy to fall in love with, easy to look at and someone who is just brilliant in everything she’s touched…I just think she’s the consummate actor. Somebody who gives 150% of herself to every role she’s done.”

Brosnan opened up his late wife, Cassie, and how she influenced his decision to become a hardcore environmentalist. 

Brosnan declared, “The ribbon of this answer goes back to losing my first wife, Cassie, who died from ovarian cancer and trying to find a cure for her illness…It started there and trying to make someone better from such a dreadful disease and trying to find a cure…We want the best for our young ones and for their children as well.”

EXTRA’s Interview with Pierce Brosnan airs tomorrow, log onto here.