Interviews

Interview: Harry Potter Cast and Crew Say Goodbye at Final Red Carpet

by Sean O’Connell on Jul 12 2011

It all ends here. And here, this week, was New York City, where Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and the cast of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 walked their last red carpet for the final Potter premiere ... ever. FilmCritic.com was lucky enough to be on the carpet where we tossed questions at the Potter creative team as they posed for pictures, signed autographs for fans, and prepared to say farewell to this beloved film franchise after 10 magical years.

Q: Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy scored a Best Picture Oscar on its final try. Would it matter to you if the Harry Potter franchise managed to do the same?

Rupert Grint: It's never been something that really mattered to us. This [gesturing at the screaming fans] is a good enough kind of award, just seeing the enthusiasm from our fans. It's just as pleasing to us as it is to them.

Harry Potter producer David Heyman: Yes, this is our Academy. We are making films for an audience, and this is as rewarding as it gets. Academy recognition would be wonderful, but that's not what it's about for us. It's about these people out here, some of who have been camping out for 6 days. At the London premiere, people traveled from as far away as Brazil and Japan, camping out in the rain to show their support. They are amazing.

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Interview: Kevin James on Sequels, Sandler, and Monkeying Around with Nick Nolte

by Sean O’Connell on Jul 4 2011

He has been a King of primetime television, a Grown Up with pal Adam Sandler, and the most lucrative Mall Cop in Hollywood history. Now Kevin James is ready to talk to the animals -- and romance the lovely Rosario Dawson -- in the new comedy The Zookeeper, which opens everywhere July 8. FilmCritic.com recently sat down with James in New York City, where we discussed Nick Nolte's Method acting, family entertainment that's good for the parents, and the reason he isn't keen on doing sequels.

Q: It has been a challenging summer for parents hoping to bring their kids to the movies and yet still be entertained themselves.

A: That's the trick of it. Usually my kids love everything, but when I have to sit there with my kids and the movie's just brutal, you end up thinking, "Please, just give me something for me!" That has been the challenge.

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Interview: Selena Gomez

by Sean O’Connell on Jun 27 2011

Though Selena Gomez only turns 19 on July 22, the Texas native already has left her mark on television, music and the movie industry. And yet, tabloids are only interested in who she's allegedly dating (Justin Bieber) and how she's feeling (a recent hospital stay set the Internet ablaze for days). On the morning we spoke about her upcoming film Monte Carlo, Gomez had just learned that her single "Who Says," which is featured in the movie's marketing campaign, had gone platinum, so we started our discussion there.

Q: Congratulations on your single going platinum.

A: Thank you! I'm so excited. I couldn't believe it. I think it's a goal for every artist. We just want our music to be heard in every part of the world. I'm just so excited that people are hearing these lyrics and this song.

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Q&A - Cameron Diaz Talks Timberlake, Tough Times for Hot Chicks, and Being the Bad Teacher

by Sean O’Connell on Jun 20 2011

What with budget cuts, staff layoffs, and falling test scores, our nation's public-school system had enough problems before Cameron Diaz's Bad Teacher arrived on the scene. The jaded blonde vixen takes on an optimistic principal (John Michael Higgins), a horny gym teacher (Jason Segel), and an irrationally clean-cut middle-school instructor (Justin Timberlake) in the deranged black comedy from Walk Hard director Jake Kasdan. Before the school bell rang, Diaz spoke to FilmCritic.com about playing awful characters, finding sugar daddies, and the teacher who messed with her as a little kid.

Q: I can't think of the last time you've actually played such an unlikeable character. Is there a freedom that comes with playing someone this awful?

A: Totally. I mean, there's no reason to try and get anybody to like her. [Laughs] She doesn't even like herself. Clearly! Truthfully, she doesn't like anything, and that was very liberating. You don't have to put out any sunshine for it.

Q: But then your character is surrounded with impossibly optimistic characters as a way to balance the tone and find the humor of the situation.

