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Tag: Saturday Night Live

  • ‘Lorne’ Exclusive Interview: Director Morgan Neville

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    Opening in theaters on April 17th is the new documentary from Oscar winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (‘Man on the Run’) called ‘Lorne’, which chronicles the life and career of ‘Saturday Night Live’ creator Lorne Michaels.

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    'Lorne' director Morgan Neville.
    ‘Lorne’ director Morgan Neville.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Morgan Neville about his work on ‘Lorne’, the style of the documentary, making it funny, his unprecedented access to ‘Saturday Night Live’, the show’s darkest period, conducting the interviews, what he learned about Lorne from making the movie, and the future of the long running show.

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

    Related Article: Morgan Neville Talks Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone: To begin with, the film plays almost like an ‘SNL’ parody of a celebrity biopic with animated sequences and Chris Parnell’s narration. Was that what you set out to do from the beginning or did you have to pivot when you realized you might not get what you need from Lorne Michaels himself?

    Morgan Neville: I think my intent in the beginning was, I want this to be funny. I didn’t know how exactly. But beyond that, I don’t entirely have a plan about what the film is going to be. I know it had all these great ingredients. I know Lorne’s story is interesting. He’s a fascinating character who rarely does interviews or shows people into his life. I know the show is fascinating. I knew there were lots of interesting things, but I didn’t know how it would fit together. When we started shooting, what you see in the beginning of the film is my first day of shooting, where the cameras come out, and then Lorne vanishes. I felt like one of the themes of the film is basically the theme of me making the film. You go from somebody who really doesn’t seem like he wants a film made about him to somebody who has made his peace with it and is willing to give us a glimpse inside. That was my experience of making the film. So, the idea of bringing Chris Parnell in is a way of channeling ‘SNL’, but also the ‘TV Funhouse’. I mean, it’s also something that I’ve done with a lot of my films. I want the subject of the film to help me decide how to tell the story, so it feels like the telling of it is related to the subject. So, I just kept thinking, well, what is the ‘SNL’ version of a documentary about Lorne? Not to say that because it’s funny that there’s no substance there. Because one thing I’m also proud of is how the emotion sneaks into the film quietly, in a way you’re not expecting. Lorne, in the beginning, is like, “Why is this guy even here? Why is he torturing this poor crew?” But then you understand a lot more about what makes him tick and he opens in that way.

    MF: The movie is very funny. Can you set out to make a funny documentary, or is that a result of the subject you are focusing on?

    MN: I think humor is one of the great under discussed things in documentary film. I think some of my favorite documentaries are funny in different ways. That could be anything from the films that inspired me to make documentaries, like ‘Sherman’s March’, ‘Roger & Me’, and ‘The Atomic Cafe’. I mean, all the documentaries that got me excited, that are funny in different ways. Even in films I’ve made, like, ‘Best of Enemies’ or ‘Won’t you be my Neighbor?’ There are some big laughs in those films, too. But I think humor is such a great way of letting the audience exhale and open themselves up in a way if they’re laughing. They’re way more receptive to what you might want to share with them. So, I love that, and why can’t documentaries be comedies sometimes? So, this was me intentionally in the beginning saying, “I do want this to be a funny film.” Because it’s a film, most people who are going to watch it are comedy fans. I’ve seen a lot of documentaries about comedy that are really depressing. There are a lot of dark stories in comedy. But I always wanted to remember the comedy part of it, too. ‘Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces’ was the first comedy documentary I did that was purely comedy, and this is the second. With both, I tried to balance the funny with some weight or gravitas at the same time.

    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.
    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.

    MF: Can you talk about the unprecedented access that you had to Lorne and ‘Saturday Night Live’ and what did you learn about him as a person from your access?

    MN: I think people think of Lorne as sitting on a throne, deciding who makes it in comedy and who doesn’t make it, and that he is just sitting there, flipping his finger, and deciding the fate of people. I think Lorne sees himself as beleaguered, in the trenches, and worrying about next week’s show and making 100 phone calls to sponsors, network people, affiliates, agents, studios, and cast members to just keep all the plates in the air. So, it’s funny that everybody thinks Lorne is just sitting pretty. I think Lorne feels like he’s just barely making it, because I asked everybody in the film, “At what point do you think Saturday Night Live became a show that was not going to disappear?” Some people said, “Well, when the show reinvented itself after 1995 with Will Ferrell and that amazing cast, or maybe after 9/11, when it became a place where people came together and mourned and laughed together for the first time.” I asked Lorne that question, and he said, “Maybe this year.” You know, fifty years in! So, I think Lorne’s the last person to pat himself on the back and feel like, job well done, we don’t have to worry anymore. I think Lorne is thinking about, “When this cast gels, where’s it going to be in two years?” He’s thinking about things like that. “Oh, this writer I have who might want to leave, maybe I can get him to work on a TV show, and I can get him a development deal.” He’s constantly pulling levers to keep everything kind of bubbling along and that’s something, People don’t see him sweat, but I think he feels like he’s in the thick of it. I think it’s maybe part of why he made the film, is for people to understand that producing is a real job. It’s not just sitting back and collecting checks. It’s a lot of invisible things that people just don’t understand.

    MF: You mention in the film that the closest Lorne came to losing control of the show was in the mid- ‘90s, which culminated in the firing of Norm MacDonald. In discussing it with Lorne, did he express any regret in how that went down and being unable to protect Norm in the same way he has protected so many ‘SNL’ performers before and after?

