1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: I'm Alec Baldwin. And here's the thing. Stephen Daldry grew 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: up in the theater. He began directing plays at age sixteen. 3 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: He went on to run several theaters before spending most 4 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: of the nineteen nineties at the Royal Court in London. 5 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: The New York Times has described the Court as the 6 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: most important theater in Europe. Over ten years ago, a 7 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: friend brought him a film script, which he decided to direct. 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: That film, Billy Elliott, earned him a Best Director nomination, 9 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 1: so did his next two films, The Hours and The Reader. 10 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: His fourth movie, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, opens on Christmas. 11 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: It's a Christmas movie about nine eleven. It's a story 12 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: about family trying to somehow not get over it and 13 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: nor heal because you can't heal from that, but trying 14 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: to come together again. This movie has all the trappings 15 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: of Hollywood movie making, an infamous producer Scott Rudin, and 16 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,959 Speaker 1: a list stars Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, but none 17 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: of this seems to distract Stephen Dawdry. It never feels 18 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: like a big movie. It doesn't know, it never feels 19 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,480 Speaker 1: like it always feels like something you made and something 20 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: you did, you know, homemade, something you did in your workshop. 21 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: And I don't know what you who you make stuff for. 22 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: I always make stuff for myself and my you know, 23 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: you make stuff for your friends, yourself, and see whether 24 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: it makes any sense to you. Your first film was 25 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: Billy Elliott. Correct. Yeah, but that was a that was 26 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: a really weeny one. Yeah, that's what I mean. So 27 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: obviously you see where like that was. That was a 28 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: small film and then you we we we made that 29 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: literally we made it for next to nothing. And so 30 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: what's the difference. How's it changed for your since it 31 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: hasn't had no pressure on this. I mean, you know, 32 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: Warner Brothers were so unbelievably supportive. It was rubbing off 33 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: your robbin off. He runs the studio and I took 34 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: the film to him and I said, you know, this 35 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: is what I made with your money. So I showed 36 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: it to him in Pasadena with a crowd about six 37 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: other people, and at the end of he said, thanks 38 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: very much. I said, what was the genesis of the 39 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: film for you? In terms of it? Did someone come 40 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: to you with a script or you had written Rowden 41 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: had the script written, had brought the book from Jonathan's 42 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: Hafing Fro who written this book called Extreme That and 43 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: Qutty Close, and he had asked Eric Ralph to write 44 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,639 Speaker 1: a couple of drafts, which he had done, written both 45 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: in a day, and ring back and said, yeah, I mean, 46 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 1: I mean, is there a difference for you in making 47 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: films and producing shows and directing shows in the theater? 48 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: The difference between the two A big difference. One is 49 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: in the theater, everybody's in the same room, so everybody 50 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: can see what the beast is. Everyone you can see 51 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 1: what it's made. And you start at the beginning, and 52 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: you finish the people you start with, the people you 53 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: finish with, and the movie the people you prep with, 54 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: the people you shoot with, and the people you shoot 55 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: with at the people you finish with. The people think 56 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: it's more like a relay base making a movie. To me, 57 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: it's more like cooking, you know, like there's a guy 58 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: that makes the lettuce out in California, there's a guy 59 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: that grew the tomatoes and Georgia, and none of them 60 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: ever meet each other or know each other, they ship 61 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: at all, and you cut it up into a salad 62 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: and mix it all together. And that's why it's it's 63 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:01,119 Speaker 1: more lonely because it's so compartmental wise that word yeah, 64 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: and you know when you're actually it's different. You know, 65 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: this movie is different. And it's really interesting because on 66 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: the other movies I've done, the moment of creation, the 67 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: moment that you're actually making something. In the in the past, 68 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: it was only the cameraman could really see what actually 69 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: you're making. The digital revolution means that on set on 70 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: this movie, for example, we had a screen. You're looking 71 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: at what it's going to be seen in the movies 72 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: as you're shooting it, and everyone can see it. It's 73 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: not like everyone's looking around a little videomolitor is digital. 