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  • ‘Red Right Hand’ Exclusive Interview: Garret Dillahunt

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    Opening in theaters and on digital February 23rd is the new action thriller ‘Right Hand Man,’ which stars Orlando Bloom (‘Black Hawk Down’), Andie MacDowell (‘Hudson Hawk’), Scott Haze (‘Venom’) and Garret Dillahunt (‘No Country for Old Men’) and was directed by Ian and Eshom Nelms (‘Fatman’).

    Garret Dillahunt in 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    Garret Dillahunt in ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. © Red Right Hand Productions LLC, Steve Squall. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with veteran actor Garret Dillahunt about his work on ‘Red Right Hand,’ his first reaction to the screenplay, his approach to playing a preacher, his character’s struggle with his faith, why he helps Cash, working with Orlando Bloom, Andie MacDowell’s villain, and working with the Nelms brothers, as well as taking a look back at his work on the groundbreaking short-lived series ‘Life’ starring Damian Lewis.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Dillahunt, Scott Haze, and Ian and Eshom Nelms.

    Related Article: Andie MacDowell and Sadie Laflamme-Snow Talk ‘The Way Home’ Season 2

    Garret Dillahunt in 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    Garret Dillahunt in ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. © Red Right Hand Productions LLC, Steve Squall. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and why you wanted to be part of this project?

    Garret Dillahunt: Well, this was one of those cool ones where someone just gives you a call and says, “Hey, you want to be in this thing?” That saves us all a lot of time and eases a poor actor’s mind when he is wondering what’s next. I’d heard of the Nelms brothers, I’d seen a few of their movies and I’ve had some friends work with them. John Hawkes, who I knew from ‘Deadwood,’ worked with them and Walton Goggins did. They both had really nice things to say about them, Ian and Eshom. I was looking forward to it and I liked this character. I thought he was complex. I thought it was weird, and I was a little scared to play a preacher who preaches, so that was very nerve wracking. I had to talk to a few of those guys. He’s also a guy that does some violence and that’s a hard thing to reconcile. What are we saying here? Are we trying to justify this violence? I thought it was a good challenge to play this guy who’s flawed. This could be a mistake he’s making, but it’s still part of the old person he was. His main goal was to protect his flock, and I was anxious to see if I could pull that off in a human manner.

    Garret Dillahunt in 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    Garret Dillahunt in ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. © Red Right Hand Productions LLC, Steve Squall. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    MF: Can you talk about your approach to playing the character?

    GD: I’ve always been drawn to themes of shame, guilt and redemption. I don’t know what that says about me, maybe I need some kind of therapy. I’m always excited when people get another shot, and they get a chance and often fail again. But it’s about the getting up, isn’t it? I think this guy has failed a lot in his life, but if there’s one thing you could say about him, it’s that he takes care of his friends. He probably had a drug problem. He probably was a real addictive personality. He certainly had a rage problem and a violence problem, but he’s trying to be a different person. The way that he is doing that is through religion. A lot of people find religion and become a different person. I don’t know that it would work for me, but you must find something to hang your hat on to keep your demons at bay, don’t you? Sometimes this guy’s demons come out still, but that’s interesting to me.

    Garret Dillahunt in 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    Garret Dillahunt in ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. © Red Right Hand Productions LLC, Steve Squall. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    MF: While not a lot is said about your character’s backstory in the movie, his history and personality does come across in your performance. Did you create an extensive backstory for your character or just go off what was written in the script?

    GD: Well, certainly I look to the script for most of the clues but it kind of depends on the parts. Some people you just know what to do, you’re like, “I know this guy.” I always try to make a chronological outline of what happens to me, so I know what I know and what I don’t know in each scene because you don’t want to play the end. There are some people I never meet, so I can’t pretend I know something that’s not in my character’s orbit. For this one, like I said, I did work with a few preachers, more Pentecostal kind of preachers, just to learn the way they think and the way they talk to their people. I tried to draw on my own childhood. I remember different churches my family would go to and how it would make me feel or the tone they would take when they talk to us. There are some scenes that were cut that were very informative to me as a character. Just for time I’m sure, you never know why things don’t make it in, and you can’t worry about it. But those, even though they’re not there, I’m sure inform what is. It just depends on the project. Usually if there’s a scene, there’s just one incident maybe you need to come up with on your own that will just be reflective in your eyes, just to have something else going on that makes him a rounded person and not just some kind of cutout.

    Andie MacDowell in 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    Andie MacDowell in ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. © Red Right Hand Productions LLC, Steve Squall. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    MF: Can you talk about the power that Big Cat has over this town, as well as Andie MacDowell’s surprising performance?

    GD: Yeah, it was a nice departure for her. I think she was nervous about it a little bit. I didn’t get to work with her as much as I hoped, but there was obviously that one section where we all meet. You asked about her grip on this whole community, and particularly on Cash. I think Cash was very special to her. Cash is Orlando Bloom’s character. You saw what happens to us all when we leave her service. She marks us with the red right hand. That’s a bond that Orlando and I share in the movie is we’re both former employees. I think his character is one that she really misses having around because he was capable, he was scary, he was good at his job, and so she’s doing anything in her power to get him back in the fold, including blackmailing him with the safety of his own family. But he won’t put up with that, so he calls his friends, and we go get them.

    Garret Dillahunt in 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    Garret Dillahunt in ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. © Red Right Hand Productions LLC, Steve Squall. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    MF: Can you talk about Wilder’s struggle with his own faith and why he ultimately decides to help Cash?

