Hollywood Movies

Julia Roberts Interview - Charlie Wilson's War

with Rebecca Murray

Oscar-winner Julia Roberts plays a Texas socialite in Charlie Wilson's War. At the film's world premiere, Roberts joined cast members Shaun Toub, Hilary Angelo, and Navid Negahban to talk about the film, which is based on true events.

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Transcript: Julia Roberts Interview - Charlie Wilson's War

Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the World Premiere of Charlie Wilson's War.

Julia Roberts ('Joanne Herring')

Julia Roberts: "She, you know, she's got good manners and she doesn't give advice unless it's being asked for, and I was being advised by Mike [Nichols] so I think she just left us to our devices."

Reuniting with Mike Nichols, what is he like? What does he bring to you as an actor?

Julia Roberts: "He's just a dream. He makes me feel so confident, you know, in a way that makes you feel like you're levitating when you're around Mike. He's so smart and he's just unique in everything he does."

Were you at all familiar with the story before you took on the role?

Julia Roberts: [[i]She first points out I'm doing double duty by holding KTLA's mic for them[/i]] "I wasn't. I wasn't familiar. I don't think many people were. Yeah, I wasn't at all."

Besides the script, did you do any research on your own?

Julia Roberts: "Well Mike and our producers, they had a lot of information from Joanne and I saw Joanne on TV, and I had a lot of transcripts and stuff. It's so nice to have so much research material to really pull together what you want to do."

How long did it take you to get the accent just right?

Julia Roberts: "Well, I think her voice – I wish I could say it was just right because her voice is so interesting. I couldn't quite do the little thing she does at the end of her sentences, but I did my best."

Shaun Toub

Tell me about working on this and especially about working with Mike Nichols.

Shaun Toub: "You know, sometimes in this career there's certain projects that you just can't say no to. I said that about The Kite Runner. And then when Mike Nichols calls and says, 'You want to come and play with Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman?,' you just say, 'Yes, sir. I'll be there. What time do you want me there?'"

Do you even look at the script?

Shaun Toub: "No. You know, you say, 'Okay, can I fit it in?' You tell the agency, 'Just schedule it in.'"

Did you know anything about this story, this Charlie Wilson story?

Shaun Toub: "I knew of it and I knew the book. I knew somewhat of what the story was going on. But as I said, the people involved, sometimes you just go with it and you trust. You know, it's a blessing to be able to be exposed to projects like this because honestly in this career of ours, in this business of ours, it doesn't happen often."

Hilary Angelo

What was your experience on the set of Charlie Wilson's War?

Hilary Angelo: "Oh my gosh, it was so amazing. I mean, it's a dream come true as an actor. I've never worked with someone of that caliber. He's such an actor's actor. He just lets you play, lets you have a good time. He's like the most amazing storyteller so in between takes, he's just telling you these stories about working with Dusty and Meryl. And you're like, 'Oh yeah, Dusty and Meryl, they're not big actors that I've admired for 20 years.' You just want to soak everything in because he's such an auteur, do you know what I mean?"

Navid Negahban

Navid Negahban: "The part was interesting. I learned a lot by just doing the film."

What did you learn?

Navid Negahban: "Because I'm playing a Pakistani, I'm playing a translator, I'm playing a translator for Tom, so by doing that and people who I met on the set, some of them they were actually people who were in those camps, so talking to them and trying to be as truthful and as real as possible to the character – that was…"

That must have been an added weight on your shoulders.

Navid Negahban: "It was. It was because some of those stories, they were very [heartwrenching]. It just tears you apart, just listening to those people and seeing what they went through to get where they are."

And being a part of this cast?
Navid Negahban: "So it was a great learning experience just working with those guys, being there, being here, a great opportunity. What else do you want?"