74 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: So was this your first digital film? First digital film? 75 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: And you preferred it? I preferred it, And you don't 76 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: buy into the nothing is richer than film films for 77 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: nostalgia film, the romanism, I felt, I don't you just 78 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: carry and you shoot forever? Literally you don't have to 79 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: say you know action or cart or you just you 80 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: keep rolling. I mean I remember the first day that 81 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: I ever shot anything on film, and you know, suddenly 82 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: around the camera people are saying these extraordinary things to me, 83 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: like you know rolling, you know, all these things. When 84 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: was that billy it? And people are getting They're saying 85 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: all these strange words, you know, and then everyone's looking 86 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: at me and I'm going, what are they doing? What? 87 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: And you go, oh, I'm meant to say action? People 88 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: really say that do thing? I thought it was some 89 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: sort of light joke. And since then, I've never really 90 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: liked saying action, which is why I prefer just to 91 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: keep rehearsing and roll the camera while we're rehearsing, and 92 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: then eventually he's into Some people don't want to say 93 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: the word action. I find a bizarre on myself, and 94 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: when it freaks the actors out, actually do it now 95 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: now it is not very intimate, it's not and it's 96 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: a it's a it's like an assault on the I'm 97 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: in bed with a woman. I like when she says 98 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: action that that vibes Yeah, that gets you going. I 99 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: directed a film once and I couldn't stand it. I 100 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: really didn't care for it. But I wonder. I've always 101 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: wondered if I had the inclination to absorb more about 102 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: lighting and cutting and editing, and has that been a 103 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: big thing for you? There's that journey of learning more 104 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: and about how films are put together. And I love 105 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 1: editing you do. It's my favorite bit of the pressure. 106 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: It is a film is written three times. You write 107 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: it to start it, then you rewrite it as you 108 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: make it, and then you do the final and proper 109 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 1: right as you put it all together. And it's like 110 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: a jigsaw puzzle if you like jigsaw puzzles, if you 111 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 1: love making movies. But it's actually putting the pieces together, 112 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: finding out the rhythms. And I would imagine that the 113 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: experience of editing makes anyone a better filmmaker in terms 114 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: of teaching you what you need to have in the 115 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: can people say to me, you know, what should I 116 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: do to learn how to make a film? Just getting 117 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: by a final club prom and just start shooting stuff 118 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: and then just start editing and you'll learn everything you 119 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 1: need to know about making a movie from editing it. 120 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: Did you feel that you had learned everything that you 121 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 1: needed to learn about directing actors from your years in 122 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 1: the theater in England in terms of directing actress for film, 123 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: was there a difference? It was the same. I think 124 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 1: it's the same. Well, let it rip. Most of my life, 125 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: you know, all my life has been in the theater, 126 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: you know, and yes, all you need to work out 127 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: with an actor is how to talk to them. And 128 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: actors come with their own method like you. You know, 129 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,039 Speaker 1: you've come with your own method oology of where you've 130 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 1: picked up and usually actor as a lot of actors, 131 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: particularly American actors, if I may dare to say this, 132 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: let it come from some notion, some they've picked up 133 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: some ideas of what acting might be or what what 134 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: a methodology might be. It's easier in Europe. It's easier 135 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: in England because usually people have got a shared methodology. 136 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: In other words, there's a language that people sort of 137 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: understand that you can actually have a conversation about what 138 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: what literally you're meant to be doing at any one 139 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 1: particular time. A lot of American actors got lost in 140 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: this idea of the method or some sort of notion 141 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: of character. They keep going on about where my character 142 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 1: this or and even what are you talking about? Where 143 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: did you get this idea of character from. It's easier 144 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: in Europe because people tend to be more strictly come 145 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: from a training whereby a common training, a common training, 146 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: there's a lot of training going on here, but that 147 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: training is a different kind of training. It's a different 148 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: sort of training. So the difficulty is just finding a 149 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: language to talk to actors so you can be honest. 