    GD: I don’t know if it would hold up in a court of law. He puts on a ski mask and kidnaps. It’s not any kind of behavior that we would ever put up with outside of a movie, is it? But for some reason we like this kind of thing in our entertainment. I’m justifying it in the way that it’s a mistake in a lot of ways. This is not the way to go about it probably, but he’s a simple man by his own words. He’s an Old Testament kind of preacher, and he’s not afraid to throw a punch or a kick or pick up a gun. I think he’s also really upset that he failed. He failed in protecting this girl. He failed in protecting his friend’s family. That’s something he prides himself on, so he’s determined to go get them back. Cash is like, “I like your plan”, which is no plan at all. I think he’s one of those people. There’s a little bit of the zealot in him, isn’t there, which is dangerous because they’re not afraid to die. He’s like an old Ford pickup. He’s not a Ferrari but are you ready to redline your Ferrari because I’m ready to redline my Ford truck. He’s a hammer. In his world if he stands before the maker I don’t know if he’ll have good words to say about his actions, but I know he believes he’s doing what’s right.

    Orlando Bloom in 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    Orlando Bloom in ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. © Red Right Hand Productions LLC, Steve Squall. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    MF: What was it like working with Orlando Bloom?

    GD: Orlando’s great. I’d never met him before, but I found him to be really kind and really welcoming. Look, I work all the time and I get recognized plenty, but I don’t have to alter my life really. I can walk down the street; I can eat in a restaurant. I don’t know what it must be like for him and Katy (Perry) to move through the world. Two people, just massive stars, who everyone knows their names and their faces, and knows an awful lot about them. For him to still be patient, kind and giving with everybody else, it was cool. We talked a lot about the accent. He’s British, and so he’s playing a Kentucky guy, and he’s just the best kind of star to work with because he wants you to be good. He wants the whole thing to be good, and he surrounds himself with good people to make that happen. He doesn’t care where the good idea comes from, just that it’s a good idea and that it helps the film, and that just takes a lot of pressure off everybody else. We don’t have to change our behavior around him. We just got to be good at our jobs because he’s bringing it, so we better bring it too. He’s a good number one.

    Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms, co-directors of 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    (L to R) Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms, co-directors of ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    MF: What was it like collaborating on set with the Nelms brothers and watching them execute their vision for this film?

    GD: I really liked them. I work a lot and sometimes I’m a workaholic a bit. There’s a downside. Not only you don’t see your own family a ton, but you’re such a pro that you start to feel alone in a way, almost like you don’t need anything else. It’s a mistake, but it’s how you start feeling. You start feeling like, “Ah, what’s this? Okay, got it. Roll it. Let’s go. I got to be on a plane at 2:00pm for the next on.” It becomes this thing, and you don’t know everybody’s name. I expect the worst sometimes when I show up, which is unfair but there’s a lot of actors that don’t know what they’re doing. There’s a lot of directors that don’t know what they’re doing. You develop a thick skin, calluses and techniques so that you can survive and thrive even if you have no help. Sometimes you get to a place where you start expecting to have no help, and you’re like, “Okay, I’m on my own here. If I don’t want to show my ass public on this thing, then I better come up with a good idea.” It’s a great relief and reminder to sometimes let other people in and maybe you don’t know everything and let a new idea in. There was something about these two guys that I just trusted immediately. I don’t know if it’s because there’s two of them and they seemed like their strengths were both parts of my own personality, I thought. They’re very different, Ian and Eshom, but they’re great together. I think I like working with brother combos. The Cohen brothers were kind of similar. You have two minds. It’s like there’s this extra brain on set also coming up with ideas. They’re like comic book nerds who are also kind of jocks. Eshom is this incredible, almost pro-level paintballer. All the gunfight sequences make sense, and he knows about finding cover, so that was a load off. Ian was a former MMA fighter, so he did all the hand-to-hand stuff. He has a good eye. He’s got good things to say. But on top of that, they love making movies. They’re like cinephiles. They’re always watching movies. They’re always talking about movies. They’re excited about movies. I was like, “Oh yeah, this is fun. They’re having fun, aren’t they?” And they are. It makes you want to please them. It makes you want to do good for them. I just found myself totally at ease. You want to come up with ways to help them solve a problem, and they’re receptive to that. I look forward to working with them again.

    Adam Arkin, Damian Lewis, Sarah Shahi, Donal Logue and Brent Sexton on 'Life.'
    (L to R) Adam Arkin, Damian Lewis, Sarah Shahi, Donal Logue and Brent Sexton on ‘Life.’ Photo: NBC Universal Television Studio.

    MF: Finally, you had a pivotal role in a groundbreaking, yet short-lived TV series called ‘Life’ starring Damian Lewis, where you played the main villain, a Russian gangster named Roman Nevikov. What are your memories of making that series and working with Lewis and the rest of the cast?

    GD: It’s funny. That’s one of my wife’s favorite characters. I’m a shy person, especially when I was younger, and that came along at a time where I still was a little uncomfortable playing people with power. I always say, “I’m a good first mate. I’m not sure I’m a good captain.” Then when someone finally gives you an opportunity to lead, you’re like, “Oh, I don’t know if anyone’s going to buy this”, because you have an opinion of yourself that no one else has, but you believe that. It was a real breakthrough moment for me to play someone powerful like that. He was evil, but he was powerful, assured and calm. I had a style that I’d never had with this white outfit, but I had a good dialogue coach, and I felt good about the Russian accent. Some Russians were asking me where I was from on set, and I was like, “I’m from Yakima, Washington.” They’re like, “Oh, I thought you were Russian.” That made me feel good. But for just having a few episodes, a lot of people remember that and Damian Lewis, he’s a great actor. I haven’t seen him in a long time, but I really like him. I’ve stayed in touch with Sarah Shahi, probably the most gorgeous person on the planet, and we keep trying to work together and find something else to do, but it hasn’t worked out yet, but I hope we can. I think that was a good show.