    MN: I don’t think so. I love Norm’s comedy. But, let’s face it, Norm was asking for it and in the funniest way possible. Norm was warned again and again and again. So, I think Norm enjoyed poking the bear, and I don’t think Norm felt like Lorne was to blame for any of that. I think the other person in that equation was Jim Downey, the legendary writer who started in season two, and was on and off the show for decades, who I interviewed in the documentary. Jim, at that time, was running ‘Weekend Update’ with Norm, and the two of them were thick as thieves, and they were the ones who were enjoying poking the bear. When Norm got fired, Jim got fired too, but Lorne quietly got Jim back the next year. I think Lorne both felt a loyalty to Jim, and really wanted to protect Jim. Norm was going to be fine. Lorne told the bosses, “Okay, I’ll let them go,” and then quietly rehired Jim, and helped Norm land his next thing. Again, it’s something that made Lorne incredibly unhappy to have to go through, but he is the king of the long game. You may lose the battles, but he always wins the war.

    John Mulaney in 'John Mulaney: Baby J' Photo: Netflix.
    John Mulaney in ‘John Mulaney: Baby J’ Photo: Netflix.

    MF: Of all the interviews you conducted, who had the most insight into Lorne and was there anyone you wanted to interview but were unable to?

    MN: I mean, the only person I really wanted to interview who said no was Dan Aykroyd, and he had said he was just talked out from doing documentary interviews, which is fine. I get it. But at the same time, for a film like this, you could interview so many people, and I interviewed even more than I normally like to. I normally don’t like to interview a ton of people for a film because I want there to be a smaller chorus of voices. But even here, I could have interviewed another fifty people for this film easily. So, I wanted people from different chapters of his life, people like Howard Shore, who he met at camp as a 14-year-old to Rosie Shuster, his first wife he met in high school who became one of the original writers on ‘Saturday Night Live’. But one of my favorites was John Mulaney because he is both, such a great talker, but also a real student of Lorne’s. They’re friends, but I think John has studied Lorne, and I think when they’re together, John constantly peppers Lorne with questions, and he’s collecting as much information about Lorne as he can. So, I think he was ready to talk. I think he loved talking about Lorne. I think we did, like, a two-hour interview, and I said, “Well, I think that’s good,” and he was like, “Well, let’s keep going.” So we went for another hour, and then when we did the round table, he said, “Oh, I want to do that.” So, I got him together with Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and Fred Armisen. But I think Mulaney was probably the MVP of talking about Lorne.

    MF: Finally, I get the sense from the film that Lorne Michaels is ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Saturday Night Live’ is Lorne Michaels, and that there is no retiring for him. He’ll leave the show when he must and it may go on for a while, but that will be the end of the show as we currently know it. What is your sense of the future of the series and how long do you think it will go on without Lorne Michaels at the helm?

    MN: I think Lorne is not going to run the show for another fifty years, but he wants it to continue, and I think it will continue, just because, for no other reason, the IP of ‘SNL’ is very valuable, and people still watch and will continue to watch. It’s one of the last places where we come together to watch things. You know, it’s like sports and ‘Saturday Night Live’. There aren’t a lot of places where we all come together to watch things. So, I think there are a lot of reasons why it will continue. I just don’t think it’ll be the same, because, in part, Lorne’s not doing it, but also because I can’t imagine it continuing to be as wasteful as it is. I mean, Lorne says that in the film. It’s made wastefully, but that’s because by being wasteful, you get to discover more things. He’s producing way more than he needs for a week. So, if you’re able to throw out a third of all your work every week and just pick the best two thirds, it makes it better. But it’s also kind of crazy to know you’re going to throw out a third of all your work every week. I also don’t think there’s one person to fill Lorne’s shoes, which are impossible to fill. But I think the thing about Lorne is he’s managing two different ways. He’s managing down, which is him with the writers and the cast, and all of that, which he’s great at. You hear all those stories of how he works with cast members. But the other part of his job is he’s managing up. So, dealing with the network people, and the sponsors, and affiliates, and studios, and all of that, in a way that is invisible, and is a very different skill than dealing with writers. So, you know, part of me feels like it would take at least two people to do his job.

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    What is the story of ‘Lorne’?

    ‘Lorne’ is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers.

    Who appears in ‘Lorne’?

    'Lorne' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Lorne’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    List of Morgan Neville Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Lorne’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Morgan Neville Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Lorne’

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on April 17th is the new documentary ‘Lorne’, which was directed by Morgan Neville (‘Man on the Run’) and chronicles the life and career of ‘Saturday Night Live’ creator Lorne Michaels.

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    Related Article: Morgan Neville Talks Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.
    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.

    Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville accomplishes the near impossible by capturing the illusive Lorne Michaels in the new film ‘Lorne’. The documentary, which is very funny, is almost an ‘SNL’ parody of celebrity biopics with pitch perfect narration from alum Chris Parnell and TV Funhouse style animation.

    Neville was given unprecedented behind the scenes access to Michaels and ‘Saturday Night Live’ and lifts the curtain to show how the sausage is really made. With interviews from ‘SNL’ alum like Tina Fey, John Mulaney, Kristen Wiig and Mike Myers, the movie explores Michaels’ career, the history of the show, and how ‘SNL’ is really made.

    Story and Direction

    'Saturday Night Live's Studio 8H.
    ‘Saturday Night Live’s Studio 8H. Photo: NBC.

    Director Morgan Neville is no stranger to documenting famous people, as his last film, ‘Man on the Run’ was centered on Paul McCartney. But the opening scene of ‘Lorne’ makes one think that Neville has finally met his match in Lorne Michaels. The ‘SNL’ creator seems surprised and annoyed that he even agreed to having a documentary crew follow him around, and virtually disappears once the movie begins.

    This forces Neville to pivot quickly and results in a movie that is closer to an ‘SNL’ parody of a documentary, which makes for a very funny movie. Some of the techniques that Neville uses to offset the loss of his subject include focusing on interviews with ‘SNL’ cast and alum instead and incorporating cartoons and narration. Those choices, whether out of desperation or not, transform the film from a standard celebrity documentary to a truly funny and entertaining experience on its own terms.