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Q&A - Carla Gugino on Jim Carrey, Family Films, and Mr. Popper's Penguins

by Sean O’Connell on Jun 13 2011

The summer movie season typically is characterized by big stars driving massive special-effects-laden blockbusters. Mr. Popper's Penguins takes the opposite approach, hanging its hopes on six pint-size leads who dream of swimming circles around the competition. Bitey, Lovey, Loudy, Stinky, Nimrod, and Captain are the tuxedo-clad birds joining Jim Carrey and Carla Gugino for an adaptation of Richard and Florence Atwater's classic children's novels. Gugino spoke to FilmCritic.com about her live-action kid-friendly roles and the joy of sharing scenes with a gifted comedian like Carrey.

Q: Did Jim ever say at any point during the shoot, "This isn't how we did it on Ace Ventura"?

A: [Laughs] No. I think he's only interested in breaking new comedic ground and being as creative as he can. So no, but that is really funny.

Q: How is it that you guys have never worked together before?

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Q&A - Maria Bello and Michael Sheen on Beautiful Boy, The Mummy, and the Future of The Twilight Saga

by Sean O’Connell on Jun 6 2011

In Shawn Ku's Beautiful Boy, a married couple learns of a violent school shooting at their only child's college campus. The twist? Their son turns out to have been the shooter, and has taken his own life at the conclusion of the bloody melee. Maria Bello and Michael Sheen, who play the emotionally devastated parents, called FilmCritic.com to talk about what draws them to a script, how parenthood changes an actor's perspective, and the next round of The Twilight Saga.

Q: This is the first time I've ever interviewed an actor who has played an O'Connell onscreen.

Maria Bello: When did I play an O'Connell?

Q: You played Evelyn O'Connell in the third Mummy movie, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

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Q&A - X-Men: First Class's Nicholas Hoult on Mutants, Makeup, and the Future of Mad Max

by Sean O’Connell on May 30 2011

Young Nicholas Hoult first turned heads by trading verbal spars with Hugh Grant in the heartfelt 2002 dramedy About a Boy. Since then, the gifted actor has alternated between contemplative awards contenders (A Single Man) and muscular popcorn adventures (the Clash of the Titans remake). Hoult hopes his latest picture will be a balanced combination of the two. Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class reboots the Marvel superhero franchise by telling an origin story centered around the Cuban Missile Crisis. Hoult plays genius scientist Hank McCoy, whose mutant abilities turn him into the fuzzy blue Beast. We talked with Hoult about auditions, makeup techniques, and his role in yet another prequel -- the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road.

Q: When you first auditioned, were you specifically trying out for Beast, or did you just want to be involved in an X-Men movie?

A: This one actually was reading for Beast, specifically. And it came up very late in the game. I actually was down in Australia, where we were beginning to work on Mad Max. But that got delayed, so I called my agents and told them, "I need a job." [Laughs] They sent me to tape for X-Men. I prepared as best I could, auditioned, and was called in to perform a screen test.

Q: Were you aware of these characters from the original Marvel comic books or from the first three X-Men movies? more »

Q&A - Bradley Cooper Talks Thailand, Tattoos, and His Hopes for a Hangover Trilogy

by Sean O’Connell on May 23 2011

The wolf pack is back. And if you thought losing their best friend days before his wedding created a stressful situation, you haven't seen anything yet. With The Hangover Part II, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and director Todd Phillips face the enormous pressure of following up the highest-grossing R-rated comedy in history. When Cooper sat down with FilmCritic.com, he talked openly about moving the story to Bangkok, choosing to go dark with the humor, and his hope for a Hangover trilogy.

Q: When you heard they were planning a sequel, were you worried about living up to the first film?