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    What is the Plot of ‘Red Right Hand’?

    Cash (Orlando Bloom) is trying to live an honest and quiet life taking care of his recently orphaned niece Savannah (Chapel Oaks) in the Appalachian town of Odim County. When the sadistic kingpin Big Cat (Andie MacDowell) who runs the town forces him back into her services, Cash learns he’s capable of anything – even killing – to protect the town and the only family he has left. As the journey gets harder, Cash is drawn into a nightmare that blurs the lines between good and evil.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Red Right Hand’?

    Orlando Bloom in 'Red Right Hand,' a Magnolia Pictures release.
    Orlando Bloom in ‘Red Right Hand,’ a Magnolia Pictures release. © Red Right Hand Productions LLC, Steve Squall. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    Other Garret Dillahunt Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Red Right Hand’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Garret Dillahunt Movies on Amazon

     

  • Every Coen brothers Movie, Ranked

    Best Director winners Ethan and Joel Coen backstage during the 80th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2008.
    (L to R) Best Director winners Ethan and Joel Coen backstage during the 80th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2008. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Joel and Ethan Coen, better known as the Coen brothers, practically created their own genre and are one of the most acclaimed and celebrated directing teams of all time!

    Beginning their career with modern classics like ‘Blood Simple,’ ‘Raising Arizona,’ and ‘Miller’s Crossing,’ the brothers went on to direct such beloved films as ‘The Big Lebowski,’ ‘O Brother Where Art Thou,‘ ‘Burn After Reading,’ and the Oscar-winning ‘Fargo‘ and ‘No Country for Old Men.’

    In 2021, Joel Coen directed his first film without his brother, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth,’ starring Denzel Washington. Now, opening in theaters on February 23rd is Ethan Coen’s new solo directing effort entitled ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ which stars Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan.

    In honor of Ethan Coen’s new film, Moviefone is counting down every film the Coen brothers have ever directed together or apart.

    NOTE: For this list we are only including the Coen Brothers full-length feature films, both together and solo, but we are not including their documentaries or participation in anthology movies like ‘Paris, je t’aime.’

    Let’s begin!

    20. ‘Intolerable Cruelty‘ (2003)

    George Clooney and Catherine Zeta Jones in 'Intolerable Cruelty.'
    (L to R) George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones in ‘Intolerable Cruelty.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

    A revenge-seeking gold digger (Catherine Zeta-Jones) marries a womanizing Beverly Hills lawyer (George Clooney) with the intention of making a killing in the divorce.

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    19. ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs‘ (2018)

    Tim Blake Nelson is Buster Scruggs in 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,' a film by Joel and Ethan Coen.
    Tim Blake Nelson is Buster Scruggs in ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,’ a film by Joel and Ethan Coen. Photo: Netflix.

    Vignettes weaving together the stories of six individuals in the old West at the end of the Civil War. Following the tales of a sharpshooting songster (Tim Blake Nelson), a wannabe bank robber (James Franco), two weary traveling performers (Zoe Kazan and Jefferson Mays), a lone gold prospector (Tom Waits), a woman traveling the West to an uncertain future (Tyne Daly) and a motley crew of strangers undertaking a carriage ride.

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    18. ‘A Serious Man‘ (2009)

    Michael Stuhlbarg in 'A Serious Man.'
    Michael Stuhlbarg in ‘A Serious Man.’ Photo: Focus Features.

    It is 1967, and Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlberg), a physics professor at a quiet Midwestern university, has just been informed by his wife, Judith (Sari Lennick) that she is leaving him. She has fallen in love with one of his more pompous acquaintances, Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed).

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    17. ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There‘ (2001)

    Billy Bob Thornton and James Gandolfini in 'The Man Who Wasn't There.'
    (L to R) Billy Bob Thornton and James Gandolfini in ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There.’ Photo: USA Films.

    A tale of murder, crime and punishment set in the summer of 1949. Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber in a small California town, is dissatisfied with his life, but his wife Doris’ (Frances McDormand) infidelity and a mysterious opportunity presents him with a chance to change it.

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    16. ‘The Ladykillers‘ (2004)

    Tom Hanks in 'The Ladykillers.'
    Tom Hanks in ‘The Ladykillers.’ Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

    An eccentric if not charming Southern professor (Tom Hanks) and his crew pose as a band in order to rob a casino all under the nose of his unsuspecting landlord, a sharp old woman (Irma P. Hall).

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    15. ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth‘ (2021)

    Denzel Washington in 'The Tragedy of Macbeth.'
    Denzel Washington in ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth.’ Photo: A24.

    From Academy Award©-winning filmmaker Joel Coen comes the propulsive, boldly cinematic ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth,’ starring Oscar-winners Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as the devious, ill-fated “Macbeth” and “Lady Macbeth.” An original, striking reimagining of the classic Shakespearean tale portrayed in sumptuous black-and-white cinematography, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ finds the titular general and his loyal wife older and warier, desperately striving against a merciless ticking clock as they attempt to seize upon a final opportunity for power. In the chaos that ensues, their grasp on the throne unravels, terror mounts and regret enshrouds every inch of their wretched world.

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    14. ‘Barton Fink‘ (1991)

    John Turturro and Jon Polito in 'Barton Fink.'
    (L to R) John Turturro and Jon Polito in ‘Barton Fink.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    A renowned New York playwright (John Turturro) is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.

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    13. ‘Blood Simple‘ (1984)

    Frances McDormand in 'Blood Simple.'
    Frances McDormand in ‘Blood Simple.’ Photo: Circle Films.