    But despite his best efforts, the film eventually does breakdown Michaels’ defenses and gives an honest and in-depth look behind the curtain at the man that created a comedic industry. In fact, Neville’s access to ‘Saturday Night Live’ was astounding and gives a rare never-before-seen look at exactly how the show is really made with glimpses into the writer’s room, pitch meetings, guest meetings, rehearsals, and finally choosing the sketches for that episode.

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    In addition to chronicling how the show is made week to week, the film also goes through Michaels’ personal history, the beginnings of his career, how he created the show, ‘SNL’s ups and downs including his exit in 1980, his return in 1985, almost losing the show in the 90s, and the various cast changes, as well as his film career, which includes writing ‘Three Amigos’ and producing ‘Wayne’s World’.

    Morgan Neville is the best documentarian working today and has made some of the finest documentaries in recent years including the Oscar winning ‘20 Feet from Stardom’, ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’, and ‘Man on the Run’. But ‘Lorne’ might be his best work yet, cracking the code on one of the most important figures in entertainment history.

    Celebrity Interviews

    John Mulaney and Tina Fey at Netflix's Next on Netflix event. Photo: Netflix.
    John Mulaney and Tina Fey at Netflix’s Next on Netflix event. Photo: Netflix.

    While reluctant at first, Lorne Michaels does eventually sit down for several interviews and is surprisingly open, despite his reputation for being guarded. However, his insight into his past and the inner workings of the show are delivered cryptically and in a very Lorne Michaels way. But we do get a rare look at his lakeside hideaway retreat in an undisclosed area of Maine, as well as his rigorous late-night schedule.

    You really come to understand that Michaels is a creature of habit, basically living the same schedule for fifty years, even eating at the same handful of New York restaurants and ordering the same meals for decades. People often wonder why ‘SNL’ has such a strange schedule, working late into the night and into the early morning most days. It’s because of Lorne, that’s his schedule, the show just adopted it.

    Neville assembles a fantastic group of Lorne’s friends and former ‘SNL’ cast members including Steve Martin, Paul Simon, John Mulaney, Tina Fey, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, and Mike Myers.

    John Mulaney had the most insight about Lorne, while Tina Fey acted like she didn’t really know him at all. But the most fascinating exchange was watching an intimate dinner between Michaels and friend Steve Martin.

    My one critique is I do wish Neville had interviewed more of the earlier cast members, as there seemed to be a focus on only cast members from the last 25 years. Where was Chevy Chase and Bill Murray? Where was Dana Carvey and Adam Sandler? What about Will Ferrell? But this may just be a result of who was available and not by design.

    Final Thoughts

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Lorne’ is a brilliant documentary that delivers a rare look at an almost mythic figure in popular culture and gives true insight without damaging the myth. At the same time, for fans of ‘Saturday Night Live’ or comedy in general, the movie is a must see that really dissects how the series became an institution and why it is still going strong after fifty years.

    ‘Lorne’ receives a score of 90 out of 100.

    'Lorne' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Lorne’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    What is the story of ‘Lorne’?

    ‘Lorne’ is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers.

    Who appears in ‘Lorne’?

    • Lorne Michaels as Himself
    • Tina Fey as Herself
    • Maya Rudolph as Herself
    • John Mulaney as Himself
    • Andy Samberg as Himself
    • Bill Hader as Himself
    • Fred Armisen as Himself
    • Conan O’Brien as Himself
    • Chris Rock as Himself
    • Jimmy Fallon as Himself
    • Seth Meyers as Himself
    • Kristen Wiig as Herself
    • Mike Myers as Himself
    • Steve Martin as Himself
    • Paul Simon as Himself
    'Lorne' director Morgan Neville.
    ‘Lorne’ director Morgan Neville.

    List of Morgan Neville Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Lorne’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Morgan Neville Movies on Amazon

     

  • Kristen Wiig Joins Jonah Hill in New Comedy ‘Cut Off’

    (Left) Kristen Wig attends the Academy’s 2017 Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 11, 2017. Credit/Provider: Aaron Poole / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Jonah Hill, Oscar®-nominee for Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, arrives for the 84th Annual Academy Awards® from Hollywood, CA February 26, 2012. Credit/Provider: Heather Ikei / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    (Left) Kristen Wig attends the Academy’s 2017 Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 11, 2017. Credit/Provider: Aaron Poole / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Jonah Hill, Oscar®-nominee for Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, arrives for the 84th Annual Academy Awards® from Hollywood, CA February 26, 2012. Credit/Provider: Heather Ikei / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Kristen Wiig is joining Jonah Hill in his new comedy ‘Cut Off’.
    • They’ll play spoiled siblings who get a rude awakening.
    • Hill co-wrote and will direct the movie for Warner Bros.

    Kristen Wiig and Jonah Hill have proved they can make people laugh both separately and, in the case of several movies and memorable ‘Saturday Night Live’ sketch “Liza Minnelli Tries to Turn Off a Lamp”, together.

    So it makes sense that Hill, embarking on a new co-writing/directing project, ‘Cut Off’, would seek to reunite with Wiig.

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    Variety brings word that Wiig will indeed co-star with Hill in the comedy, which will find them as wealthy adults who get a rude awakening.

    Related Article: Cameron Diaz to Join Keanu Reeves in Jonah Hill’s New Movie ‘Outcome’

    What’s the story of ‘Cut Off’?

    (L to R) Jonah Hill as Ezra and Lauren London as Amira in 'You People'. Photo: Tyler Adams/Netflix © 2023.
    (L to R) Jonah Hill as Ezra and Lauren London as Amira in ‘You People’. Photo: Tyler Adams/Netflix © 2023.

