Hollywood Movies

Gerard Butler Interview - Nim's Island Movie

with Rebecca Murray

Gerard Butler ('300') plays dual roles in the family film 'Nim's Island' co-starring Jodie Foster. Butler plays the main character in a series of adventure books as well as dad to a young, independent girl named Nim (played by Abigail Breslin) .

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Transcript: Gerard Butler Interview - Nim's Island Movie

Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the World Premiere of Nim's Island.

Gerard Butler ('Jack/Alex Rover' in Nim's Island)

Working with kids and animals – how tough was that?

Gerard Butler: "Not at all. I mean, I had less trouble with the animals than Abigail did, although I don't even think she had trouble with them. But I didn't have to work with them as much as she did. I had the pelican who came behind me one day and I thought was going to eat me. But he or she, I don't even know if it was a… He didn't or she didn't, whatever. And to say Abigail's a kid, I'm more of a kid than Abigail. She was more professional than I am so that was never an issue. Just child hours – you have to go shorter hours."

And the swear jar?

Gerard Butler: "That damn swear jar. I was just talking to Cameron Diaz and she's doing a film with Abigail right now, and she didn't know about the swear jar on my film. She's like, 'She's got a bloody swear jar. It's costing me a fortune.' I went, 'What? She's doing it to you as well?' A lot of money, a lot of money from swearing. It's part of my language."

$150 dollars which she donated.

Gerard Butler: "Pretty much. Pretty much, yeah, which was about 75% of my salary on this film."

There's action in this film but when are we going to see you kicking some ass?

Gerard Butler: "In Game. Actually, no, wait a minute. In the Guy Ritchie film RocknRolla, I kick some ass in that. But I kick some serious ass in Game which is coming out next year. That's the boys from Crank. That's insane, insane, insane."

How was visiting your fans [across the street]?

Gerard Butler: "You know what? It was great. They're awesome. They just give you such a wonderful energy, you know? I have a blast with them when I get over there. I could easily be one of them. I could just jump in and hang out, you know?"

Writer/Directors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett

Which is more difficult to direct – kids or animals?

Mark Levin: "Well animals are more difficult than kids to direct."

Jennifer Flackett: "Especially this kid. Abigail Breslin is not hard to direct. She is a joy."

Mark Levin: "And different animals are different. Sea lions are easier than pelicans."

And your adult actors, you couldn't ask for better, could you?

Jennifer Flackett: "No, we got our first choice. I mean, beyond our first choice in every single role. It was far beyond what we thought when we sat down."

Mark Levin: "To have Jodie Foster and Gerard Butler in our movie was a dream come true for us."

And then you've got the built-in female audience for Gerry that's screaming across the street for him?

Mark Levin: "They seem to love Gerry Butler and for good reason."

Is it extra weight on your shoulders when you're adapting something that is so well loved?

Jennifer Flackett: "I do think it was an easy book to adapt because the story had a really simple through-line about these three characters finding each other. And that always led us through."