Getting the 'Scoop' with Scarlett Johansson and Ian McShane
By Hollywood.com Staff
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Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Scarlett Johansson |
Wonder what it’s like working in a Woody Allen movie? Scarlett Johansson—who is quickly becoming Allen’s newest muse, having also starred in the writer/director’s much darker Match Point last year—and Deadwood’s Ian McShane share a few choice words about the experience with Hollywood.com, after starring together in Allen’s latest madcap murder mystery Scoop. Also co-starring the writer/director himself, the story centers on a kooky would-be journalist (Johansson) who teams up with a has-been magician (Allen) and the ghost of a departed reporter (McShane) to track down a possible serial killer called the “Tarot Card Killer." Let’s just say there was never a dull moment on the set.
Scarlett Johansson
On playing the slightly nerdy Sondra:
“It was a great character to play. I don’t think she wants to be cool per se but has some idea of being someone fabulous. I think Woody sort of patterned her after Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday. Not that exactly, but the fact [Sondra] is a lovable idiot. It was a lot of fun to play all of her kind of weird mannerisms.”
On Woody Allen writing the role for her:
“If [Woody] had [anyone else in mind for the role], I didn’t know about it. I’d be very jealous. No, I think he wrote it for us. I mean, when we were shooting Match Point, Woody and I had this nice banter between us. And because I’ve always admired him as an actor/director/writer/comedian, I thought it would be great if we could work together because we had such a great relationship. And he was like, ‘All right, I’ll think of something.’ And he thought of Scoop. It was very easy to go from bantering off screen to bantering on screen. But I would never attempt to imitate him or even want to. He’s a 70-year-old man, for chrissakes!”
On the differences between Woody the director and Woody the actor:
“Woody doesn’t use any monitors when he’s doing anything. When we were shooting Match Point, there would be a lot more circumstances where we might have to go back and re-shoot something if he was unhappy with it cutting it together. But when he’s working with you [as an actor], we could tell immediately if something wasn’t working. He’d yell, ‘Cut! That’s not going to work. The energy you came in with has to change’ or whatever it may be. So that was nice, much more convenient, I thought.”
On being compared to other Woody Allen muses like Diane Keaton:
“Um, I think it’s amazing, quite unbelievable. Of course, I’ve been paying [people] on the side to say that! [Laughs]”
On choosing the right projects:
“I don’t have criteria. I just choose films that I’d pay $10 to see. And that’s it really, if there’s something interesting there, a director I want to work with. The most important thing to me is if the script is solid. Even if it’s a great director, if the script is not right, then I can’t commit myself. There’s too many chances for it to be a complete disaster. I mean, even The Island. It was the best science fiction script I had ever read. It was amazing. There were some plot points that were re-worked, but there weren’t any major changes while we were shooting.”
On sticking with showbiz:
“I don’t ever see myself doing something instead of acting, but I would love to direct someday. I’ve been in this industry for a long time, more than half my life. But [directing] is something that I’ve thought about for a long time.”
On her political beliefs:
“In a lot of ways, I think we’ve regressed to a certain conservative way of thinking. It even reminds you of the McCarthy era. It’s like if anyone is anti-war, they are unpatriotic or something like that, un-American. Bizarre. I think we live in a very conservative time, all around. I’m pretty liberal minded. My parents were, too. And although you don’t necessarily inherit your political beliefs from your parents, I still admire what they stood for. But I won’t say I’m for or against any parties. I’m independently minded.”
On being in the public eye:
“I don’t think actors have any responsibilities to talk about anything at all. Their responsibility is to show up on the set. But I do think as a person in the public eye who passionately believes in something can help. I don’t believe in forcing your opinion on anybody, but if people think, ‘Oh, I kinda dig what she does and into working for the cause’ then you can tell them, ‘Hey, I found this place where you can give some money, if you’re interested. They have a website, if you want to check it out.’ Then it can be great and bring some publicity to a smaller organization.”
On the tabloids:
“I completely avoid it at all costs. That’s the only way to deal with it. Because once you start getting involved, then it’s like the end. Most of it is just crap anyway. My publicist will call about killing some story and it would be some insane, crazy thing. It’s like, ‘Who the hell came up with that?’ You just have to ignore those things. But then when they print something that’s semi-true, it’s like, ‘Who the hell told them that?’ That’s so rare, though. I also don’t like to be followed by photographers when I’m doing shopping or whatever. That’s kinda disturbing, a complete invasion. Especially since I don’t invite it in anyway. If I’m being private, I’m being private. Leave me alone.”
Photo(s) by Jon Kopaloff- © 2005- FilmMagic.com- All Rights Reserved