    ‘Cut Off’, which Hill wrote alongside regular collaborator Ezra Woods, will see Wiig and Hill playing wealthy siblings whose parents turn off the money faucet and force their adult kids to support themselves.

    The movie hit news sites earlier this year as one of those set to receive $10 million in California production tax credits, against a budget that nears $50 million.

    Where else can we see Kristen Wiig and Jonah Hill?

    Kristen Wiig in 'Palm Royale', now streaming on Apple TV+.
    Kristen Wiig in ‘Palm Royale’, now streaming on Apple TV+.

    Wiig, who most recently reprised the voice role of Lucy in Illumination’s ‘Despicable Me 4’, will be back on screens in the second season of Apple TV+ series ‘Palm Royale’, which returns next year.

    Before that, she’ll be seen as a quirky cat lady in the movie based on popular kids’ series ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse’. That lands in theaters on September 26th.

    She’s also attached to a variety of movie projects, including romantic comedy ‘Epiphany’, which will find her as broke fashionista heiress who races against time to marry rich and save herself from financial ruin.

    Hill was last seen in Netflix comedy ‘You People’ and has been busy behind the cameras. He’s directed ‘Outcome’, which follows Hollywood star Reef (Keanu Reeves) as he is forced to confront his problems and atone for his past after being threatened by bizarre video footage that resurfaces.

    That movie, which Hill also wrote with Ezra Woods, co-stars Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer. It has yet to lock down a release date.

    When will ‘Cut Off’ be on screens?

    ‘Cut Off’ doesn’t seem to share the money worries of its protagonists –– Warner Bros. is providing the backing and has already secured a July 17th, 2026 release date for the movie, signaling that studios are really hoping big summer comedies can make a comeback.

    Jonah Hill as Ezra in 'You People'. Photo: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.
    Jonah Hill as Ezra in ‘You People’. Photo: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.

    Selected Movies and TV Shows Featuring Jonah Hill:

    Buy Jonah Hill Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘Cheers’ Actor George Wendt Dies Aged 76

    George Wendt in 'Cheers'. Photo: NBC.
    George Wendt in ‘Cheers’. Photo: NBC.

    Preview:

    • George Wendt has died aged 76.
    • He’s most famous for playing ‘Cheers’ barfly Norm.
    • The actor also appeared in the likes of ‘Forever Young’ and ‘Fletch.’

    George Wendt, who will be forever identified as one of the most beloved sitcom characters of all time –– barfly Norm Peterson in ‘Cheers,’ has died.

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    His family confirmed his passing with the following statement via the actor’s representation:

    “George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him. He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.”

    Related Article: Actor Joe Don Baker, Known for ‘Walking Tall,’ Dies at the Age of 89

    George Wendt: Early Life

    (L to R) Chris Farley, Robert Smigel, Mike Myers and George Wendt on 'Saturday Night Live'. Photo: Broadway Video.
    (L to R) Chris Farley, Robert Smigel, Mike Myers and George Wendt on ‘Saturday Night Live’. Photo: Broadway Video.

    Born in October Chicago 1948 and raised on the South Side, George Robert Wendt Jr. was one of nine kids.

    His father owned a real estate agency that his dad had founded, and his mother, Loretta, was a housewife and longtime volunteer and fundraiser for Little Company of Mary Hospital.

    Wendt attended Campion High School, a Jesuit boarding school for boys in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and then Notre Dame — until he was expelled as a junior.

    This is what he told David Letterman about it in 1990:

    “I was a very poor student. I got kicked out of Notre Dame. I’m very proud to mention my grade-point average that got me booted out: zero-point-zero-zero. I just hung out and didn’t go to classes.”

    For a time, Wendt worked for his father, excelling in “getting coffee for the secretaries,” before earning a B.A. in economics in 1971 from another Jesuit school, Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri. But then he hung out in Europe for the better part of three years.

    For Wendt, his true calling was in performing: he got his start in the 1970s with Second City, the famed improvisational comedy troupe that was based in his hometown.

    Following his success, he popped up on ‘Saturday Night Live’ as Bob Swerski, one of the “superfans” who gathered at Coach Mike Ditka’s restaurant in the Windy City to watch “Da Bears.”

    Small roles in movies such as ‘My Bodyguard’ and ‘Somewhere in Time’ helped get him on screen, but it was on TV where he truly shined.

    George Wendt: TV Roles

    The cast of 'Cheers'. Photo: NBC.
    The cast of ‘Cheers’. Photo: NBC.

    There is only one place to start when it comes to Wendt’s small screen legacy: ‘Cheers.’

    Following a small role as an exterminator on ‘Taxi’ –– created and run by the team who would then bring ‘Cheers’ to screens –– his guy-next-door persona and easy, charismatic delivery won him appreciation from fans and castmates as he played the lovable lug Norm, an accountant by trade, on every installment the sitcom during its 1982-93 run.

    He received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for six consecutive years.

    This is what he told The Washington Post about the day-to-day work of filming and the downside to his barfly role:

    “There I was slamming those down for a whole day. It not only tastes disgusting, I was afraid of keeling over from high blood pressure. Then I got the knack. I didn’t have to put all those brews away. It only mattered when the camera was pointing my way. It took a couple of years, but now I watch the camera. That’s how I make my money. That’s acting.”

    Norm became a pop culture favorite, and Wendt showed up as the character over the years on ‘St. Elsewhere,’ ‘Wings,’ ‘The Simpsons,’ ‘Family Guy,’ and Cheers’ spin-offs ‘Frasier’ and ‘The Tortellis.’