    The owner of a seedy smalltown Texas bar (Dan Hedaya) discovers that one of his employees (John Getz) is having an affair with his wife (Frances McDormand). A chaotic chain of misunderstandings lies and mischief ensues after he devises a plot to have them murdered.

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    12. ‘O Brother Where Art Thou‘ (2000)

    John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'
    (L to R) John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

    In the deep south during the 1930s three escaped convicts (George Clooney, John Turturro and Tom Blake Nelson) search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman (Daniel von Bargen) pursues them. On their journey they come across many comical characters and incredible situations. Based upon Homer’s Odyssey.

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    11. ‘Raising Arizona‘ (1987)

    Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage in 'Raising Arizona.'
    (L to R) Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage in ‘Raising Arizona.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    When a childless couple (Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage) decide to help themselves to one of another family’s quintuplets their lives become more complicated than they anticipated.

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    10. ‘No Country for Old Men‘ (2007)

    Javier Bardem in 'No Country for Old Men.'
    Javier Bardem in ‘No Country for Old Men.’ Photo: Miramax Films.

    Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.

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    9. ‘Fargo‘ (1996)

    Frances McDormand in 'Fargo.'
    Frances McDormand in ‘Fargo.’ Photo: Working Title Films.

    Jerry (William H. Macy) a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt but he’s got a plan. He’s going to hire two thugs (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife (Kristin Rudrüd) in a scheme to collect a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law (Harve Presnell). It’s going to be a snap and nobody’s going to get hurt until people start dying. Enter Police Chief Marge (Frances McDormand), a coffee-drinking parka-wearing and extremely pregnant investigator who’ll stop at nothing to get her man. And if you think her smalltime investigative skills will give the crooks a run for their ransom, you betcha.

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    8. ‘True Grit‘ (2010)

    Jeff Bridges in 'True Grit.'
    Jeff Bridges in ‘True Grit.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Following the murder of her father by a hired hand, a 14-year-old farm girl (Hailee Steinfeld) sets out to capture the killer. To aid her she hires the toughest US Marshal she can find, a man with true grit, Reuben J Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges).

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    7. ‘Drive-Away Dolls‘ (2024)

    Margaret Qualley as "Jamie" and Geraldine Viswanathan as "Marian" in director Ethan Coen's 'Drive-Away Dolls,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

    Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

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    6. ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2006)

    Channing Tatum in 'Hail, Caesar!'
    Channing Tatum in ‘Hail, Caesar!’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

    When a Hollywood star (George Clooney) mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming, the studio sends their fixer (Josh Brolin) to get him back.

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    5. ‘The Hudsucker Proxy‘ (1994)

    Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tim Robbins in 'The Hudsucker Proxy.'
    (L to R) Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tim Robbins in ‘The Hudsucker Proxy.’ Photo: Warner Bros.

    A naive business graduate (Tim Robbins) is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.

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    4. ‘Millers Crossing‘ (1990)

    1990's 'Miller's Crossing.'
    1990’s ‘Miller’s Crossing.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Set in 1929, a political boss (Albert Finney) and his advisor (Gabriel Byrne) have a parting of the ways when they both fall for the same woman (Marcia Gay Harden).

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    3. ‘Burn After Reading‘ (2008)

    Brad Pitt in 'Burn After Reading.'
    Brad Pitt in ‘Burn After Reading.’ Photo: Focus Features.

    When a disc containing memoirs of a former CIA analyst (John Malkovich) falls into the hands of gym employees, Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Brad Pitt), they see a chance to make enough money for Linda to have life-changing cosmetic surgery. Predictably, events whirl out of control for the duo, and those in their orbit.

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    2. ‘Inside Llewyn Davis‘ (2013)

    Oscar Isaac in 'Inside Llewyn Davis.'
    Oscar Isaac in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis.’ Photo: CBS Films.

    In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.

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    1. ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)

    Jeff Bridges in 'The Big Lebowski.'
    Jeff Bridges in ‘The Big Lebowski.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker who only wants to bowl and drink White Russians, is mistaken for another Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), a wheelchair-bound millionaire, and finds himself dragged into a strange series of events involving nihilists, adult film producers, ferrets, errant toes, and large sums of money.

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  • ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Cast Interview

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    Opening in theaters on February 23rd is the new film from director Ethan Coen (‘The Big Lebowski’) called ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ which he co-wrote with Tricia Cooke and stars Geraldine Viswanathan (‘Blockers’), Margaret Qualley (‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’), Beanie Feldstein (‘Book Smart’), Colman Domingo (‘Rustin’), Matt Damon (‘The Martian’) and Pedro Pascal (‘The Last of Us’).

    Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley and Beanie Feldstein talk director Ethan Coen's 'Drive-Away Dolls.'
    (L to R) Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley and Beanie Feldstein talk director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley and Beanie Feldstein about their work on ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ their quirky characters, and working with director Ethan Coen.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

    Related Article: Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’: Geraldine Viswanathan Replacing Ayo Edebiri

    Geraldine Viswanathan stars as "Marian" in director Ethan Coen's 'Drive-Away Dolls,' a Focus Features release.
    Geraldine Viswanathan stars as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Geraldine, can you talk about your first reaction to Ethan Coen and Trisha Cooke’s screenplay and the aspects of this character you were excited to explore on screen?

    Geraldine Viswanathan: I think getting the script was just so exciting. I feel like Ethan and Trish are some of the greatest writers of our time. It was just such an original and fresh script with so many cool elements and so many surprising turns, and I really fell in love with the character, Marian. I feel like at first, I thought I was really different from her, but I also kind of understood her and related to her and the way that I get introverted or sensitive and shy. I felt excited to play into those parts of myself a little bit more.