150 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 1: You know, one time I was watching a concert and 151 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: I was watching some famous musician like Tom Petty. He 152 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: was performing at a benefit and I turned to a 153 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: friend of mine and I had this chill run up 154 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: my spine and I said, do you see what these 155 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: people are doing. They're all doing the same thing at 156 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: the same time, and they're all of one at the 157 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: same time. It doesn't happen in the theater and enacting 158 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: a lot of times it does in England. No, No, 159 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: it's really hard. It's the only people. Sometimes people are 160 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: doing their own thing. What is the job of the doctor? 161 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: The job of the doctors. You've got one job is 162 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: to make sure everybody's in the same show. And you 163 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: can have fantastic films, fantastic fantastic theater. There in one show, 164 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: he's in another show, she's doing something else. They're all 165 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: being brilliant in their own way, but they're on the 166 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: same space. Getting everybody in the same space. It's the 167 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: hardest thing. But what's your methodology? Do you define your 168 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 1: acting in a particular way. Well, it depends. I mean 169 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: I try to think of it in terms of a style. 170 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: If I do, especially this television show now for six 171 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: years or two, you hit a kind of a a 172 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: style that's similar to some of the theater I've done, 173 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: like Orton or Hector MacArthur, where there's a kind of 174 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: a farcical rhythm, there's a key you play and don't 175 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: put a lot of unearned policies and they're really paces 176 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: a big part of it. But did you train? Yeah, 177 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: I went to n y U. And as I get older, 178 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: everything is technical. I mean I literally mark my lines 179 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 1: in the scripts that I do now lack of musical score, 180 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 1: stop hard, constant, here, move, dip rise, all these things. Emphasis. 181 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: Before that, though, it was all about authenticity. I would 182 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: say that method acting was about like if you said 183 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: to me, which I want you to do this, I'd say, well, 184 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: I've got to go meet a bunch of surgeons. Let's 185 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: go find out how hard surgeons really behave in the 186 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: operating room, because I don't want to do anything as 187 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: an authentic And then of course there's that famous Walter 188 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 1: MATHO line where they said to Walter math how do 189 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: you want to go observe some surgery. And he said, no, 190 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,679 Speaker 1: I'm a movie actor. No one expects me to know 191 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: anything about surgery. So we're just gonna think it and 192 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: indicate it. You're right about the technicle. I mean in 193 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 1: England we do tend to be more technical. But a 194 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: matter you know even remember you know I work with 195 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: Mail Streep on a movie, and you know a Mail 196 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: has this extraordinary emotional ability. But she does pause before 197 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: the verb. And I know why you're doing it because 198 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: you think I can't cut away. I can absolutely show 199 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: you I can cut away from you even if you 200 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: pause before the verb. And she knew she was pausing 201 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: before the verb. Well, she she definitely is a maestro. 202 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: She is. She's then her and Nicholson that they know 203 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 1: every trick there is to force that cut in the 204 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: film or to deny the cut in the film. It 205 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: is thrilling when you go and you have a director 206 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: who can help you. I've had to do what the 207 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: modern actress had to do, which is to come prepared 208 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 1: to be self directing in case you didn't have anything 209 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: for me. Baganized, because I'd rather come and have you 210 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: say to me. Well, of course it's this, and I 211 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: would don't you realize it's this and you have got 212 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: all font of information, but I would go crazy. But 213 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: I find it really crazy when it is come in 214 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,439 Speaker 1: self prepared because they've done some journey that they get 215 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: and you, well, well this is and again you get 216 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: there showing your