A: Sure, yeah, no doubt about it. But the only reason why I wasn't so trepidatious is that the conversation started before the first movie came out. We didn't realize how big that movie was going to be, and it was only when we got to the moment of actually filming the sequel in Thailand where we definitely started getting excited about this whole process. That early scene in the IHOP was the first scene that we shot. And I remember thinking, "As a fan of The Hangover, I'm just psyched to see Stu and Doug and Phil together and talking." Do you know what I mean? There was this great part about sequels when we were kids, and you wanted to see the characters you love live on. So when we arrived in Bangkok a month later, we finally thought, "God, we really have to live up to the first one and not disappoint." There are a lot of people who love that movie, and there is going to be a lot of scrutiny.

Q: Do you get a hard time about Phil mostly avoiding physical alterations? Zach shaved his head and Ed has that facial tattoo, but Phil's pretty much no worse for wear.

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Q&A - Jodie Foster Talks Mel Gibson, Jennifer Lawrence, and Lessons Taught By the Beaver

by Sean O’Connell on May 16 2011

Jodie Foster's The Beaver was always going to be a difficult sell. Even under the best circumstances, this complicated dramedy about a depressed, divorced corporate executive who learns to speak through a puppet he finds in the trash would struggle to lure mainstream audience members. But when Foster's choice for a leading man -- Mel Gibson -- invited public scrutiny with a headline-grabbing scandal, The Beaver started receiving bad press. Now that the film's opening in theaters, we're finally able to discuss Foster's directing techniques, Gibson's performance, and Jennifer Lawrence's bright future.

Q: You described The Beaver as one of the most difficult experiences of your professional career. Can you tell me something you learned about yourself as a filmmaker while working on it?

A: I think that the greatest thing that I learned over the course of this incredibly hard process is that if I feel it, there must be a reason. If it moves me, there must be a reason. Even if I can't be articulate about the reason, I know that the reason is right. And whether it means that people like the movie or not is beside the point. I figured out that I have very honed instincts, and I can be kind of a people-pleaser, and I have to learn not to be.

Q: You introduced The Beaver at South By Southwest and made it a point to warn that it wasn't a comedy. I found that interesting. Do you worry people may think that it is a comedy?

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Q&A - Bridesmaids' Wendi McLendon-Covey Talks Royal Weddings, Cringe Humor, and the Power of Wilson Phillips

by Sean O’Connell on May 9 2011

Admittedly, Bridesmaids sounds like a chick flick. It's anything but. One look at the movie's poster -- which features Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and their badass but seriously funny co-stars -- should convince you that romantic-comedy clichés have no business here. "We look like the Ramones. We look like the chicks that are about to take you out in an alley," Bridesmaids member Wendi McLendon-Covey told me when she called FilmCritic.com to talk about Wiig's unique sense of humor, the beauty of a well-timed F bomb, and the Wilson Phillips song that still makes her cry.

Q: I've heard multiple people categorize Bridesmaids by calling it the next Hangover. Have you heard that, and do you see the comparison?

A: You know, that's interesting because this screenplay was written four and a half years ago, and it's gone through many different incarnations. I think in an early draft, we did get to go to Vegas, and it was still pretty hilarious because it still went to some interesting places. But Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, the co-writers on this film, have such different sensibilities that go off the beaten path. I guess the way that we are similar is that both films give people something that is hilariously funny and is not dumbed down and full of clichés. I understand why people are comparing the two. It's an ensemble thing that takes place before a wedding, so it's easy to make that comparison. But while they are two different movies, they both have very surprising elements to them, which is why The Hangover worked so well. You had no idea where that was going to go. Why would there be a tiger in your room?

Q: You guys played it for more relatable laughs.