    Margaret Qualley stars as "Jamie" in director Ethan Coen's 'Drive-Away Dolls,' a Focus Features release.
    Margaret Qualley stars as “Jamie” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

    MF: Margaret, Jamie is really a free spirit, can you talk about your approach to playing her?

    Margaret Qualley: Playing Jamie, she’s a total free spirit. It was very inspiring. I would like to have a little bit more of Jamie in my everyday life because I’m somebody that can be a little in my head, go home a little bit anxious, and I think that’s not really a big part of her experience. I imagine her kind of like a teenage boy. Not that teenage boys aren’t in their head, but there maybe is kind of like a puppy spirit.

    Beanie Feldstein stars as "Sukie" in director Ethan Coen's 'Drive-Away Dolls,' a Focus Features release.
    Beanie Feldstein stars as “Sukie” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

    MF: Beanie, can you talk about Sukie’s breakup with Jamie and how that anger really fuels her journey through the movie?

    Beanie Feldstein: I mean, I think you hit it that she’s so heartbroken, but that kind of takes a turn into just tunnel vision, that she’s just, no matter whether they’re together or not together, she’s focused on Jamie. That was the note that Ethan and Tricia gave me in my Zoom audition. They were just like, “You cannot be more obsessed with her, and nothing takes your focus away from her.” So, I think that’s kind of Sukie’s motives the entire time, and to play someone who was just unapologetically angry, and abrasive is the opposite of my personality. So that was fun to jump full speed ahead. I think Ethan and Tricia saw something in me that I don’t see in myself. So, it was fun to play.

    Actor Geraldine Viswanathan, actor Margaret Qualley, and director/writer/producer Ethan Coen on the set of 'Drive-Away Dolls,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Actor Geraldine Viswanathan, actor Margaret Qualley, and director/writer/producer Ethan Coen on the set of ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

    MF: Finally, Geraldine, what was it like being on set with Ethan Coen and collaborating with him on this movie?

    GV: I mean, incredible. He is one of the best filmmakers of our time and really is a wonderful person. He has every right to be an asshole, but he’s just not. He’s so great and special, and he’s just a genius. I just relished being around him. Anytime he spoke I was like, “Yes.” I just wanted to learn from him as much as I could. He’s even better than you could imagine.

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    What is the Plot of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’?

    This comedy caper follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’?

    • Margaret Qualley as Jamie
    • Geraldine Viswanathan as Marian
    • Beanie Feldstein as Sukie
    • Colman Domingo as Chief
    • Pedro Pascal as Santos
    • Bill Camp as Curlie
    • Matt Damon as Senator Channel
    • Joey Slotnick as Arliss
    Geraldine Viswanathan as "Marian", Margaret Qualley as "Jamie" and Beanie Feldstein as "Sukie" in director Ethan Coen's 'Drive-Away Dolls,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian”, Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Beanie Feldstein as “Sukie” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

    Other Ethan Coen Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Coen brothers Movies on Amazon

     

  • New ‘Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ Trailer Reveals More of Coen Brothers’ Western Saga

    New ‘Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ Trailer Reveals More of Coen Brothers’ Western Saga

    Ballad of Buster Scruggs
    Netflix

    Things have a way of escalating in the Wild Wild West — and in Joel and Ethan Coen’s films.

    Netflix released a new trailer for “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” the six-part Western anthology movie from the acclaimed directors. Originally conceived of as a series, the film knits together six stories featuring different cast members but connected by the setting and themes.

    Tim Blake Nelson stars as the titular character, a sharp-shooting a songster. The other parts focus on a wannabe bank robber, two weary traveling performers, a gold prospector, a woman who finds love on a wagon train, and the passengers of a doomed carriage ride.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YES0lLXIIz4&feature=youtu.be

    As with most Coen brothers’ projects, this one boasts an incredible cast including Tyne Daly, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Zoe Kazan, Liam Neeson, Clancy Brown, Stephen Root, and Willie Watson.

    “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is also getting an exclusive theater run (contrary to Netflix’s normal process) starting November 8. It begins streaming on the service November 16.

  • Coen Brothers’ Netflix Anthology Series Is Now a Film Gunning for Oscars

    Coen Brothers’ Netflix Anthology Series Is Now a Film Gunning for Oscars

    The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
    Netflix

    Surprise! The Coen Brothers shared a classic statement on their change of tune for “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.”

    Last year, Joel and Ethan Coen announced they were joining the streaming circuit with this six-episode series. Each episode was meant to tell a different story with a different cast. Tim Blake Nelson was meant to play the title character.

    Well, some of that is still true. But now, Variety reports, the Netflix Original Series has been adapted into a feature film — but it still maintains its anthology format.

    “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” — still starring Tim Blake Nelson, but also Zoe Kazan, Liam Neeson, and Tom Waits, among others — will have its world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival. So the Oscar-winning Coen Brothers are back in competition for more trophies.

    Here’s their wonderful statement:

    “We’ve always loved anthology movies, especially those films made in Italy in the Sixties which set side-by-side the work of different directors on a common theme. Having written an anthology of Western stories we attempted to do the same, hoping to enlist the best directors working today. It was our great fortune that they both agreed to participate.”

    Haha. Netflix users will still be able to watch the film when it arrives on the streamer sometime later this year. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” will also get a limited theatrical release to qualify for Oscar contention.

    Maybe we’ll even get lucky someday and the Coens will re-edit the whole thing back into a six-episode anthology, since a movie is certain to leave a lot of material out.

