Interview: the Stars of ‘Flipped’

Posted on September 1, 2010 at 3:52 pm

Madeline Carroll (now 14) and Callan McAuliffe (now 15) star in a sweet story of first love called “Flipped,” based on the popular book by Wendelin Van Draanen. I spoke to them about acting in a story set three decades before they were born, what movies they like to watch, and what it was like to work with one of Hollywood’s top directors, Rob Reiner. The biggest surprise was Callan’s accent. He’s Australian!
Did you have to learn about life in the 1960’s to play those characters?
Callan: I watched some old movies and TV shows but it wasn’t too hard. They dressed us up and did our hair so it was easy to feel so we were in the moment as soon as we got on the set.
Madeline: The set made you feel like you were in the 1960’s, the hair and clothes.
What is the biggest difference between the 1960’s and now?
Callan: Technology. They don’t have video games, internet, Twitter.
Madeline: IM, Facebook…
Did you have a favorite of the old-fashioned clothes you had to wear?
Callan: I hated them all!
Madeline: They were good for the movie but made me feel really awkward. They were actually old clothes so they were kind of stiff.
Callan: Itchy!
Do kids today behave differently?
Callan: I reckon it’s pretty similar. Hair and clothes and internet aside, it’s pretty similar.
Madeline: I think they’re pretty similar, too, but more — mean girls are meaner. Same feelings, but maybe they show it more.
What did Juli learn from the visit to her uncle?
Madeline: She became closer to her family and her dad. She didn’t care what Bryce thought anymore. She saw that her uncle was so kind and innocent, why would she want to fit in with with kids at school who were mean. It was another piece of the puzzle. She didn’t really care what Bryce thought after she saw her uncle. If Bryce would have had the sickly uncle, he would have been more embarrassed about it because of the way his dad acted. He would not have been proud; he would have been more embarrassed and not wanted him around.
What advice did the director, Rob Reiner, give you?
Callan: He gave me the script and said, “Do what you can and if you suck, I’ll tell you.”
Madeline: He would just say, “How would you do it?”
Did you have fun playing with the other kids in the movie between scenes?
Madeline: Yes, it was really fun. In other things that I’ve worked on, there haven’t been many other kids. We had so many extras in this big huge room and we’d go in and play games and cards and stuff.
What are you doing next?
Madeline: I just finished a movie with Gerard Butler in Michigan.
Callan: I just finished an action film with Steven Spielberg in Pittsburgh. It was loads of fun. It’s called “I am Number Four.”
Madeline: That’s so funny that this movie was based on a book and both of us are working on new movies based on books. You have to be very careful because there are fans of the book and they get mad if you shorten a lot of stuff.
Callan: I also did an Australian miniseries based on a book. When there’s a book, you have to be careful because there are true fans of the book like “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings” who will get annoyed about the little nuances. Like I don’t have blue eyes but in the book Bryce does.
Would you ever like to direct a film?
Madeline: I think it’s really cool when people direct themselves in a movie.
Callan: There’d be a lot more work but you could do everything you wanted to do with it, make it your own.
What movies do you like best?
Madeline: “Phantom of the Opera,” Misery, which was directed by Rob. I told him if he ever makes another scary movie, I want to be in it! I like the Japanese horror films that are supposed to be scary but the dubbing is so bad they are funny. My brothers and I watched one called “Hair Extensions.” It was supposed to be scary but it was so funny!
Callan: I can do the “Chain Saw Massacre”-type things where it’s just some psycho going around killing everyone, but I can’t watch the supernatural ones, like when there’s a girl walking down the corridor with the lights flickering, I just run and hide! After seeing “The Ring,” I couldn’t look in the mirror for about a month.
What should people know about “Flipped?”
Madeline: People can take their whole family to it.
Callan: There’s no hair extensions in this film!
Madeline: Rob Reiner’s made so many films people still watch today. I hope this one will be a movie people will watch for a long time because it makes them feel good.