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Q&A - Thor's Jaimie Alexander on Marvel Spoilers, Her Geeky Roots, and Wonder Woman's Breasts

by Sean O’Connell on May 4 2011

When it comes to superheroes from the mighty Marvel universe, Thor isn't quite as recognizable as, say, Spider-Man, Captain America, or the Hulk. But Paramount hopes that changes once the studio introduces the god of thunder in his first big-budget action film. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Thor stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins in the story of a god who walks among humans. As the summer blockbuster prepares to storm area multiplexes, Thor co-star Jaimie Alexander spoke to FilmCritic.com about the warrior character Sif, her inability to keep Marvel spoilers secret, and her lifelong love of comic books.

Q: You grew up as a comic-book geek. Were you a Wonder Woman supporter back in those days?

A: Um, hell no, buddy. And do you want to know why? I actually read "Wonder Woman," and here's the thing about her: she's more of a physical presence than anything else. You don't get to really know her on the inside. It's all about her boobs. And I can say that; I actually read the comics. Even though she had one of the coolest story lines, they still made her the all-American beauty queen. I found that Sif was different, and I think that's why I gravitated to her and to the X-Men. They had a real history, and they were a real team. I grew up with them, with Jubilee being one of my favorites. But, look, if I got approached to play Wonder Woman, which has happened once or twice, I would have to say, "Look, let's take this serious. Let's make her a positive role model. Let's make this a non-campy version of her." Because I haven't seen that done yet. Yet that's essentially what I got to do with Sif in Thor. I got the best of both worlds.

Q: You say you were approached to play Wonder Woman. Did you go after roles in any other superhero franchises?

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Q&A - Morgan Spurlock on Selling Out, Buying In, and the Greatest Advice He's Ever Received

by Sean O’Connell on May 2 2011

Have you noticed how product placement has become blatant in movies and on television programs? Tony Stark drives an Audi R8 through Iron Man 2. American Idol judges sip from Coca-Cola cups, with the logos turned toward the camera at all times. Morgan Spurlock certainly noticed. So the Super Size Me director set out to see if he could make a blockbuster documentary -- or, as he calls it, a "doc-buster" -- that's fully funded by corporate sponsorships. The result, titled Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, has opened in theaters, but, as Spurlock told FilmCritic.com during a recent interview, the sponsorships and promotions won't stop there.

Q: So you came up with a promotion for the movie by changing the name of a Pennsylvania town?

A: The town formerly known as Altoona, Pennsylvania, is officially Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Pennsylvania. It just rolls off the tongue, right? It's great. And they are very excited about it. But it's temporary. It will be that for the next 60 days.

Q: I was surprised by the number of corporations you approached for potential sponsorship that seemed visibly afraid of what you might say or do in the movie.

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Q&A - Josh Hopkins Talks Lebanon, the NFL Draft, and Phone Sex With Cougar Town Fans

by Sean O’Connell on Apr 25 2011

Josh Hopkins's charisma and comedic timing helped him graduate from bit player to Courteney Cox's love interest on ABC's Cougar Town. But when the hit sitcom goes on hiatus, Hopkins stays busy with challenging roles in indie dramas such as Lebanon, Pa. Written and directed by Ben Hickernell, the film stars Hopkins as a 35-year-old ad executive who returns to his rural hometown to bury his father and strikes up a beneficial friendship with his pregnant teenage cousin (played by the fantastic newcomer Rachel Kitson). Hopkins called to discuss Cougar Town tricks, his love of Scream 4, and his thoughts on the NFL draft.

Q: Is it difficult finding strong film projects that appeal to you when you are committed full-time to a television program such as Cougar Town?

A: Yes, definitely. We work so hard shooting the show. It is fourteen- or sixteen-hour days. And when we finally have our hiatus, unless you are a celebrity or someone who can bring an audience to a movie -- I'm really not that -- it's hard to find something that you want to do, that wants you to do it, and that can fit in your schedule. It has to start and end for you when you start and end your hiatus. I mean, it's hard to get a movie or a project without that limitation. It's especially hard when you say, "Okay, I have this month to this month. Go!"

Q: You call Cougar Town work, but it looks like a whole lot of fun to us.