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  • 15 Things You Never Knew About ‘The Big Lebowski’

    It’s been 20 years since moviegoers were first introduced to The Dude, an affable hippie just trying to make his way through life and bowl a few rounds — in between buying coffee creamer using a check.

    “The Big Lebowski” was not a smash hit when it first debuted, but it’s built up a considerable cult following in the years since — deservedly so. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, here are 15 things you might not know about this Coen Bros. classic.

    1. While fictional, the movie draws inspiration from several real-life figures. The Dude himself is loosely based on a man named Jeff Dowd, who helped distribute the Coens’ first film, “Blood Simple.”

    2. Meanwhile, Julianne Moore‘s character, Maude, is based on artist Carolee Schneemann and singer Yoko Ono. John Goodman‘s Walter is based on screenwriter John Milius.3. The Coens’ friend, Peter Exline, a screenwriter and film professor, also directly inspired the development of “The Big Lebowski.” It was Exline who actually coined the phrase: “It really ties the room together” and whose personal anecdotes inspired several key moments in the film.

    4. If you’ve ever wondered how The Dude manages to financially support himself while clearly in a perpetual state of “funemployment,” an early draft of the screenplay revealed he’s the heir to the Rubik’s Cube fortune.5. The majority of The Dude’s outfits were supplied by Jeff Bridges himself. He even reused a shirt he previously wore in 1991’s “The Fisher King.”

    6. In order to film the bowling shots from just the right angle, the Coens mounted a camera atop an RC car frame and used that to follow the bowling balls down the alley.
    7. The Dude drives a 1973 Ford Torino. Two versions of the car were used for filming. One of them was destroyed, but the other later resurfaced in an episode of “The X-Files.”

    8. Every single song played during the course of the film is actually heard by the characters themselves, either on the radio or on the supermarket loudspeakers.

    9. Bridges clearly has musical talent, as shown by his starring role in 2009’s “Crazy Heart.” However, Bridges also moonlights as a musician on the side and plays in a Lebowski-inspired band called The Abiders.10. Steve Buscemi‘s poor, put-upon hero Donnie (RIP) apparently has trouble remembering his own name, or at least has really ticked off his tailor. The character’s customized bowling bowling shirts always display the wrong name throughout the film.

    11. Donnie is also notable for bowling a strike every single time — until his very last turn, which comes moments before his tragic death.
    12. Walter’s gun shop, Sobchak Security, advertises that it sells “peace of mind.” This is a callback to John Goodman’s character in “Barton Fink,” who made a similar claim.13. Peter Stormare‘s character, Uli, was partly conceived on the set of “Fargo.” There, Stormare’s character showed a similar obsession with pancakes, and Stormare would often lapse into an exaggerated German accent in between takes.

    14. The Dude is so lazy, that he’s never actually seen bowling once in the entire film, even during that iconic dream sequence. However, he does drink exactly nine White Russians during that time.15. Characters say the F-word exactly 292 times throughout the movie, which puts it just above 1983’s “Scarface” and below 1990’s “Goodfellas.”

  • Coen Brothers Take Western TV Anthology to Netflix

    Premiere Of Universal Pictures' 'Hail, Caesar!' - Arrivals“We are streaming motherf—–s!” Joel and Ethan Coen declared in a press release announcing that their Western anthology, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” is coming to Netflix.

    “Buster Scruggs” will run six episodes, with each episode telling a different story with a different cast about the American frontier. Characters include a singing cowboy, Oregon trail bosses, a high-plains drifter, and a prospector.

    Tim Blake Nelson, who appeared in the Coens’ 2000 movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” will play the title character. No other cast members were announced, but IMDB lists James Franco, Tyne Daly, Zoe Kazan, and Stephen Root.

    It’s the Coen brothers’ first television project (FX’s “Fargo” is an an adaptation of their classic movie by showrunner Noah Hawley).

    The episodic anthology is becoming trendy again, with HBO recently premiering “Room 104” from brothers Jay and Mark Duplass. And Amazon has ordered “The Romanoffs” from “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner, following people who believe they are the descendants of the Romanov family.

  • Ryan Reynolds Recalls His ‘Failed’ Audition for the Coen Brothers

    Not even Deadpool scores every time.

    Ryan Reynolds is doing all right for himself these days, but he’s no stranger to rejection. Reynolds and “Hidden Figures” star Taraji P. Henson compared audition horror stories for Variety’s new season of “Actors on Actors,” which premieres January on PBS SoCal.

    Henson asked Reynolds about his “worst” audition, and he said “most of them” were his worst, but there was one that stood out:

    “I was never a great auditioner. I had one where I had to sing, and that was — I’m a nervous singer. […]. It’s one of those auditions that was so bad that I look back and I think, ‘What if that tape surfaces at some point?’ And it just comes out, and that will be the death of me.”

    When asked about his “last” audition, Reynolds said:

    “I auditioned and failed for the Coen Brothers. […] It was terrible. It was OK, it just wasn’t the right fit, mostly because they’re very high class. In the room, they were just quietly shaking their heads, like, ‘What are you doing here? Do you have a SAG card or do you have the Canadian version? How did you get here?’”

    Henson asked which movie that was for, and he initially said, “Hail, Caesar!” (2016) but then added, “Was it? No, the one before that.” If not for “Hail, Caesar!” maybe it was “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013). In both cases, he may have had to sing, so his last audition may have also been been his worst audition.

    Watch both Reynolds and Henson (who co-starred in “Smokin’ Aces”) share their stories when “Actors on Actors” Season 5 premieres January 3 on PBS SoCal, or see the interview here. (They start sharing bad audition stories around the 16-minute mark.)