photographs of a trip they went on 217 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: without you. Yeah, and then they again this comment my 218 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: character and you're gonna look, it's not your character. Okay, 219 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 1: it's ours, and we're going to make it up. Now, 220 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: you're interesting. I've never heard that every before, that it's ours, 221 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: it's ours, it's not your character. I'm going to remember 222 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: that it's ours. Well, my character wouldn't do that. Well, 223 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: let's change the character then, because we're going to do that. 224 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: You know what is let's talk about a character they 225 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: would do that. That's right, let's change it. What do 226 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: you miss about running up by side the court which 227 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: everybody just adores the work there and loves the chord? 228 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: You miss it? I miss it, and I suspect I'm 229 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: going to run another theater. I mean, it's too much fun. 230 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: It's about community. It's about having a community of people 231 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: that you're staying with for a period of time, the 232 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: number of years you commit yourself to and trying to 233 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 1: do something. You know, I don't know why you make work. 234 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: I mean I make work to change the world. I 235 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: think that's any reason to do anything. And getting a 236 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: group of people in to start a conversation with the 237 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: community and with a society you live in is going 238 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: to be the greatest thing you can do. Can you 239 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: do both right now or now? You certainly can't make 240 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 1: movies in mouth theater and you can't movies are too obsessive. Ye, 241 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 1: It's it's like it's it's two years of your life. 242 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: Just whatever you do, it's two years too. The Billy 243 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: Elliott is closing on Broadway. Billy, It's closing on Broadway 244 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 1: generally eight. Well, what was the genesis of the film? 245 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: How did you decide you were going to make the film? 246 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: And then talk a little bit, if you would, about 247 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: how the journey from film to Broadway and this enormously 248 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: successful show on broad It's a very simple tale. An 249 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: old friend of mine, Lee Hall, wrote a script. I 250 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: read his script and said, oh, yeah, that's this is great. 251 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 1: This is and you've been wanting to direct a film? No, 252 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: no interest in films at all. But I read this 253 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 1: and I went, this is greatly, this is really good. 254 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: You should do this. Would you want to do it? 255 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: I said, well, I don't know. I'm running a theater, 256 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 1: you know that. Well, okay, let's have a go. And 257 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: so we made it. Nobody was interested, by the way, 258 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: you know, a kid who wants to be a dancer, please, 259 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 1: But we took it to Can and the first showing 260 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: in Can, for some unknown reason, Elton John was there 261 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: and the party afterwards out and said, you know this 262 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:55,959 Speaker 1: is going to be better on stay. I mean, it's 263 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: a great movie, but I want to write the music 264 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: for this on stage and we went it's out on 265 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:00,959 Speaker 1: John and have been him before, you know, it's like, 266 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 1: oh my god, you know, no, thanks but now And 267 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,439 Speaker 1: then he kept on going for what say, because we 268 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: just finished the film and you just weren't ready to 269 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: think about it, not even ready for it. He was 270 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 1: persistent and carried on, and he would literally start writing 271 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: stuff and write songs, and he'd ring me up in 272 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: my kitchen and I put him on speaker phone and 273 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: he said, look how about this one? You know, be 274 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: cooking in my kitchen, and then speaker phone and he 275 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: really didn't fall into a kind of a Lewis Carroll 276 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: hole there. I think the stage show is better than 277 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,479 Speaker 1: the movie. It's found its natural home, Isn't it amazing? 278 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:38,719 Speaker 1: How that is a big part of this business. How 279 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 1: you do fall into a hole one day you weren't 280 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: sitting there. I would imagine at the court saying I've 281 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: got to get out of here and make films. You know, 282 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: it doesn't happen to you every day, though, that life 283 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: changes in the second, like things just happen. You know, 284 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: you're sitting on American airlines and something happens. I mean, 285 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: just yes, somedays some flights are different than others. I 286 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: can honestly say there's been some that are more eventful 287 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 1: than others. One such turning point for you, I think 288 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: from what I could gather from reading, was that you 289 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: were a clown's apprentice. Correct. Yes, I was interested in 290 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: circus when I was finishing university, So I I suppose 291 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: I sought out this guy called Elder Milette. He was 292 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 1: in a great Italian clown and then I went to 293 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: work with him in Italy. I worked in a year 294 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: I credo or fe. It was a hard circus. I 295 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 1: mean it wasn't What does that mean? I love that. 296 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: What does it mean A hard circus? A hard circus 297 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 1: is it's three shows daily, hard schedule, a hard schedule. 