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Before They Were Stars: Matthew Morrison

Posted on August 28, 2010 at 8:16 pm

I love watching an older movie and discovering someone who has since become successful in a small pre-fame role. The cute Hugh Grant/Drew Barrymore romantic comedy “Music & Lyrics” is on television and who shows up as the manager of the pop star Grant’s character has to impress with his new song? “Glee’s” Mr. Shu, Matthew Morrison. The songs are pretty good, too. Another reason the movie’s worth another look.

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Interview: Kevin Sorbo of ‘What If….’

Posted on August 25, 2010 at 3:59 pm

Kevin Sorbo (Hercules and Andromeda) stars in a new movie, “What If…” as Ben Walker, a man who gets the chance to see what his life would have been like if he had taken another path. In the tradition of “A Christmas Carol” and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Walker meets an angel (“Cheers'” John Ratzenberger) who lets him see the effect of the choices he has made and learn some lessons about what really matters. I spoke to him about the audience for faith-inspired films, what it was like to deliver the two sermons in the movie, and his award-winning foundation, A World Fit for Kids, which creates after-school programs to promote fitness, work skills, and academic achievement.

How did you become involved with this project?

Dallas Jenkins is a friend of mine. Our kids are the same ages and play together. He asked me to look at the script. I read it, fell in love with it immediately. He said, “I’m looking for the lead.” I said, “You’re looking at him! I’d love to do this, it’s awesome.” It came together very quickly and we were shooting in a month.

I loved your interaction with Kristy Swanson (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), who plays your wife.

We had a very good chemistry together. It was a good group of people and the crew was excellent. We shot it in three weeks. I wish we had had five or six. The economy is such a weapon it affects everything no matter what business you’re in right now and you have to make adjustments.

And yet I was very impressed with the quality of the production values in the film.

A lot of times in the past faith-based movies the acting, the script, the look were not all they could be. With the success of movies like “Facing Giants and “Fireproof” and especially “The Blind Side,” it’s opened up a whole new world, realizing that there’s a huge under-served market out there. The vast majority of the people in this country are people of faith. To ignore that and put out the stuff that Hollywood loves to put out — it’s kind of nice to see movies being made and I hope all the people who gripe about these kinds of movies not being made will go see this one, spread the word, and fill up the seats. We’re small, we’re independent, and we rely on word of mouth.

You have quite a character arc in the film and even the way you stand and move seems to change as your character starts to see and feel things differently.

It happened organically through the script. It was a natural slide to go from the cockiness and arrogance of the guy at the beginning, from the words on the page.

There’s a wonderful contrast between the two sermons your character has to deliver, one when he is really clueless and another when he is beginning to feel his connection to a calling.

And both were shot on the same day! They were just so funny, so well-written. The second one had a sense of humor to it, too. For me as an actor it was a huge workout. I’m in almost every scene in the movie. It was a challenge for me. I had to use some muscles I didn’t have to use before.

What roles do you enjoy most?

I get a lot of scripts. I started my own production company two years ago. There’s a lot of variety, thrillers, dramas, a mixture. Coming up I play a Scrooge type of character, a comedy, and then play the father of a young boy who has a brain tumor, a very touching heart-felt story, and then a period piece.

Tell me about your foundation.

It’s A World Fit for Kids. We support after-school programs to give kids the training, tools and support they need to achieve their goals and lead fit and fulfilling lives, and were recently recognized by Governor Schwarzenegger recognized us as a statewide model for preventing childhood obesity.

What do you want people to know about the film?

Everybody has a “what if” in their life. This will strike a chord. It could be a job, a relationship. We all have regrets about what we have done or shouldn’t have done. It’s a movie about forgiveness and redemption no matter where you are in your life.

There’s a lot of great laughs, a lot of moments to tug at your heartstrings. We had a premiere in Chicago with 3600 people and we turned 1000 away. At the end people gave us a standing ovation, applauding and crying. It’s a wonderful movie. And the whole family can see it.