    When ‘Cheers’ ended its run, NBC considered a spinoff featuring Wendt and Ratzenberger as bar buddies, but the show never materialized. Instead, he starred for CBS in 1995 in ‘The George Wendt Show,’ playing the co-owner of a Wisconsin garage and co-host of a call-in radio show about car repair, but the comedy lasted just six episodes.

    Aside from his live action appearances, he had roles in several more TV series including ‘Columbo,’ ‘Becker,’ ‘Outside Providence,’ and appeared as himself on ‘Seinfeld.’

    George Wendt: Movie Roles

    George Wendt in 'Fletch'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    George Wendt in ‘Fletch’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    While Wendt’s film career was much less full than his busy TV appearances, he had a few notable roles.

    His movies included ‘Dreamscape’, ‘House,’ ‘Fletch,’ ‘Gung Ho,’  ‘Guilty by Suspicion,’ ‘Forever Young’ and ‘Spice World.’

    Wendt is survived by his wife, actress Bernadette Birkett, whom he married in July 1978 — they met at Second City, and she was the unseen, offscreen voice of Norm’s wife, Vera, on ‘Cheers’ — his children, Hilary, Joe and Daniel and his stepchildren, Joshua and Andrew.

    Jason Sudeikis in 'Ted Lasso,' now streaming on Apple TV+.
    Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.

    And, on a note of trivia: nephew (and ‘Ted Lasso’ co-creator/star) Jason Sudeikis, who is the son of one of Wendt’s sisters.

    This is how National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson summed him up in a statement:

    “From his early days with The Second City to his iconic role as Norm on Cheers, George Wendt’s work showcased how comedy can create indelible characters that feel like family. His work is proudly featured in the National Comedy Center, and we honor his legacy and the joy he brought to generations of fans.”

    (L to R) Jim Belushi, Kevin Nealon, Dan Aykroyd, George Wendt, and Jon Lovitz in 'A History of the World in Six Glasses'. Photo: Fox Nation.
    (L to R) Jim Belushi, Kevin Nealon, Dan Aykroyd, George Wendt, and Jon Lovitz in ‘A History of the World in Six Glasses’. Photo: Fox Nation.

    George Wendt Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy George Wendt TV Shows and Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘Tommy Boy’ 30th Anniversary Interview: Director Peter Segal

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    Available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD in a 4K/Blu-ray Combo or in a Limited-Edition SteelBook on March 25th is ‘Tommy Boy’, which marks the 30th anniversary of the classic comedy.

    Directed by Peter Segal (‘Get Smart’), the film stars the late Chris Farley (‘Saturday Night Live’), David Spade (‘Just Shoot Me!’), Rob Lowe (‘Wayne’s World’), Julie Warner (‘Doc Hollywood’), Bo Derek (‘10’), Dan Aykroyd (‘Ghostbusters’), and Brian Dennehy (‘Silverado’).

    Related Article: Director Penelope Spheeris Talks 30th Anniversary of ‘Wayne’s World’

    (L to R) David Spade and Chris Farley in 'Tommy Boy'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) David Spade and Chris Farley in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Peter Segal about his work on ‘Tommy Boy’, how he came to direct the project, improvising on set, Farley and Spade’s chemistry, Spade’s comedic abilities, Farley’s genius and legacy, and why Rob Lowe did not take a credit in the film.

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

    'Tommy Boy' director Peter Segal.
    ‘Tommy Boy’ director Peter Segal.

    Moviefone: To begin with, from your unique perspective can you talk about how this project came together and you were hired to direct?

    Peter Segal: I had worked with Farley a couple times before this movie, once on an HBO special and then on a sitcom called ‘The Jackie Thomas Show’. At that point I had not done ‘Naked Gun 33+1/3’ yet. But I knew that if I had an opportunity to ever do a movie that I absolutely wanted to work with Farley in a starring role. So, about a year after ‘The Jackie Thomas Show’, the script from the Bonnie and Terry Turner came to me, ‘Billy the Third: a Midwestern’. It was a first draft and I had a lot of ideas. I actually wanted to take the story, if I did it, in a different direction, adding a little bit more of a relationship with Tommy’s father and himself, in addition to Richard and Tommy working together to save the factory. By doing that I was unraveling the very thing that was greenlit. It put us in a precarious place because suddenly we had no script and we were heading towards the ‘SNL’ season, which meant we were going to be splitting time. That was the good and the bad news. The bad news, it was hard for Dave and Chris to go back and forth from Toronto to New York. But it allowed me a couple of extra days a week to work on the script with Fred Wolf as we were filming. So that’s how we survived.

    (L to R) Chris Farley and David Spade in 'Tommy Boy'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Chris Farley and David Spade in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    MF: Famously, the “Fat guy in a little coat” and “Housekeeping” scenes were improvised on set and were bits that Farley and Spade would do off screen. Can you talk about those scenes and how much of the film was improvised?

    PS: Well, once, like I said, we changed direction on the script and started with not much we were desperate for any bits or stories about what they did together at ‘SNL’. “Fat Guy in a Little Coat” was definitely one of those things. But it was spoken, not sung. That was Chris’s thing at ‘SNL’. Well, both Chris and Dave were a little bored of the moviemaking process of multiple takes, multiple angles, they’re used to one take with live cameras. So, when we were shooting “Fat Guy in a Little Coat” from the office scene, I shot Chris and then I turned the camera around on Dave. I wasn’t paying attention to Chris but he was getting so bored that he started to improv and sing just to try to get Dave to break and laugh. I wasn’t really paying attention, I was just focusing on Dave, until my editor that night after dailies said, “Oh my God, you’ve got to go back and reshoot him this time singing.” That’s the type of thing. There were so many little things like that that I would just jot down. One example was Dave looked at Chris coming out of a wardrobe test, and Chris was wearing the now iconic brown tweed jacket, and he said, “Hey, Dave, does this suit make me look fat?” Dave said, “No, your face does.” I went “Okay, that’s going in.”