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Q&A - Water for Elephants Director Francis Lawrence on Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and the (Hollywood) Circus

by Sean O’Connell on Apr 18 2011

Robert Pattinson trades the media circus that surrounds the Twilight series for an actual circus, as the actor joins Oscar winners Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz in an adaptation of Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants. Director Francis Lawrence recently spoke to AMC's Film Critic about Pattinson's animal magnetism, the changes he made to the source material, and the reasons no one runs away to join the circus anymore.

Q: For the people who only know Robert Pattinson from the Twilight saga, tell me what he brings to the table as an actor.

A: The Twilight films don't really show the full range of what I believe he is capable of. They are very stylized, and he's kind of hidden behind this pale makeup and contacts. I think people are going to be surprised when they see him in this movie -- how much more naturalistic he can be and how nuanced his performance is. I just think he is a very natural performer, and I think he has a real magnetism, which is very important for a star. It's interesting. I cast him because I found him to be a lot like Jacob. There is a purity, a strength, and a humility to him, and I think all of those qualities come across very nicely.

Q: Were you able to screen-test him with Reese Witherspoon?

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Q&A - Jesse Eisenberg Explains How Mark Zuckerberg Led Him to His Role in Rio

by Sean O’Connell on Apr 11 2011

Oscar nominees will tell you that the run-up to the Academy Awards can be a grueling marathon. Days become endless cycles of screenings, interviews, and parties. The travel itinerary can take you from Los Angeles or New York to London, Toronto, Palm Springs, and back to Hollywood -- sometimes in the same week. So when Jesse Eisenberg -- Best Actor nominee for The Social Network -- needed a break, he'd go to Rio. Not the Brazilian capital, but the animated film by Ice Age director Carlos Saldanha. Eisenberg began our conversation with some Social Network talk before moving onto the Oscars, Anne Hathaway, and how Rio connects with Zombieland.

Q: Were you personally interested in doing an animated feature?

A: Well, I was in Los Angeles shooting The Social Network, and I discovered that on the weekends I was having a bit of a difficult time shaking that character. He was so rigid and carried a lot of anger and fear. When they asked me if I would be interested in doing this movie and recording it on the weekends, I saw it as a wonderful opportunity to kind of take a break from that character but still be able to perform. I loved the story. I come from a family of animal-rights activists, and so to be involved in a movie that provided such a wonderful message about protecting the environment and endangered species was a great opportunity for me.

Q: Is there anything you miss about Oscar season?

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Q&A - Saoirse Ronan and Eric Bana on Hanna, Replacing Twilight, MMA, and the Joys of Parenting

by Sean O’Connell on Apr 4 2011

Hanna isn't your normal father-daughter drama. Joe Wright's dizzying and dangerous action thriller instead tells the not-so-sweet story of an ex-CIA operative (Eric Bana) who shapes his only daughter (Saoirse Ronan) into a flawless killing machine. Together, they go after the vindictive government leader (Cate Blanchett) who's hell-bent on eliminating these rogue agents. Sounds vicious, but Ronan and Bana couldn't have been sweeter as we sat down to discuss Twilight, James Bond, mixed martial arts, and that moment when you realize the world is a terrible place.

Q: Saoirse, you kick so much rear end in this film.

Saoirse Ronan: That's such a great way to put it!

Q: Your character, Hanna, has a very good chance of knocking off Twilight's Bella Swan as the top female role model for teenage girls.

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Q&A - Amy Ryan on Win Win, Steve Carell, and Her Farewell to The Office

by Sean O’Connell on Mar 28 2011

Amy Ryan is feeling a little maternal at this stage of her career. The versatile character actress earned her first Oscar nomination for Gone Baby Gone, portraying the worst onscreen mother since Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest. Ryan's latest effort finds her playing a levelheaded suburban mom trying to reconcile everyone's personal problems in Tom McCarthy's Win Win. Ryan's recent turn on NBC's long-running sitcom The Office and the role she possibly plays in co-star Steve Carell's impending departure are where we began our exclusive interview.