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Answers: Julia Roberts Quiz

Posted on August 25, 2010 at 1:00 pm

Congrats to all the smarties who know their JR movies!
1. One thing she can’t do is sing very well. What all-star movie had her try a sad love song? “Everyone Says I Love You”
2. Which of her movies was originally titled “$3000?” “Pretty Woman”
3. In which movie does she play a military officer with a child? “Valentine’s Day”
4. In which movie does she rehearse for playing a military officer with a child? “Notting Hill”
5. She is usually cast in contemporary roles. But in which movie did she play a 19th century housemaid? “Mary Reilly”
6. Name two movies where she played a movie star and one where she played a movie star’s sister. She was a movie star in “Notting Hill” and “Full Frontal” and a movie star’s sister in “America’s Sweethearts.”
7. In which movie did she describe her “signature colors?” “Steel Magnolias” and I think they were blush and bashful!
8. She played characters in which two movies based on classic children’s stories? “Charlotte’s Web” and “Hook”
9. In which movie was she kidnapped? “The Mexican” (by James Gandofini!)
10. In which two movies did she play a photographer? “Step-Mom” and “Closer”
Thanks for playing!

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Interview: Emma Thompson of ‘Nanny McPhee’

Posted on August 18, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Emma Thompson has won Oscars for both writing (“Sense and Sensibility”) and acting (“Howard’s End”). She has played a character based on Hillary Clinton (“Primary Colors”), a Hogwarts faculty member in two Harry Potter films, and last year alone, Dustin Hoffman’s love interest in “Last Chance Harvey,” a stern headmistress in “An Education,” and a former hippie in “Pirate Radio.”
This week, she plays the title character in “Nanny McPhee Returns,” the sequel to the 2005 film she wrote and starred in about a nanny who has a special — you might say magical — knack with naughty children.
Nanny McPhee says that when she is not wanted but needed she must stay but when she is wanted but not needed she must go. Is it a challenge to teach children the difference between wanting and needing?
Of course but you must understand I don’t make these films to teach people lessons — that would be awful. I make films to delight them and make them laugh and have a really wonderful time and then they’ll think about stuff if that’s what they want to do. Internally, some of the stuff that goes on in those movies is that it’s very true that when need people but don’t particularly want them that’s when they have to stay and help out, but when you are desperate for them to stay but don’t need them, that is when you have to let them go. So, yes, that’s very true but the message is carried very subtly. More importantly, she’s there to say to children, “You can solve your own problems. You don’t need an adult to solve them for you.” That’s even more important.
One of the pleasures of a movie like this one is the vicarious enjoyment of being naughty like the children in the film. Were you a naughty child?
I was profoundly obedient. I was brought up in a rather austere London by a Scottish Presbyterian. You weren’t very naughty. I do remember drawing on the bathroom walls with pencil and having to rub it all off, which took hours, sobbing gently. But I wasn’t naughty.
Is it fun for you to put on a false nose and teeth and make yourself look ugly?
Yes it is good fun and a relief from that rather fascistic insistence on glamor and you’ve got to look this way and be this shape and so there’s a small rebellion in the act itself.
How does the costume help create the character?
The costume was designed in the first instance by Nick Ede, a wonderful designer. We worked very hard on how big she was going to be, whether we would trim it with jet which is how she is described in the book, what her silhouette is like, when to introduce a waist. It was great fun and the costume and make-up is everything really. It does so much work for you. Actors often say they don’t feel like the character until they have the costume on.
Is this movie based on the books?
The first movie has a lot of story that isn’t in the books. They’re really based on a character rather than adaptations of the books. They’re wonderful books but there’s a lot of repeat behavior and the second film is an entirely new story.
Why did you decide on a WWII setting?
I was wanting the father to be absent for some reason or other. I was in Berlin when I was thinking about the story, and I thought maybe I can have this father absent because of war. I already knew I wanted it to be about two sets of children who came from different backgrounds and hated each other and fought.
Will you do another one?
I hope so. It all depends on how this one goes. Market forces will decide that for us, but I am thinking about a third one, certainly.

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