Starry Constellation Magazine
  

JUDY GREER

SCREEN QUEENp:/
by: Lisa Steinberg

Featured INTERVIEWS
Q

Q.  What are some of the recent projects that you've been working on?

A.  The most recent is a movie I finished at Thanksgiving called The Key Man.  It's another independent film and it's starring Brian Cox, Hugo Weaving, Jack Davenport and myself.  I'm really excited about this movie because it's really different for me, personally, the role is very different.  I've been told not to say it's a psychological thriller, but I don't know what it is if it is not that.  It takes place in 1975 and it's kind of like a slightly more modern Death of a Salesman, but not modern enough to be in 2007.  It's about a guy who is just trying so hard to make it, he's an insurance salesman, and he kind of gets mixed up with these two gangsters in effort to make more money and provide for his family.  He gets mixed up with these guys and everything goes wrong, as it should in a movie, and I'm the loving wife.  It was a really great experience, I loved making the movie, and we did it in North Carolina.  I had never shot a movie in North Carolina, so it was time, and it was so lovely to meet Hugo Weaving who is one of my new favorite actors.  He's such a wonderful person and I'm really excited about that.  Then, I came back and I haven't really been working too much since because I did a pilot back in October called "Miss/Guided" for FOX, ABC and Catalyst; which is Ashton Kutcher's production company.  So, I have to just wait to find out about that until mid May.  So, I have a couple episodes of the show "Two and a Half Men" coming up; which was super fun to shoot.  I had the best time making those episodes and I'm kind of kicking myself for not getting on the sitcom bandwagon earlier!  It's just really easy and fun.

Q.  You've been doing the film circuit scene for the film The TV Set.  What can you tell us about the premise for the film and your character?

A.  The movie takes you from the beginning to the end of a television pilot.  So, you start out with the script, the casting of the script and then you go through the discussions of the character.  Then, they shoot it, they edit it and everyone has their fingers in it and then they ultimately decide whether or not they're going to buy it.  It's basically like a comedy based on this process, David Duchovny is amazing, and he plays the writer/creator of the show and I play his manager. 

Q.  What drew you to being a part of this project and taking on that role?

A.  Well, I loved the script and I have done so many television pilots that I was really blown away how real the script was but yet how writer/director Jake Kasdan kept it really funny and not mean; like with a good heart.  I met Jake and we really hit it off and I just wanted to be a part of the project in any way I could because I thought it was a really fun story to tell.  Again, having done it so many times myself, that's kind of what it was.  I thought working with David Duchovny would be really cool.  I met him in passing once but I was interested in him as a choice for this role.  I thought it was a really interesting and bold choice, he's so good in the movie, and I'm excited to see what happens for him after this movie because I don't think he looks like himself in the movie.  I think that's what every actor dreams of! 

Q.  How does the film mirror the TV pilot process?

A.  If you turn the volume down a little bit; it's pretty much the same thing.  Maybe we're all not as insane as we seem in the movie; at least our particular roles.  I think Sigourney Weaver is amazing and as an actor, I don't really get to see that side of the process, so I can't say for her role.  But, I think it's pretty accurate, accurate but heightened for comedic effect of course.

Q.  What kind of acclaim has the film been getting around the festival circuit?

A.  People seem to really love it, people seem excited about it's future, people seem interested in it and how we feel it's going to translate to regular people like my family in Ohio for example.  Of course they'll love it because I'm in it; they're very supportive and loving.  My answer to that concern is that if you look at it, first of all it's a movie about Hollywood; which everyone for some reason loves movies about Hollywood.  Second of all, the movies that we love are about things we don't know anything about and yet we love them anyway.  I don't know anything about being an anchorwoman but Anchorman was really hilarious and I still found that funny.  I think the movie is funny enough that it doesn't really matter what it is about.  Hopefully the Hollywood aspect of the movie will draw people in, and I think it's really interesting, I think it should be really interesting for people to see how their favorite television shows get on the air.  It's not magic, it's not a movie, it's not how a movie gets made at all.  It's very different, the whole process is very enigmatic, it doesn't make any sense. 

Q.  You have phenomenal comedic timing, is this a natural ability for you or something you've studied and worked at?

 A.  I guess I never really worked at it; I think it kind of just happens.  I don't know how to answer that, I don't want to be like "I'm a natural," but I never really worked on my comedy.  But, I guess it comes more naturally to me than drama or anything, and I don't really know why. 

Q.  Would you ever want to try your hand at other industry aspects such as directing, producing or writing?

A.  You know, I've never been interested in doing any of those, people ask me a lot if I write and I was thinking I should.  Like around now, when I'm not acting, but I just don't feel that yet; I don't have anything to say yet.  I like acting, I don't really want to produce or direct, I don't want to have to make all of those decisions.  Maybe writing but I am not very self-disciplined.  We'll see, I'm pretty content right now just acting. 

Q.  What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A.  Thank you so much, I haven't had anyone come up to me ever come up to me and say "Are you Judy Greer?  Are you the girl from ..." who hasn't been really sweet or really cool.  The people who are out there that like me are really cool, everyone is always so nice, no one has ever been a jerk.  Thanks for watching me, thanks for caring, thanks for reading articles about me, going to my movies, renting them and watching me on TV.  Thank you, thank you, thank you times one thousand! 


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