Video:Morgan Freeman, Rob Reiner Interviews - The Bucket List

Transcript:Morgan Freeman, Rob Reiner Interviews - The Bucket List

Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the Los Angeles Premiere of The Bucket List.

Director Rob Reiner

I would imagine with all the scripts you get it's very difficult to pick out one that catches you like this did. How did you know by the tenth page that this is the one for you?

Rob Reiner: "Because as somebody who's just turning 60 this year, I've been thinking as people do as you start to get older – I think of myself as a very young old person – but as you approach it, you start thinking about your mortality. You start thinking about have you lived a meaningful life, have you done the things in your life that matter? Have you done things that are important? And this comes along and it strikes this perfect tone of humor and emotion. I thought, 'Wow, if I'm going to tell a story about facing your life and finding the meaning in your life, you have to find the right tone.' So that was very exciting to me."

How difficult was that tone? It could go sappy if you didn't watch it.

Rob Reiner: "It was difficult. It's like you have a little radar in your head that says, 'Don't tip it one way too much or the other.' But luckily I had, with Jack Nicholson, I had a collaborator. I had somebody who I worked very closely on the script with. We worked every day in the trailer before we shot each scene. He tends to be a little darker, a little edgier than I am. I go a little lighter and sweeter. The blend together was perfect."

You had thought of Morgan Freeman immediately for the film, but you didn't think immediately think of Jack Nicholson?

Rob Reiner: "If Morgan hadn't agreed to do the film, I wouldn't have done it. He was the only one I could see playing that part. And then once he agreed to do it, independently I thought of Jack. And then when I talked to Morgan, he said, 'What about Jack Nicholson?' I said, 'Wow, we're both on the same page on this."

Isn't it strange that nobody has teamed them up before?

Rob Reiner: "And they both really wanted to work with each other. The last day of the shoot, Morgan looked at Jack when we called a wrap and Morgan said, 'This has been a dream come true for me.' Jack said, 'Likewise,' and then they hugged each other. So Morgan got to check off something from his bucket list."

Is that going to be on the DVD? Do we get to see them doing that?

Rob Reiner: "I don't know if anybody filmed that."

Morgan Freeman ('Carter Chambers')

Rob Reiner said he would not have done this movie without you.

Morgan Freeman: "Yeah, he said that. He told me that, and I wouldn't have done it without Jack so this was a movie that was meant to be made."

What took you so long to work with Jack Nicholson? It seems like a natural buddy thing.

Morgan Freeman: "Everybody's asking that question but you know providence works in her own good time. You can't just do everything. When the right thing comes along, boom, boom, boom."

You've always wanted to work with him, right?

Morgan Freeman: "Always, always. Real, real high up on my bucket list – both of them."

Has your bucket list changed since making this film?

Morgan Freeman: "Oh, yeah. Jack has moved down a few notches now."

Alfonso Freeman ('Roger')

This time you get to play your dad's son, so that's a real stretch.

Alfonso Freeman: "You know, it really is. Well, we didn't have a lifelong relationship so it was great to play this role. It was just fantastic. I can't imagine a better job, you know?"

Beverly Todd ('Virginia')

Tell me about working with Morgan Freeman again. Has he changed a lot over the years?

Beverly Todd: "You know what? Morgan has been the same person since I've known him. Morgan and I worked a thousand years ago in New York in a two character play called Gettin' It Together at Joe Pabst Public Theatre. So then segue 20,000 years ahead and we did Lean on Me. And now here we are doing The Bucket List so it's been like a wonderful, nice career working with Morgan."

Working with Rob Reiner, who comes from the world of acting too, does that make it easier when you're getting directions from a man who knows what he's talking about?

Beverly Todd: "Actually, it does. It does make it much easier. In fact, in my audition scene I had to bring it. Morgan wanted to work with me again but I had to prove that I could do it because Rob was not familiar with my work. And during the audition scene, I made him act. And I said, 'Go, Beverly!' He got into the role. He was reading Morgan's role and he got into it. It was great."

More Coverage of The Bucket List:

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman Team Up to Talk The Bucket List

The Bucket List Movie Photos

The Bucket List Trailer, Credits, and Poster