Video:Judd Apatow Interview - Funny People
with Rebecca MurrayOf course Judd Apatow was one of the celebs at the LA premiere of '17 Again.' The director's wife, Leslie Mann, is one of the film's stars. Apatow, always a great interview, chatted up his next movie 'Funny People' while on the red carpet.
Transcript:Judd Apatow Interview - Funny People
Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the LA Premiere of 17 Again.
Judd Apatow – Director of Funny People
It's nice that you're back behind the camera. What took you so long?Judd Apatow: "I am. I'm back behind the camera."
It only took you eight years [just a sidenote: I always say 8 years when something's been a long time coming – just a weird habit of mine].
Judd Apatow: "Not that long."
It seemed like eight years.
Judd Apatow: "Knocked Up was two years ago. Every other year, that's not bad. That's not a bad pace."
I saw what you said about this one. It's a serious subject yet you think it's going to be extremely funny.
Judd Apatow: "Yes."
How do you do that?
Judd Apatow: "How do you do that? I don't know. I think that the worst moments in life are ripe with the most comedy. The worse it gets, the funnier it gets. So, terminal disease – hello! Funny. It's a very realistic dramatic movie but it's funny because it's about a comedian going through a very difficult near-death experience and so you have to see it to kind of understand how that works. But it is funny because it's Adam Sandler."
Where did this come from?
Judd Apatow: "I had five different movie ideas and then one day I went, 'What if they're all the same movie?' And I combined them."
Working with this huge cast that you have, how did you decide who gets what?
Judd Apatow: "It's hard working with so many talented people because you want everyone to have their shot to be great. But man, they're all really funny. Obviously other than Seth [Rogen] and Leslie [Mann] and Adam, we also have Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill who really score."
Is Eric Bana funny?
Judd Apatow: "Eric Bana is hilarious. You know, he started as a stand-up comedian and he had a variety show and a sketch show. He just hasn't made a lot of comedies but he is hilarious and really funny in the movie."
And you went out and filmed them doing stand-up?
Judd Apatow: "Well Adam and Jonah and Seth play comedians so they wrote acts and they performed at The Improv and the Comedy Magic Club. And we did a big concert at the Orpheum and they were really, really funny."
When are you going to write one just for your wife, Leslie Mann? I ask you this every time I talk to you because she's hilarious and she never is the star.
Judd Apatow: "She's the star of this one - Funny People. Go see Funny People and your answer will be in front of you on the screen."
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