    (L to R) David Spade, Chris Farley, producer Lorne Michaels and Bo Derek on the set of 'Tommy Boy'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) David Spade, Chris Farley, producer Lorne Michaels and Bo Derek on the set of ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    MF: ‘Tommy Boy’ is very much a chemistry movie. Can you talk about Farley and Spade’s relationship and onscreen chemistry, and how you were able to capture that with this film?

    PS: What I have heard is that Spade and Farley were goofing off during a writing session at SNL and Lorne (Michaels) said, “We’ve got to do something with you two, so Turner’s see if you can come up with something,” and they did because he saw the chemistry between them. You can’t teach chemistry it sort of is what it is, you have it or you don’t. Dave and Chris were best of friends but they were also an old married couple. They’d get into fights, and then kiss and make up and everything was fine, and then fight again. It was just sort of like watching two young boys. I mean, we were all young at the time. It was a little juvenile. But it was also where the inspiration and the fun came from because they loved to pick on one another. Dave could say stuff to Chris that I would never have imagined anyone saying like the thing about the coat but it would make Chris laugh, and that stuff was just priceless.

    David Spade in 'Tommy Boy'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    David Spade in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    MF: Can you talk about how important David Spade’s role as the “straight man” is to the film and his ability to work off of Farley?

    PS: Well, he’s really sort of the engine of a lot of the improv. I would not say that a lot of improvisation happened while the cameras are rolling but the improv happened off camera where they would just interact. If Dave served up the beginning of a joke, Chris would knock it out of the park and they loved that. It’s like watching in basketball someone make a great assist. Dave was an assist leader. That helped with the writing process. His idea for the Carpenter‘s song (“Superstar”) and many other things. Like I said, we were just so desperate for anything that when these guys, as much as they were exhausted, would come up with ideas, we’d try to find a way to put it in the movie.

    (L to R) Chris Farley and Brian Dennehy in 'Tommy Boy'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Chris Farley and Brian Dennehy in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    MF: In addition to being a comedic genius, Chris Farley was also a strong dramatic actor, and you can see that in the scene where he says goodbye to his late father on the boat. Can you talk about Farley’s legacy and were you aware of how talented he was when you were making the movie?

    PS: Well, I sort of discovered that. Even though I’d worked with him a couple of times before, those were definitely comedies. This story I knew was going to touch on something that was very important to him and that was his relationship with his father in real life. The fact that we knew that the character of Big Tom was going to die, I knew that there was an opportunity here to show a different side of Chris Farley because there are going to be more serious moments, it wasn’t just about the jokes. It was delightful to see how good he was at that. That’s what makes me, and still does to this day, so very sad that he didn’t get to really explore that part of his personality. The original writers for ‘Shrek’ actually told me that they patterned the characters of Donkey and Ogre after Spade and Farley in ‘Tommy Boy”. Then Chris, of course, was hired to play the Ogre but didn’t complete it before he passed.

    (L to R) Chris Farley and Rob Lowe in 'Tommy Boy'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Chris Farley and Rob Lowe in ‘Tommy Boy’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    MF: Finally, why did Rob Lowe take no credit in the film?

    PS: It’s a little bit of a mystery to this day. I think possibly because he thought the movie might’ve sucked and wanted to protect himself. I mean, that’s sort of just a joke. I really don’t know. I’ve never really asked him but it seems to be on a lot of people’s minds.

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    What is the plot of ‘Tommy Boy’?

    To save the family business, two ne’er-do-well traveling salesmen (Chris Farley and David Spade) hit the road with disastrously funny consequences.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Tommy Boy’?

    • Chris Farley as Thomas R. “Tommy” Callahan III
    • David Spade as Richard Hayden
    • Bo Derek as Beverly Burns-Barrish
    • Julie Warner as Michelle Brock
    • Dan Aykroyd as Ray Zalinsky
    • Brian Dennehy as Thomas “Big Tom” Callahan Jr.
    • Rob Lowe as Paul Barrish
    'Tommy Boy' will be available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD in a 4K/Blu-ray Combo or in a Limited-Edition SteelBook on March 25th.
    ‘Tommy Boy’ will be available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD in a 4K/Blu-ray Combo or in a Limited-Edition SteelBook on March 25th.

    List of Peter Segal Movies:

    Buy ‘Tommy Boy’ on Amazon

     

  • Conan O’Brien Returning to Host the Oscars

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Host Conan O’Brien will return for next year’s Oscars ceremony.
    • O’Brien has experience with shows such as the Emmys, ‘The Simpsons’ and his own late night output.
    • The 2026 ceremony will be held on March 15th next year.

    Well, that didn’t take long.

    Clearly looking to avoid the protracted search and endless speculation about who would host the 2025 Oscars, the heads of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have moved quickly to confirm that this year’s host, comedian and talk show veteran Conan O’Brien, has already been confirmed to return for 2026.

    Yes, forget making any guesses as to whether Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman or any number of other big names (longtime Oscar host Billy Crystal accepting a giant payday to come back for one more ceremony?), this time the Academy wanted to make it clear: Conan is the man. Again.

    It follows the well-received ceremony of earlier this month, which saw ‘Anora’ score five Oscars (including a record four in one night for one person on one movie for writer/director/producer/editor Sean Baker) and a running time that, while it was overlong, still managed to be entertaining.

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    You can find our recap here.

    A lot of that credit goes to O’Brien, the writing team assembled to work with him and the producing side of things, so it’s perhaps not surprising that Emmy-winning producing team Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan are also returning to lead the show for the third consecutive year.