298 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: I was in charge of the giraffes as well. I 299 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: had to look after the giraffes, and then we would 300 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: travel by train and then I would take the giraffes 301 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: off the train and put them into their little drive 302 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 1: the giraffes. So it really is like you see in 303 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: these period movies where it's like like Greatest Show on 304 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 1: Earth everything, where it's there's everyone's multitasking everyone. You're the 305 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: clown and you're claiming the giraffe pen driving the draft 306 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: through these Pompeii me the draft from Pompeii. And people 307 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: talk about, you know, the animals being mistreated, which I 308 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: you know, people have different opinions about, but the people 309 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 1: being so mistreated, the people who were they mistreated by management, 310 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: management themselves, the hierarchy of drinking, love of very very 311 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: tough living. It was a hard life. We were basically 312 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: going to be training in Italy for a year and 313 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: then we were going to go off to Moscow State Circus. 314 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: When the call, you know, Okay, we're going off to Moscow. Now, 315 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: I just went, you know what, I've done this for 316 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: a year. I'm off. You're filmmaking experiences. It sounded a 317 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: moment ago when we were talking like they've been relatively 318 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: emotionally secure experiences for you as a filmmaker, and you've 319 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: been very content and happy making films. Filmmaking hasn't been 320 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: another hard circus for you people. I do understand a 321 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: lot of filmmakers have a very hard time making films, 322 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: and I've been blessed. I mean, I've got friends of 323 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: mine who have had experience of sitting in the trailer 324 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: and spending your whole time trying to defend what you're 325 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: doing and fighting and cutting and and I haven't had 326 00:14:58,280 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: that experience. But a lot of that is because of 327 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: Scott Rotten, who, for me, has always been a huge 328 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: filmmaker support fighting for me in the right way. Where 329 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: were you, I mean this is obviously a nauseating cliche, 330 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: but where were you when nine eleven went down? With 331 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: Scott written on the actual nine eleven. Yeah, Scott and 332 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: I were finishing a movie we made called The Hours, 333 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: finishing in London. We're in the editing room and in London, 334 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: and Scott got the first call, which must have been 335 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: about like nine, just saying the plane just gone into 336 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: the South Tower. And then we went downstairs to the 337 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: common room, the green room as it were, and the 338 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 1: TV already switched in UK, the TV switched straight away 339 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: to live coveration and we basically sat there all day 340 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: making phone calls as it unfolded. And then Scott and 341 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: I was stuck in London trying to get back to 342 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: New York for five days. And I think that's one 343 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: of the reasons why Scott sent me this book, because 344 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: it was such a powerful experience for the two of 345 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: us to go through that together saying, you know, do 346 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: you want to make a movie about about that time? 347 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: And so for me with Scott to tell not our story, 348 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: but to tell a story about one family on that 349 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: day felt I felt like it was something we were 350 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: both wanted to do. The age of the boy is 351 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: how old in the film eleven and the age of 352 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: the actor who portrayed him. Did you have like a 353 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: huge nationwide talent hunter, worldwide talent hunt? You did? We did? 354 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: You saw how many people for the role? Did you? 355 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: Isn't amazing see people don't realize that they were, like, 356 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: it really is kind of amazing. I think when you 357 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: say to people, you saw three thousand people for the 358 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: role of this child in this film, what was it 359 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: about him that made you choose him? Scott rud And 360 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: the producer had seen him win Kid Jeopardy and he 361 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: remembered there was a kid that one Kid Jeopardy. Actually, 362 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: by this point we were at the eleventh hour, and 363 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: you know, I'm still going I don't think we can 364 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: make thee because you just hadn't felt that I haven't 365 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: really family kid and Warner Brothers again, I said to 366 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: them all the way through, you know, if we can't 367 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: find the kid, you're gonna spend a lot of money 368 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: up front here pre production casting. But if we don't 369 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: find the kid, we should really just call it a day. 370 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: Again Wallners, Yeah, we agree, that's fine, you know, but 371 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: we should go through this process. So and then eleventh 372 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: Scott remember the kid and Kid Jeopardy, and we brought 373 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: him in and Thomas had totally different to the character. 374 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: There's no loss in Thomas's life. Is a very happy 375 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: kid with great family, very smartly one Kid Jeopardy. For 376 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,400 Speaker 1: that I had this extraordinary emotional life. The long audition 377 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:31,400 Speaker 1: process inevitably, and I took his final tape to warners 378 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:33,360 Speaker 1: and I said, you know, well, I think that's the kid. 379 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 1: If you don't agree when we let's stop it now. 380 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 1: And Jeff we watched the tape together and he said, yeah, 381 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:46,360 Speaker 1: I think that's the Kid's gonna make your movie. You're 382 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: listening to here's the thing. More from my conversation with 383 00:17:49,800 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: Stephen Dowdry. In a minute. This is Alec Baldwin and 384 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: you're listening to here's the thing. I'm talking with director 385 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 1: Stephen Daldry. Do you find something out about yourself every 386 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:15,919 Speaker 1: film you make? Is there a part of you that 387 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,119 Speaker 1: you lay there that you weren't aware of? When you 388 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: make a film, everything's therapy, don't you find? Yes? It 389 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 1: is every piece of work you make. You you have 390 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: to explore yourself the reader? What was the therapy for 391 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: which I love that film? By the way, I was 392 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: just I was completely spend with him. I worship her, Okay, 393 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 1: I worship her. I can't go I'm unabashed about it. 394 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: I am completely immune to all the charms of all 395 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: movie actresses except her. I saw her an Award show 396 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: and I gradually swallowed my turn. She's fantastic, um the reader. 397 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: I spent a lot of time in Germany as a kid. 398 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 1: I spent you know, learned German and spent a lot 399 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: of time there. And the idea of a country crippled 400 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 1: for many generations by something that happened, and how it 401 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,440 Speaker 1: was still coming to terms with what it went through 402 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: and where I went through it and collective guilt. So 403 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 1: for me it was an expiration of my school days 404 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: in Germany. And what about The Hours, Well, The Hours 405 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 1: is a complicated film about the one thing that they 406 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: all the films that I may tend to have in common, 407 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 1: is they're all about loss in one way or another. 408 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 1: And what the nature of loss is. Everybody has it 409 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: at some point in their lives. And that was a 410 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:31,400 Speaker 1: study and three women who are going through a profound 411 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: sense of loss. Loss is really my subject. Your two 412 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: women when the oscar coming out of your how did 413 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: you feel about that? It's been enormously gratified enormously I mean, 414 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 1: it's always fantastic when your actors do well, isn't Did 415 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,439 Speaker 1: you find that Kate and Nicole Kidman in the Hours 416 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 1: who won the Oscar for that film. Did you find 417 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: that they came to the party with that British sense 418 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: of working in the shared experience with you? Were they 419 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,199 Speaker 1: more in line with that? They are? They were and 420 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: up for rehearsal. I love rehearsing, and Nicole rehearse forever. 421 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 1: Kate rehearse forever. On this film, we rehearse forever. You know, 422 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: it's part of the process. And do you rehearse well. 423 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: I've done films where we did some rehearsal, and I 424 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: remember one time they had a very formalized rehearsal process, 425 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: but it was constantly interrupted by the department heads coming 426 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: in and summoning the director to go and look at something, 427 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: and he run out, So we know we had his attention, 428 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 1: you know, fleetingly. I would crave that. I'd love that. 429 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: So you're married, when you have a child and you 430 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 1: live in a I've read about you live in a 431 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: communal home. How would you describe that and what do 432 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: you like about that? What do you prefer? Love? Communal 433 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: living extended families is the way that we've always lived. 