Q: You and Steve Carell worked together on Dan in Real Life. Did you connect way back then?

A: We actually did. There was a whole bunch of us who worked on that film who were actors I knew from back in New York. We were on location, and it was very familial. And Steve was just so dear and kind and just such a gentleman to us all. And I remember one day him saying to me, "You know, you should come be on the show one day." Now how do you really take that invite? Am I going to call up my agent and say, "Steve said I should be on the show." [Laughs] But then everything just happened the way it happened, and it was so exciting, years later, to be back working with him. It's just one of the most cherished moments I have had as an actor.

Q: Your senses of humor just gel, don't they?

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Q&A - Michael C. Hall on Peep World, Breaking Bad Marathons, and Dexter's Plans

by Sean O’Connell on Mar 21 2011

We may never see an Arrested Development movie in our lifetime. Thankfully, Barry W. Blaustein has made Peep World, an ensemble comedy about an uproariously demented and out-of-touch family that gives the Bluth clan a run for its money. In the film, dysfunctional siblings Sarah Silverman, Rainn Wilson, and Michael C. Hall overreact when their youngest brother (Ben Schwartz) writes a tell-all book about the family's dirtiest secrets. We spoke to Hall about awkward dinner parties, Hitler fascinations, and the next season of Dexter.

Q: Dexter is must-see television for so many people. What's must-see TV for you?

A: I watch a lot of sports on TV. As far as series go, I often catch up with stuff. I just picked up all of the DVDs of Breaking Bad, which I haven't seen yet. I'm looking forward to doing a marathon of that. Just recently, I made my way through The Wire well after the fact. That show is mind-blowing. The expansiveness of their storytelling is just unbelievable, and I think Omar is one of the greatest characters in the history of television.

Q: Is the upcoming Dexter season going to be your last?

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Q&A - Mars Needs Moms' Joan Cusack on Toy Story's Oscar and Irish-Catholic Guilt

by Sean O’Connell on Mar 14 2011

Thanks to the wonders of motion-capture animation, Joan Cusack lends her voice and facial expressions to Mom, the main character abducted by aliens in Walt Disney's Mars Needs Moms. That makes sense. Cusack's the mother of two young boys, so her maternal instinct immediately kicked in for the project. And she also has experience voicing strong-willed female characters for animated classics. We began our recent discussion with Cusack by asking her about Toy Story, Jessie, and the franchise's recent Oscar win.

Q: How did you celebrate Toy Story 3's Oscar wins?

A: Well, I was with my kids, and we just hooted and hollered. And that was really fun.

Q: But you don't have to say good-bye to Jessie and the Toy Story gang just yet. There are a handful of short films Pixar plans to make with those characters, right?

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Q&A - Battle: Los Angeles' Michael Pena on Parenthood, Fried Frog Legs, and Our Planet's Final Hours

by Sean O’Connell on Mar 7 2011

Space may be the final frontier, but in Jonathan Liebesman's high-powered Battle: Los Angeles the Milky Way's most violent denizens are making the trip to our planet -- and they'd like to claim it as their own. Michael Peña, star of Crash and Observe and Report, plays a civilian pulled into the military's explosive battle against marauding space invaders. We started our discussion by my asking if he thought there was intelligent life out there.

Q: So do you believe aliens exist?

A: You know, I don't follow any of that, but it would be pretty insane for me to think that there isn't any other kind of living organisms in the entire galaxy. It's just so huge. There has to be other kinds of suns out there. There can be different types of water or H2O on other planets. For us to think that life only exists on our planet -- that's just too insane. Maybe they might not look like us. They might be further along or even prehistoric. Who knows? It would be interesting to see where all of this research leads.

Q: If aliens actually did decide to colonize our planet, what would you do with your final hours here on the Earth?

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