Couples Retreat - Kristen Bell and Jean Reno Interviews
Kristen Bell stars as part of a group of close friends who head to Bora Bora for fun in the sun and some relationship therapy. Jean Reno co-stars as a couples guru who heads up the retreat. And Phillip Jordan makes his debut in a major feature film.
Related Articles
Kristen Bell Interview - Forgetting Sarah Marshall Movie Video - About.comKristen Bell Interview Video - Forgetting Sarah Marshall Movie PremiereKristen Bell Photo - Forgetting Sarah Marshall Movie Kristen Bell PhotoKristen Bell Photo - Superbad Movie Premiere Kristen Bell PhotoKristen Bell Photo - Forgetting Sarah Marshall Movie Premiere Kristen Bell Photo
Transcript: Couples Retreat - Kristen Bell and Jean Reno Interviews
Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the American Premiere of Universal Pictures' Couples Retreat.
Kristen Bell – 'Cynthia' in Couples Retreat
Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Hawaii – are you just demanding they put you in these tropical settings?
Kristen Bell: "I am seriously considering firing my agent and hiring a travel agent, because I think that I've been so spoiled up to this point – almost rotten."
It must have been a tough working environment. What was the worst part about being in Bora Bora?
Kristen Bell: "Well, look how ugly it is. I mean it's just a hideous environment. None of these people are funny. It really truly did feel like the dreamiest job on earth because we were honestly trapped in paradise, the funniest comedians in the world… On vacation we somehow shot a movie and then when we got home, they paid us for it. I feel like I might wake up or maybe I'm in the Twilight Zone. I don't know."
These guys all knew each other but the women didn't so how easy was it for you guys to bond?
Kristen Bell: "Surprisingly easy. The girls got along really well which was great because there was a little bit of intimidation from the guys. Not from anything they did, but I mean I knew I felt a little bit nervous walking in. But it's a very supportive bunch, it's a very talkative bunch, it's a very collaborative bunch, so we all got along really well."
Did you ever go by the script or was it all off the script?
Kristen Bell: "About half and half. They would throw out ideas all the time, all day pretty much and all of them were listened to, and the ones that were used were really the ones that moved the story along. And I think that's what Vince is so good at, and our director Peter Billingsley, about keeping everyone on story because everyone could come up with a hundred funny jokes within a scene, but we only have two hours for the movie."
So that means we're going to see a lot of bloopers, a lot of extras, on the DVD?
Kristen Bell: "I believe so, yes."
And why should people see this movie?
Kristen Bell: "Because if you have any desire to see Bora Bora in your lifetime and you think, like I did, that this is the closest you'll get, you'll still love it."
Jean Reno – 'Marcel' in Couples Retreat
How easy was it to be a couples guru?
Jean Reno: "They paid me for that. Yeah, it took me a week to accept myself, in fact. Because you have to be in a little bathing suit and you have to be in the sun, and you have to be something that you are not – very far from me. Giving advice, trying to make people happy, putting people together, I'm not like that."
And being on a set with these great comedians, what was that like? Were you in there pitching improv lines with them?
Jean Reno: "No, because I cannot control the language like they control the language. And I do not have the talent that they have, but they made me comfortable. They are smart. They know how to work together. But they gave me room enough to express myself."
And I heard you actually took them out on a trip to go with the sharks and diving.
Jean Reno: "Yeah, without telling them that the sharks would come. Fantastic. That was good. They were very happy because they were big."
Is that something you enjoy doing?
Jean Reno: "I've done it a lot, yes."
Why would you want to swim with sharks?
Jean Reno: "It's easy. The bigger they are, the more calm they are. The little ones are like little dogs. They want to bite."
Phillip Jordan from Couples Retreat
Phillip Jordan: "It was great. I got to work with Vince [Vaughn] and Malin [Akerman]. I got to improv with them. That was just an amazing experience because, you know, you get a little nervous. Like, 'Can I hold up with them?' And very giving, if he likes what you're doing he'll give you another line or say, 'Do it like this,' or 'Try this.' So that was really exciting, just getting to work with him and him liking what I do and say, 'Do that line again.' That's one of those moments that you just want to last forever."
So you actually went to Bora Bora to film?
Phillip Jordan: "No, I filmed here. No, I didn't go to Bora Bora but maybe next time. Just to have the experience to work with them was better than Bora Bora if you ask me."