434 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 1: When I say extended family, I don't mean blood family, 435 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: I mean just living in a basically a commune situation. 436 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 1: I think it's better for the kids. You know, the 437 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: kids have bought up. You know, it's the old adage, 438 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: but you know, a village is better than anything else. 439 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: And so it's and how that's how we live in 440 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: New York and that's how we live in London. I 441 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: find that very appealing. Honestly, revolutionari your life. I watch 442 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: Big Love. I think guys spent with that. Are you 443 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: gonna be involved in the Olympics? Yeah you are? Are 444 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: you really? Yeah? I'm the executive producer of the London Olympics. 445 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: Why the funk would you want to do that? Because 446 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: it's the greatest collective experience I think a country can 447 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 1: have and a city can have about sharing and welcoming 448 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: the world to its home. Where do you live? I 449 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: live in Meatpaking District? You live here, live here, kids 450 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: go to kids go to school? Ps? Three? And why 451 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: do you live here? Where we live here? And we 452 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: live in London. When you talk about it, I get 453 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,120 Speaker 1: a sense of London is really home in your heart. 454 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: The kids get to school here, but in your heart, 455 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 1: I mean, you do prefer London if you could. Doesn't 456 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 1: work like that, It doesn't know, it's totally shared, but 457 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: there's there a sense that of some real pride you have, 458 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: you want to be a part of helping London put 459 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: its best foot forward in terms of the others for 460 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 1: the world. I love doing anything that's not to do 461 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 1: with making movies or making theater, and say, the idea 462 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,360 Speaker 1: of getting involved in the Olympics just felt like a 463 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: no brainer to me. I mean, of course, now, why 464 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: do you say anything that doesn't have to do with 465 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: film and theater you're in I mean, are you someone 466 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: who you hold back and hold back and hold back 467 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: and only make a film or do a play on 468 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 1: an as needed basis? You just can't help yourself in 469 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: your cave and you do it. I've tried to resist 470 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: it for as much as I can, and I would 471 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:27,639 Speaker 1: love to do something else. I came up with my 472 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: ideal job the other day. It's taking me some time. 473 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,199 Speaker 1: I'm fifty three years old, and I finally came up 474 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: and I think I nailed it, and it may work 475 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: for you too as well. I thought about opening a 476 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: bookstore where we actually never sell any books. Everybody comes 477 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: in and I say, oh, I'll order that for you, 478 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 1: probably somewhere remote, so they would anticipate some kind of 479 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: lag time, get espressos and smoke cigars and have some 480 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 1: nice olives and and crewded tee and so forth. And 481 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 1: I get to meet people to be social. They'll say, 482 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 1: when in the book comming and I go about five 483 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: or six weeks, I'll call you. We never sell one book, 484 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: but we have a day. I love that idea. What 485 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 1: is your idea? What do you what's your bookstore on Spain? Idea? 486 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: What do you want to do? Talent? Country planning, traffic lights? 487 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 1: Really interested in traffic lights, subway system an engineer, mass 488 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 1: transit systems. Love to get into all that stuff. Are 489 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: you gonna run from Mayor of London? Really love to run? 490 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: I'll run from Afflon. But are you running for president? 491 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: I thought this radio show was the beginning of your 492 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: Is that what it is? I thought it was? Should 493 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: start to rethink that, man, I never really thought of 494 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: it that way. To use the radio show as a 495 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:30,399 Speaker 1: as a launch pad for my political career. I never 496 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: thought of that. Are you going to have a political career? 497 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,680 Speaker 1: I doubt it now, Really I doubt it now. Yeah. 498 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 1: The older I get, the more I feel that that 499 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: that all of it has changed, I think you should 500 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,640 Speaker 1: run from Mayor. Well I don't. I've lost my appetite. 