Friends with Money

Press Conference, Kimball Arts Center

Jan 20, 2006

Jason talks about his role Part I, Part II

JI: I’ve seen it for the first time, and um, my memory of making this film was that it was a really wonderful set to be on and there was an incredibly lovely atmosphere with Nicole

….I was chatting with my wife about this, I just enjoyed the work… I was horrified to see what a prick I was

NH: we knew, we knew

JI: the filming bit was only about three percent of the time and united states was so enjoyable that I forgot what a bad marriage I had, um, uh, but you’re right, um, uh, actually, its an unusual experience to see a film where women and the subtle, subtlety of relationship between the women, not between the women and men. Not how much they are trying to please, or get the women into the foreground and its uh, its uncomfortable writing in that…its not ??behaviour?? …I apologize for all the things that I did. I promise you if she gives me another chance I’ll try harder.

NH: Jason plays this very well, its very hard to come into a relationship that’s already ending…

CK: No

NH: the marriage doesn’t go like this, its already down there in the marriage so he had to come in and portray it as already down there, so your impulse was to keep giving him more moments of humanity and I just kept shooting him down and um, you know sometimes standing there I think to myself, there were moments, gosh, um, I think, um I think that was real hard just to find the level, that, this still… the person they used to love each other once. That he’s not a bad man, but its over

JI: …I think this is probably too honest to have said this, I’m, I’m uh, I’m quite forceful on set, apart from where I had to improvise quite a lot …and you sat on me in ways that I was not comfortable with at the time, and I saw the film this morning, and it was so beautiful, and you were right about the movie…but it was frustrating. It was odd because, doing Indie, whatever Indie means, doing an Indie movie, I..I’m used to being let off the leash a bit more and it wasn’t, um, it wasn’t what I was used to and um

JI: In some sense subliminally maybe even that, but it’s because maybe I haven’t given you the respect you deserve

------------------------------

Transcribed by Susan & Linda

JI : Jason Isaacs

NH: Nicole Holofcener

CK: Catherine Keener

Jason chatting with us after the press conference (Quicktime). Video by Sarah.

Screenshots