    And on a pure ratings level it was also a success, as the ceremony, held on March 2nd, delivered the highest viewership numbers in five years. The broadcast drew 19.69 million viewers and had a dominant presence on social media, racking up 104.2 million interactions, surpassing both the Grammys and the Super Bowl in online engagement.

    Related Article: Oscars 2025: ‘Anora’ Wins and Conan Works in Solid Academy Ceremony

    Conan O’Brien: The Basics

    Conan O’Brien in 'Conan. Photo: TBS.
    Conan O’Brien in ‘Conan. Photo: TBS.

    If this year’s Oscars wasn’t enough of an introduction to wider audiences as to O’Brien’s style, here’s a quick briefing…

    Conan began his late-night hosting career in 1993, taking over for David Letterman on NBC’s ‘Late Night.’ After an ill-fated, year-long tenure at ‘The Tonight Show’ after replacing Jay Leno in 2009, O’Brien later moved to TBS for ‘Conan,’ which he hosted from 2011 to 2021.

    In recent years, he transitioned from anchoring a late night talk show to hosting a hit podcast, ‘Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,’ and presiding over a podcasting empire under the banner of Team Coco.

    A former writer on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘The Simpsons,’ he has garnered 31 Emmy nominations, five of which resulted in wins.

    In terms of awards shows, O’Brien has also hosted the Emmy Awards a couple of times, and also served as emcee of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 1995 and 2013. He was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2010, and is the 2025 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

    Conan O’Brien as Oscars host: Conan, the Academy and the TV Bosses Speak

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    O’Brien was typically quippy about his return engagement:

    “The only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech.”

    It’s a reference to ‘The Brutalist’ Best Actor winner Adrien Brody, whose speech, which ran to around five minutes and 40 seconds, has ranked as the longest in Academy history.

    Kramer and Yang were more straightforward in their own press release:

    “We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars! This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way. Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again.”

    Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich had this to say:

    “Conan’s unique comedic style perfectly captured the moment, and I’m excited to have his talents back onstage next year to helm another indelible performance.”

    Finally, this was the comment from Oscars executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan:

    “We are both so honored to be returning in our roles for the 98th Oscars. We can’t wait to work with Conan and his entire team as we continue to explore even more special and heartfelt opportunities to celebrate next year’s nominees and the impact of film around the world.”

    When will the 98th Oscars be on TV?

    The 98th Academy Awards, held once again at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, are set to air live on ABC on March 15th next year, starting at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy; Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy; Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    List of Conan O’Brien Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Conan O’Brien Movies On Amazon

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  • Every ‘Saturday Night Live’ Movie Ranked

    'Saturday Night Live' celebrates its 50th anniversary. Photo: NBCUniversal.
    ‘Saturday Night Live’ celebrates its 50th anniversary. Photo: NBCUniversal.

    The groundbreaking variety series ‘Saturday Night Live‘ recently celebrated 50 years on the air.

    The iconic TV series has launched the careers of countless movie and TV stars over the years including Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kristin Wiig, and Kate McKinnon.

    The series has also spawned several popular movies based on sketches and characters from the show including ‘The Blues Brothers‘, ‘Wayne’s World‘ and ‘MacGruber‘.

    In honor of ‘SNL’s 50th anniversary season, Moviefone is counting down and ranking every ‘Saturday Night Live’ movie ever made.

    For this list, we are only including movies based on sketches or characters that originated on ‘SNL’, so we will not be including ‘Tommy Boy‘, ‘Black Sheep‘, or any of Adam Sandler’s early films. We will also not be including director Jason Reitman‘s recent biopic ‘Saturday Night‘.

    Let’s begin!

    11. ‘It’s Pat‘ (1994)

    Julia Sweeney in 'It's Pat'. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.
    Julia Sweeney in ‘It’s Pat’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

    Pat Riley (Julia Sweeney), an obnoxious busybody of indeterminable sex, meets and falls in love with Chris, a sensitive, caring person also of indeterminable sex. Their relationship suffers because Pat’s a lout, and cannot decide on a direction for their life. Meanwhile, Pat’s neighbor Kyle falls further and further into obsession with Pat, fascinated by their indeterminate sexuality.

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    10. ‘Stuart Saves His Family‘ (1995)

    Al Franken in 'Stuart Saves His Family'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Al Franken in ‘Stuart Saves His Family’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    A self-help advocate (Al Franken) struggles to put his dysfunctional family in its place.

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    9. ‘Blues Brothers 2000‘ (1998)

    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman in 'Blues Brothers 2000'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman in ‘Blues Brothers 2000’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Finally released from prison, Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) is once again enlisted by Sister Mary Stigmata in her latest crusade to raise funds for a children’s hospital. Hitting the road to re-unite the band and win the big prize at the New Orleans Battle of the Bands, Elwood is pursued cross-country by the cops.

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    8. ‘The Ladies Man‘ (2000)

    Tim Meadows in 'The Ladies Man'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Tim Meadows in ‘The Ladies Man’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Because of his salacious language, late-night radio advice-show host Leon Phelps (Tim Meadows), along with his sweet and loyal producer Julie (Karyn Parsons), is fired from his Chicago gig. Leon gets a letter from a former lover promising a life of wealth, but he doesn’t know who she is. Can Leon find his secret sugar-mama? What about Julie?

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    7. ‘A Night at the Roxbury‘ (1998)

    (L to R) Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell in 'A Night at the Roxbury'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell in ‘A Night at the Roxbury’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Despite being well into adulthood, brothers Doug (Chris Kattan) and Steve Butabi (Will Ferrell) still live at home and work in the flower shop owned by their dad. They exist only to hit on women at discos, though they’re routinely unsuccessful until a chance run-in with Richard Grieco gets them inside the swank Roxbury club. Mistaken for high rollers, they meet their dream women, Vivica (Gigi Rice) and Cambi (Elisa Donovan), and resolve to open a club of their own.