501 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 1: I mean, I think and pus the people that are 502 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: running from Mayor. I know this is terrible. I look 503 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: at them and I said, I don't see myself in 504 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 1: that crowd. Feel like a guy on a date that 505 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:50,920 Speaker 1: can't You can just tell he just can't wait to 506 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: get his hand up your blouse, you know, before the 507 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: even the lights go out in the theater. They're all 508 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:59,640 Speaker 1: just so horny for it morning, for their own ascension. 509 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: Whereas for me, I've got a job now, which I 510 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: got a good job, and it is the most creative 511 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 1: thing in the world. Am I doing The Insider with 512 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,880 Speaker 1: Michael Mann? Am I doing some edgy like finely chiseled 513 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 1: social drama. No? Am I doing to kill a mockingboard? 514 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: I'm doing a sitcom. But we have fun and it's 515 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: a family and I live in New York. I've got 516 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:22,359 Speaker 1: a life. It's been a great harbor for me in 517 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,880 Speaker 1: my life. Give this up for what I give up 518 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:28,639 Speaker 1: money and fame and position, and six I give up 519 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: this wonderful life I have now in exchange for the 520 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: chance to really change things. I'm not quite sure you 521 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: can anymore. You can't believe me, Well, maybe I'll move Ton. 522 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: Can Can I work for you if your mayor of London? 523 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: I'll work for you if you run from mayor. I 524 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: don't think you're understanding what I'm saying. I think you're 525 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 1: directing me. Okay, Oh, this is a character we're creating. Oh, 526 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: I see, I think you should run for mayor of London. 527 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:50,639 Speaker 1: I think you should run for mayor of New York. 528 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 1: And I think you should get pessimistic about it. You 529 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 1: can change the will You don't have to answer this 530 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: question because they's going to embarrass you. But I'll just 531 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: see up this ball. You're very charismatic man, You're very charming, 532 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: and you're very seductive. You have a kind of a 533 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 1: very seductive veneer to you. And I'm wondering, do you 534 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 1: think that that helps you with what you do? Because 535 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 1: when the guy walks in the room or the woman, 536 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: because I work with some woman directors, but there's mostly men, 537 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: let's face it. And when that guy walks in the 538 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,439 Speaker 1: room and he looks like a high school shop teacher 539 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 1: with a bunch of pens sticking out of his park, 540 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: you know what, I maybe if it doesn't have any 541 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 1: kind of cheat to him at all. You're a very 542 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: seductive guy, and you're a very very kind of appealing guy. 543 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: Do you find that that works for you? Do you 544 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: use that to your advantage when you're directing? Don't smirk 545 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: at me, do you? I don't know. I don't do 546 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: it consciously. You don't consciously try to seduce the people 547 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: you work with. It's always going to be a love 548 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 1: affair with your actors. If you're not in love with him, 549 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 1: it's not going to pan out. You literally have to 550 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: fall in love and they with you, and they with you, 551 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 1: and then you can do. Your actors fall in love 552 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 1: with you. I try to make them, you do, don't you? 553 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:54,119 Speaker 1: I bet you they do, because it's so intimate. It's 554 00:25:54,119 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: such a private and such a and it requires such honesty. Yeh. 555 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,959 Speaker 1: I never met Stephen Daldry before, and in that spirit 556 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: of honesty, I figured this was my chance, even as 557 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 1: his publicist was looking at her watch and pulling him away. Well, 558 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: one day, I'd love to talk to you about a play. 559 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: Should we do one? I'd love to do play, but 560 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: I don't I don't know if you're gonna have time 561 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 1: you're not gonna be time to do a play with me. 562 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: Good God, No, come, we're gonna do one of the 563 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: public I'm sure they'll love it. Let's see, uh the 564 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 1: hours the reader, extremely close with Tom Hanks and sound 565 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: a book, and you're gonna stop all that to go 566 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:32,199 Speaker 1: to a play with me? I don't think so. I 567 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: think I can hear your publicist really screaming now she's 568 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: calling your agent right now. Stephen Daldry's new film, Extremely 569 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: Loud and Incredibly Close, opens on Christmas. Thank you for coming. 570 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: I'm very happy to spend the time. Thank you. This 571 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing 572 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:01,639 Speaker 1: to the the fun joining