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  • Jon Polito, Character Actor and Coen Brothers Star, Dies at 65

    Premiere Of Paramount Pictures' The Honeymooners - ArrivalsJon Polito, a ubiquitous character actor known on screens both big and small, especially for his work in Coen brothers films, has died. He was 65.

    Polito’s wide-ranging career included a whopping 217 acting credits, per his IMDb page, highlighted by his appearance in Coen brothers classics like “The Big Lebowski,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “Barton Fink,” “The Hudsucker Proxy,” and “The Man Who Wasn’t There.” He also starred on the first two seasons of “Homicide: Life on the Street,” and reprised his role of detective Steve Crosetti for a 2000 TV movie.

    The Italian-American actor’s eclectic arsenal of characters often included cops and quirky criminals, though Polito said in a 2005 interview that he wasn’t bothered by playing such similar roles, provided there was some range to the characters. “I don’t mind typecasting, but I will not do the same thing over again,” he said.

    That range was expressed throughout his career, like his television work on series such as “Modern Family” (on which he starred as recently as this year, playing the recurring role of Jay’s business nemesis, Earl Chambers, the owner of Closets Closets Closets Closets), “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Seinfeld,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Bunheads,” “Judging Amy,” “Scrubs,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “American Dad!,” and “Comedy Bang! Bang!,” among many, many others.

    His film credits, totaling more than 100, included roles in “The Freshman,” “The Rocketeer,” “The Crow,” “The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle,” “View From the Top,” “The Honeymooners,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” “American Gangster,” “Gangster Squad,” and “Big Eyes.”

    Director John McNaughton, who worked with Polito on “Homicide” and other TV projects, remembered his friend in a Facebook post, writing, “Jon was a born actor and will be deeply missed by his legion of friends, fans, family and of course his long time partner, Darryl Armbruster to whom I send my condolences. R.I.P. old pal.”

    Polito passed away after battling cancer for several years. He is survived by his husband, Armbruster

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter, John McNaughton]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

    Jon Polito Has Passed Away at the Age of 65

  • Josh Brolin Was ‘Blown Away’ by ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Story

    Portraits During The 66th Berlinale International Film FestivalNo matter the era, Josh Brolin has a pretty firm handle on Hollywood.

    If you missed brothers Joel and Ethan Coen‘s most recent movie, “Hail, Caesar!,” you’ve got a new opportunity to check out the flip-side of “Barton Fink,” their poison-pen take on the conflicts between Hollywood and creativity. The film, which features Brolin as a studio fixer — the squasher of potential star scandals detrimental to box office business — is, even with its somewhat cynical lens trained on spoiled celebrities with bad judgment, a loopy love letter of sorts to a bygone cinematic era where even the by-any-means-necessary fixer’s just doing his best for the image of the system and its stars.

    The second in a now-emerging Brolin Acting Dynasty — his dad, James, paved the way; daughter Eden is following in his footsteps — Brolin, who brings a distinctive heart and conscience to a role that might have been played one-note ruthless, has a keen sense of what Hollywood was, is, and will likely be, as he preps for the most anticipated role of his diverse and much-admired screen career: the Mad Titan himself, Thanos, in two upcoming “Avengers: Infinity War” movies.

    Moviefone: What I love about your Eddie Mannix is how much he loves Hollywood. Tell me about finding that element of this guy, who you might think is going to be this brutal, leg-breaker, studio-fixer type, but he has — in his mind at least — Hollywood’s best interests at heart.

    Josh Brolin: I do, I truly believe that. He has his boss’s interest at heart. And his boss, his business, is Hollywood, so I think he’s very loyal in that way. He’s kind of like a mafioso in that way: it’s like, whatever the godfather says is what you do.

    But I also think. as an aside for him, he truly appreciates and loves it, which is like, I’m just thinking about it now because it’s been a while. When he goes into the confessional, and he’s just like, “What’s the right thing, and what’s the thing that I want? And the right thing would be able to get money, but is that really the right thing? Being bought off, is that the right thing? Whereas here, I feel like a laborer: it’s a pain in the ass. I’ve got girls with mermaid sh*t on who are pregnant, they don’t know who the father is. They’ve got another guy who’s disappeared who’s a drunk, who he’s probably f*cking some extra.”

    All the craziness of the children that he’s trying to round up and make sure that they behave. And yet, that could all go away, and he could make three times the money, but he doesn’t want to because it’s like … because it’s his life. This is what he does. This is what he knows.

    When you did your research — and I know you did your research — on the real-life Eddie Mannix, that inspired the character and that era? What captivated you about that time in Hollywood history? And what made you go, “God if I was around then, there’s no f*cking way I could live with this?”

    As an actor … the amount of debauchery that went on was kind of unprecedented. You could never get away with, I mean, look at me. Look at my life. I stopped trying to get away with it, because you can’t get away with it, because there’s too many iPhones. There’s too many people. There’s too much social media. It’s like, everybody has a walkie-talkie basically now. You know? And back then, it wasn’t like that. Therefore, people’s shadow sides, people’s dark sides, were able to manifest and continually manifest …

    … I mean, I read and heard so many stories, man. And I’m like … guys who were making, on the average, $30,000, got into the movie business and were suddenly making the equivalent of $500,000,000 a year. I mean, all that breeds, for the most part, is wrongdoing. You know? And yet, Eddie, the real Eddie, when I researched him, is not a nice guy. I mean, really not a nice guy. So it’s more a hybrid of like, I can’t remember the PR guy’s name, but it’s more Thalberg, Mayer…

    Howard Strickland.

    Yeah, Strickland, exactly. It’s like those four guys wrapped into one. He’s much nicer. Even though he was a tough guy, he really cared. That’s what came across, is how much he cared about these kids.

    Did the Hollywood system ever try to control you? Or did they let you do your thing and let the chips fall where they may?

    It depends on the personality too, man. I don’t think that I was insulting. A lot of people rebel, and in their rebellion, they’ll be insulting. I think I ended up doing what I did, but I think I was nice to work with. I was always professional.

    So I think that naturally … it’s not cosmetically naturally, but the fact that I found the Coens, and the Coens found me, and that I really enjoy working with them and they really enjoy working with me because we have similar sensibilities. There’s not a lot of pretense there, but we also like, we like manifesting stories that we find interesting, as opposed to pandering to something that we think is going to be the most successful. So I’ve been very lucky in that way.

    People say, “I like your résumé, I like what you’ve chosen.” I always appreciate that. I would still do “Jonah Hex” again. I don’t like the way it turned out at all, but I do think that there’s a good movie there. I think my intention was right. You’re never going to be perfect, man. You just do your best.

    Your dad came up during the shift of power, from the studios to more in the hands of the talent and the filmmakers. Do you like to hear war stories from his days in the trenches?

    Yeah, he didn’t have a lot of war stories. He was under contract at Fox, I think, first, and then Universal. So I do remember: I didn’t grow up in LA, but I do remember the whole, like, “This is what you’re going to do.” He was on the tail end of that. I mean, he was in the ’60s and ’70s, and we’re talking about the ’50s and ’40s, where I think it was much more like, you’re going to do six movies for us this year, and you can’t work for another studio, or a studio has to buy you out from us. All that kind of stuff. That wasn’t really … that didn’t really exist.

    But my dad was being, what do you call it, what’s the word? Groomed, to be an actor. Had to go to dance class, and had to go to fencing class, and all that stuff. Then I think he was let go. They were like, this guy’s not going to work out. Okay, so we’ll let him go, and then another studio may pick you up and try to do the same thing. So, yeah, those kinds of stories I got to hear, and they weren’t horror stories at all. It was just a totally different mentality. Now, it’s much more individualized.

    Now that your daughter Eden’s career is kind of catching fire, do you feel like you’ve got war stories you want to share with her? She works in a different Hollywood than the one you came up in.

    Yeah, it is a different. There’s more opportunity now, in like TV being almost a better, more creative medium. It’s a great time for her. It’s an amazing time. Hollywood’s always changing, man. It’s always changing. Why do you think it’s so different now? It’s always changing. It’s changing with the times. It’s changing with the economy. But it comes down to: What do you want to do? You want to work obviously, but you also want to tell good stories.

    Or when I saw “Manson’s Lost Girls,” I go, “Okay, that’s a Lifetime movie” — the general perception of a Lifetime movie is it’s not going to be very good. And not only do I think it was pretty decent, but I thought she was amazing in it. I thought she had created a full-blown character. And I go, “That’s when the individual’s talent overwhelms you being manhandled, nothing but manhandled.” I think people really started to see that talent. She’s starting to work more and more. So the talent’s winning out right now. We’ll see.

    You famously get to slap George Clooney, and there’s another kind of confrontation with Ralph Fiennes and Alden Ehrenreich, which is not physically an altercation, but a real actor-director showdown. Have you seen that kind of stuff go down on sets? Have you seen it get heated and tense and almost dangerous?

    Huge. Not dangerous, ever, but hugely tense, hugely tense. It was kind of like the David O. Russell thing. Nobody should see that. That’s just part of what it is. And it’s also really fun. Sometimes days are so fun, you’re like, “I shouldn’t be being paid for this. It’s just ridiculous. What we’re doing is ridiculous.” But at the same time, it depends on the movie, the mood of the movie, the tone of the movie, what it is you’re doing.

    That’s why I call it a profession of humiliation, because you go out there and it’s a total unnatural act, what you’re doing. You have to manipulate yourself into certain mindsets that may not be so attractive in order to fulfill the vision of the director or the script that you’ve chosen to do.

    But yeah, things can get really wacky. I enjoy it thoroughly. I like when they get tense. I like when they get fun. I like the whole thing. That’s why I do it. It’s a very colorful experience. My whole thing man is I get to my deathbed at the end of my life and I look back and I just have one big chuckle before I go. And so far, it’s working. And the more that the Coen brothers are involved, the better it is for me.

    “Avengers: Infinity War” is going to be a singular film experience that you’re going to be asked to talk about most likely to the end of your days. So, tell me, where are you now as far as your anticipation, your excitement, for the whole thing, and to go fully into character rather than these cameos that you’ve done?

    Yeah, I sat at a table and I listened to the story from beginning to end, which was … you know, sometimes you go around and you go, “Oh, it’s a great movie. Or this is a great experience,” and you kind of know that it’s not. This is the opposite.

    First of all, from a publicity point of view, or an interest, I’ve gotten more publicity playing Thanos, even though I haven’t done it yet, than all other movies combined. If there’s any blurb of publicity at all for me, it includes Thanos in some way or another. “By the way, he’s got “Hail, Caesar!” coming out. But don’t forget about Thanos — that’s coming out,” which is amazing, which is really cool.

    Then the other side of it is really how much it means to people. It all comes down … these stories … these Avengers stories all come down to this conclusion, and that’s our involvement. Basically, my character against everybody. And it’s really fun what they’ve chosen to do with the story. I think it’s brilliant, personally. I was blown away, and had goose pimples pretty much 50% of the time that I was listening to what was going on, and pretty amazed that I’m going to be involved in it. So it’s a big thing that’s coming up.

    “Hail, Caesar!” hits DVD and Blu-ray June 7th. “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1” is due in theaters May 4th, 2018.

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