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September 2005
The Man : An Interview with Eugene Levy
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The Man: An Interview with Eugene Levy By Wilson Morales Eugene Levy has been making folks laughs with his dry humor for years since his days on SCTV, and "Splash", and one can say that he really hit a home run when he was cast as the father in the hilarious comedy film, American Pie, and its subsequent sequels. Levy also was funny as part of the ensemble that appeared together in the recent films directed by Christopher Guest (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman). Now, Levy gets to headline a film along with Samuel L. Jackson in "The Man", in which he plays a dentist who gets mixed up in a caper. In speaking with blackfilm.com, Levy goes his character and working with Mr. Jackson.This is a departure from the American Pie movies. Was that something you wanted to do? Eugene Levy: This was there are similarities what attracted me to the American pie movies,
certainly the first one was the relationship between the father and the son and I think that was
the key thing. Fortunately we did a lot of improvising to get the character where I wanted him
to be and that was the key factor. In this movie it was really a great two hander and certainly Given your background with Second City you guys have etched a brand of comedy that has had a long lifespan (with Christopher Guest) EL: Those movies are a great release for me and Chris he doesn't do a lot of acting but as a director we get to create those movies. It's our idea we get to follow it through, nobody tells us what to do and the movies come out exactly the way you want them to come out.we never have to worry about who is going to see them, we never worry about if it's going to have a great opening weekend because we only play in like 500 theatres and there is no expectations that these films have to kick ass at the box office. They just hear the idea for the movie if they like the idea and which they always do, they're great guys at Castle Rock that run it and then we go ahead and start writing and then they go ahead and start prepping the movie, it's almost at the same time. I think in the first movie we did (Waiting for Guffman).We did a treatment for the story so they could see what the story is going to be and after that we just give them the idea and then they prep and we start writing. In the real world of movies you don't always get to have your thumbprint on the project you don't have that kind of control. It's a give and take thing so you honestly take the projects that you think you can makes something out of if it's not already there a hundred percent in the script and honestly do the best job you can and keep your fingers crossed and that's pretty much how it is in the movie world. How much improv was used for the film? EL: There was nothing that was improvised in the movie. Not even the slap on the behind? EL: The slap was actually Sam's idea. That's the great thing about Sam in this picture because he gets it he got the fact that audience was going to be so behind me. I mean I get to slap him I'm the only guy in the history of movies who has ever slapped Sam Jackson in the face and lived to tell about it. It was such a great thing for me and for me such a great moment because he played that scene so well that the slow burn that he was doing before he had to admit he was my bitch then it was then he says why don't you smack me on the ass as I'm getting into the car as a little salt in the wounds there. He got what was funny about it. He was more than willing to be the kind of dupe in the scene. What is Sam like to work with? EL: Sam is a one take wonder. When he comes in to a picture right from a rehearsal he knows what he's doing. He knows what he wants, he knows how he wants to play the character, it really doesn't change that much. He has a bead?? On it. I try to do that and don't always succeed. I certainly do more takes than Sam and he's very patient sometimes. It varies for me. Had you wanted to work with Samuel before? EL: I never, ever, thought it would happen. I've been following his career like
everybody since Pulp Fiction. You never think that you'll get to work with somebody
like that. The stuff that I had done was mainly comedy, and I work with people Do you feel more pressure to do a movie like this? EL: Well this is like the biggest role that I've had. I'm a character actor this
is what I do a support role. I was comfortable doing that. When this was presented
to me I looked at the role I was like boy I'd love to do this role because it was along the Do you like the quirky roles? EL: I think the quirk is kinda me I try to I get a script an d I will do work on the lines and the scenes and my part and I try to make the character comes through my mouth and my eyes and come through me. I try to make everything appear spontaneous so I will alter lines to steer it in that direction. Who is the inspiration for the character? EL: There was no inspiration for the character. It was kind of amalgon of
characters that I've done. I start with the fact that this guy is a dental supply salesman
that he's going to a convention to give a key note address. That's where I start. He's Dream Role? EL: I don't think there is a dream role. I really love to do what it is I do
where there is a great storyline going on. Nancy Meyers, Jim Brooks. There aren't many
directors doing great adult story movies that would be a directoion that I would like to go
in. I've worked with Steve Martin, we go for laughs, Ben stiller gets to work
with Robert DeNiro. I think that that would be a kick one day. To work with someone like
Dustin Hoffman that has some kind of import that may have a little comedy in it. Do you have any plans to work with Christopher Guest again? Eugene Levy: Well, we’re doing our next film in October. It’s called “For Your Consideration” a
nd it’s about people working on a small independent movie. When the magical word, “Oscar”, gets tossed into
a conversation in regards to one of the actor’s performances in the movie and once the word gets dropped, you
can’t shake it, and you can’t get it out of your head and permeates the production. Are all the regulars coming back? EL: Everybody’s back. Parker (Posey), Jennifer (Coolidge), Bob Balaban, Michael McKeon. Any newcomers? EL: Well, we had a couple of people in smaller roles in the last production bumped to larger roles. Chris Moniyhan. He was one of the main street singers in the last movie and Rachel Harris, who’s had very small roles in the last two movies, “Best in Show” and “A Mighty Wind”, a funny girl, is in it and Ricky Gervais (from British TV’s The Office) is coming. A little part for him in it. Which character do you play in the film? EL: I play an agent called Morley Orphkin, who ran this agency called DOA, the Dorfman
Orphkin Agency, a talent agency and I represent one the actors in this independent movie. Did you base it on your agent? EL: No. I’m really not basing it on any person. We’re experiencing right now with the look of the guy. I try to start with the look and may go back to SCTV.
EL: Chris is playing the director of the movie. Yes, Jay Berman, a guy who came out of sitcom. Who’s releasing the film? EL: Castle Rock, Warner Bros. |
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