Video:Green Hornet Interviews - Seth Rogen and Edward James Olmos
with Rebecca MurrayIt seems like we've been talking to Seth Rogen about 'The Green Hornet' for years, and now that it's finally arrived Rogen's super pleased with the outcome. Joined at the premiere by Edward James Olmos, Rogen talked about this big action comedy.
Transcript:Green Hornet Interviews - Seth Rogen and Edward James Olmos
Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the LA Premiere of Columbia Pictures' The Green Hornet.
Seth Rogen - 'Britt Reid/The Green Hornet' in The Green Hornet
How easy is it to put aside being the writer and just act?Seth Rogen: "I don't generally have to do that. To me they're kind of the same thing. I like to improvise and to me, part of my acting is generally coming up with different things to say. So they're kind of one of the same at times."
But is it tough working with Jay Chou because he can hardly speak the language?
Seth Rogen: "You know, he really understood it. He was able to do so much with so little. It was actually really interesting to me to work with someone who wasn't relying so much on words to convey what they were trying to convey and would use other things. We really just kind of went with it. We try to communicate exactly in the movie the way we did in real life, which was pretty much what you see."
The movie has a storied history and when you came on some people gave you a hard time for wanting to play an action star/superhero. Are you going to prove them wrong?
Seth Rogen: "I think so. We always knew on paper it might seem like an odd combination of people, and no one has really made a really funny, good superhero movie before. So I understand why people were skeptical but I really think we did it. I think it's awesome."
Rock of Ages - are you doing it, not doing it?
Seth Rogen: "No, I can't sing. I wish I could. If I could sing, I would be doing it."
Edward James Olmos - 'Axford' in The Green Hornet
You play Seth Rogen's father's right-hand man.Edward James Olmos: "Yes, I play Seth Rogen's mentor after his father dies."
Were you into The Green Hornet series and everything before this?
Edward James Olmos: "I wasn't, and I'm glad I wasn't because this is a whole different revision of the original. In the original which came out on the radio and then went on to be done on television - on radio in '38, '39 and then on television in the '60s in '66 - the relationship between The Green Hornet and Kato was completely why the piece worked. And that was that Kato said nothing and did all the fighting, and The Green Hornet did absolutely no fighting and did all the talking. That was the humor. But what Seth and Evan did, Seth Rogen and his partner Evan [Goldberg], is that they changed it. They flipped it. They made Kato can't keep his mouth closed. He's constantly telling The Green Hornet, 'Get your act together. This is crazy because if you think I'm going to stand here and let them hit me and you're not going to do anything, you're nuts. You're going to get into this.' So he's the one who instigates it."
That's a good change-up. When you're working in a scene with Seth, there are a lot of times when you work with writer/directors but you don't usually have writer/actor - especially not the lead actor - does that change the dynamic at all?
Edward James Olmos: "Not at all. It made it much simpler. It was easier to change words because the writer was there on the set with you, and he was working with you at all times. I loved it."
Seth also likes to change things up right on the spot. Do you enjoy working that way?
Edward James Olmos: "Yes, very much. Improvisation is the key to living."
What do you think audiences are going to get out of The Green Hornet. It's the first big superhero movie of the year and it's kind of kicking things off.
Edward James Olmos: "Well yeah, it's the first superhero that we don't have any kind of superpower. He has nothing except that he has a lot of guts."
More on The Green Hornet: