Jeff Goldblum is a national treasure.

In a small cameo role for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Ian Malcom has a very inciteful and important role in the next installment of the dinosaur franchise.

The follow-up sequel is part of the rebooted franchise from the minds of Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard returns in the film. They’re joined by Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell and Toby Jones.

The film is about the dinosaur amusement park island’s volcano is about to erupt and plans are created to save the giant lizards. However, there’s a more diabolical plan for these dinosaurs.

LRM had an exclusive phone interview with Jeff Goldblum while he was promoting the movie in Hawaii. Although his role is small, he talked about the lovable Ian Malcolm and the importance of the chaos theory.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom will be in theaters tomorrow.

Read our wonderful interview transcript below.

Jeff Goldblum: Gig Patta. How are you my friend?

LRM: I am doing well. I’m doing well.

Jeff Goldblum: Thank you so much for doing this.

LRM: Hey, not a problem. I’m actually a little jealous that you’re in Hawaii while I’m stuck in Los Angeles here. [Chuckles]

Jeff Goldblum: You should be. It’s such a paradise. Oh, my gosh. Although, I love LA. I love LA. That’s where I live. If you come to our jazz offering once a week–I’ll see you there at Rockwell. That’s where we play every week.

LRM: Yeah, I’m actually debating it myself. It’s Wednesday nights or something like that.

Jeff Goldblum: It’s Wednesday nights. I’ll be there several Wednesdays this summer. So just check with them and I’ll see you there.

LRM: Oh, that’s awesome. Well anyways, let’s talk about this movie. I know Universal wants you to talk about it. [Laughs]
Jeff Goldblum: I love to talk about it. I’m very proud to be in it.

LRM: Tell me on how they actually pitched it to you that you were just going to get a cameo role. Were you excited for it or you were kind of disappointed?

Jeff Goldblum: No, no, no. I was very excited about it. I think they showed me the script first or they talked to me about it. I’m not sure now, but I had such a great association with this. As I was thinking about getting my experience back then, I made two movies with Steven Spielberg and I love that book by Michael Crichton–I still love that character. I think he’s an interesting thinker and has passionate feelings about issues that are of interest to us in real life. I knew that JA Bayona was going to direct it and I was thrilled to do anything with him. I’ve been a fan of all his movies. Colin Trevorrow, who wrote and directed the last Jurassic World, was writing this one. I was thrilled about that. I thought it was exciting.

When I read the script I was very, very delighted to be able to contribute. Then working on it with Colin Trevorrow and trying to make that little scene and what I said as effective and interesting as possible by being clear and concise. With JA Bayona, when I got to London, it was very delicious. I had a great time. Now seeing the movie on how it came up. Like I said, I’m just proud to be in it. I think they did a wonderful job.

LRM: Your character here has changed quite a bit in the past a few years. Now your character seems like it’s a sort of like predicting [ill futures] and it’s like a harbinger of death at this point.

Jeff Goldblum: It was always a voice of conscience of some kind. As we saw how things turned out, I was a wise voice early on. I was a oriented with my specialty with a chaos math, which told me that whatever they think is going to happen with his park–it’s going to be quite unpredictable and proudly may not work out well. I made a few remarks and that in the first couple of movies, which are not too far from where I wound up here. Where you see that I’m fiercely, passionately, anti-greed and anti-profit agenda, anti-militarism and very pro-science. I would deeply wish my life to contribute to a planet that works for everyone, including all the creatures. I’m kind of an interesting talker. I think it’s sort of in line with what we found from the very start with this character.

LRM: It’s been 25 years since Ian Malcolm was introduced to the world. In fact, he’s one of the best characters in cinematic history in my opinion, especially particularly with the Jurassic Park franchise. Why, in your opinion, do you suppose people like you so much? I mean Universal loves your character.

Jeff Goldblum: Universal does? Really?

LRM: I think so that’s why they brought you back, right? [Chuckles]

Jeff Goldblum: I think so. They’ve been nothing, but sweet to me in generous. I feel like there’s some good role. I think a lot of them has to do with Michael Crichton’s creation in the beginning. That character is just very interestingly drawn from the start. Of course, the chances I’ve had to depict him were done by Steven Spielberg, who was of course a genius. He made [Ian Malcom] as interesting as he could be. I think he has some interest for people. Collin Trevorrow took it with JA Bayona. I was very delighted with what we all wound up with here, but now he’s a fertile and interesting character. I think I’d be interested in myself, even if I wasn’t involved.

LRM: Well, I do love your character. In fact, I still remember watching it for the first time back in 1992. Your character’s chaos theory, in my opinion, is still like one of the few lessons I still remember from the nineties. What do you think about that?

Jeff Goldblum: How about that? Well, thank you so much. Yeah, me too. Well, it’s real stuff. I just had an interesting conversation on camera for his show Star Talk with Neil deGrasse Tyson. He was talking about his interest in knowledge of chaos theory. It’s still a relevant. It’s very interesting to him. That’s from a master’s mouth.

I’m glad that Steven Spielberg amounted to it and showed it. Yes. A lot of people in the fact of have come up to me and said, “That made me more interested in science or math or set me on this career path in one way or another.” I’m always thrilled to hear that. It’s great!

LRM: Now I understand that this movie leaves the door open for more Jurassic world movies. Is there a possibility that Ian Malcolm may come back again?

Jeff Goldblum: Well, I think there’s a possibility. Who knows? If they need me or I could humbly serve in any way to contribute, I’d be thrilled to, because I’ve had nothing but great experiences all along. Rumor has it that Colin Trevorrow and Emily Carmichael are working on a script now for a movie that may come up for summer [2021]. I’d be thrilled to be part of it. But, if I’m not, everything I’ve done has left me entirely satisfied. [Laughs] It’s been such a cornucopia and delicious meal.

LRM: Excellent. Well, let, let me start wrapping things up. I know you probably still have more tons of interviews to go. Could you talk about some of your future projects? I know on the Internet everyone’s talking about the Grandmaster again.

Jeff Goldblum: That’s so funny. I love doing that. Taika Waititi is a great director. We improvised a lot. I love Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito and lots of the people with Marvel. I’d love to do anything with them. I don’t know. I haven’t heard any real concrete talk about a movie that might improve the Grandmaster, but I did that movie Isle of dogs with Wes Anderson. Just got back from Japan, Berlin and Austin, Texas with them promoting that movie. I love working with him and then his brilliant cast that he puts together. I did a movie with Jodie Foster that is out right now called Hotel Artemis. I enjoyed very much, because she’s spectacular. Then I did a movie that’s in the can that’s going to be coming out and you’ll see sometimes if you look for it. It’s called The Mountain. Rick Alvertson, a wonderful director who did entertainment with me, Tye Sheridan, Udo Kier, Denis Levant, and Hannah Gross that I was very excited about.

And let’s see. I play piano and jazz group every Wednesday at the Rockwell in Los Angeles. We had just made a record for Decker Records at the Capital Records Building, which will be out sometime soon. We may be touring in support of that all over the world. Who knows? We’re going to play in the Arroyo Cinco Music Festival on June 23rd. And National Geographic wants to do something with me hosting a magazine show. With all of that, I think my plate is full of bursting.

LRM: Yes it is. Hey, it’s my pleasure speaking with you. And you know what, I will take that invitation and visit you at the Rockwell someday.

Jeff Goldblum: That’ll been good. I also tap me on the shoulder as soon as you get into it. I’ll see you there.

LRM: Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Jeff Goldblum: Thank you so much. Thanks.