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    6. ‘Superstar‘ (1999)

    Molly Shannon in 'Superstar'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Molly Shannon in ‘Superstar’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Orphan Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon), an ugly duckling at St. Monica High School, has a dream: to be kissed soulfully. She decides she can realize this dream if she becomes a superstar, so her prayers, her fantasies and her conversations with her only friend focus on achieving super-stardom.

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    5. ‘Coneheads‘ (1993)

    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin in 'Coneheads'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin in ‘Coneheads’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    A pair of aliens arrive on Earth to prepare for invasion, but crash instead. With enormous cone-shaped heads, robotlike walks and an appetite for toilet paper, aliens Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Prymatt (Jane Curtain) don’t exactly blend in with the population of Paramus, N.J. But for some reason, everyone believes them when they say they’re from France.

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    4. ‘Wayne’s World 2‘ (1993)

    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in 'Wayne's World 2'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in ‘Wayne’s World 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    A message from Jim Morrison in a dream prompts cable access TV stars Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) to put on a rock concert, “Waynestock,” with Aerosmith as headliners. But amid the preparations, Wayne frets that a record producer (Christopher Walken) is putting the moves on his girlfriend, Cassandra (Tia Carrere), while Garth handles the advances of mega-babe Honey Hornee (Kim Basinger).

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    3. ‘MacGruber‘ (2021)

    Will Forte in 'MacGruber'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Will Forte in ‘MacGruber’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    After rotting in prison for over a decade, America’s ultimate hero and uber patriot MacGruber (Will Forte) is finally released. His mission: to take down a mysterious villain from his past—Brigadier Commander Enos Queeth (Billy Zane). With the entire world in the crosshairs, MacGruber must reassemble his old team in order to defeat the forces of evil.

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    2. ‘Wayne’s World‘ (1992)

    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in 'Wayne's World'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in ‘Wayne’s World’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    The adventures of two amiably aimless metal-head friends, Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey). From Wayne’s basement, the pair broadcast a talk-show called “Wayne’s World” on local public access television. The show comes to the attention of a sleazy network executive who wants to produce a big-budget version of “Wayne’s World”—and he also wants Wayne’s girlfriend, a rock singer named Cassandra (Tia Carrere). Wayne and Garth have to battle the executive not only to save their show, but also Cassandra.

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    1. ‘The Blues Brothers‘ (1980)

    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in 'The Blues Brothers'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in ‘The Blues Brothers’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Jake Blues (John Belushi), just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) were raised.

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  • ‘Ex-Husbands’ Exclusive Interview: Griffin Dunne

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    Opening in New York theaters on February 20th before expanding to additional markets is the new dramatic comedy ‘Ex-Husbands’, which was written and directed by Noah Pritzker.

    The film stars Griffin Dunne (‘After Hours’ and ‘Dallas Buyers Club‘), Rosanna Arquette (‘Pulp Fiction’), Richard Benjamin (‘Westworld’), Miles Heizer (‘Love, Simon’), and James Norton (‘Bob Marley: One Love’).

    Related Article: Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman Ready to Return for ‘Practical Magic’ Sequel

    Griffin Dunne in Greenwich Entertainment's 'Ex-Husbands'. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
    Griffin Dunne in Greenwich Entertainment’s ‘Ex-Husbands’. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor and director Griffin Dunne about his work on ‘Ex-Husbands’, his first reaction to the screenplay, why his character crashes his son’s bachelor party, working with legendary actor and director Richard Benjamin, how Benjamin almost cast him in ‘My Favorite Year’, reuniting on screen with his friend Rosanna Arquette, the legacy of their classic movie ‘After Hours’, hosting ‘Saturday Night Live‘ in the 80s, and the status of ‘Practical Magic 2’ and why he’s not returning to direct the sequel.

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

    Griffin Dunne in Greenwich Entertainment's 'Ex-Husbands'. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
    Griffin Dunne in Greenwich Entertainment’s ‘Ex-Husbands’. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to Noah Pritzker’s screenplay and your initial approach to playing this character?

    Griffin Dunne: Well, my first reaction was, “I can’t believe there’s a script out there for a guy my age to carry a whole movie.” That it speaks to the things I like doing, my talents of being funny, sad, tragic, and comic. The circumstance was funny, but also, it’s got a kind of great setup of a divorced father who crashes his son’s bachelor party, but then it becomes so much more complex and touching. I thought, “Well, this is really rare for a movie being made about this circumstance and how fortunate to get a part like this.”

    Griffin Dunne in Greenwich Entertainment's 'Ex-Husbands'. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
    Griffin Dunne in Greenwich Entertainment’s ‘Ex-Husbands’. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.

    MF: As a director yourself, what are you looking for from another director when you are acting on set and what was it like collaborating with Noah on this film?

    GD: I guess just support, someone who’s secure in what they’re doing and not insecure. The first sign of that is a director who’s telling you what to do or what they think before you even started working on the set and that gets in your head. But just (someone who) lets you kind of play and believes in you and doesn’t have buyer’s remorse when you’re showing up to work. They just want to see what you’re going to do and hopefully like it and add to it and make it better and just have an open dialogue. But mainly I just like a director who is secure and wants to be where they are and feels good about the choices they’ve made, always, from day one. We knew each other. Noah came to me with this script at least a year or so before we went because we were going to go ahead and then COVID put us back. During all that time, we really got to know each other during all that downtime. So, there were no sort of surprises, and I didn’t find out that he had a vicious, awful temper that I never knew. I knew him, he was funny, and he remains a great friend of mine.

    James Norton in Greenwich Entertainment's 'Ex-Husbands'. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
    James Norton in Greenwich Entertainment’s ‘Ex-Husbands’. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.

    MF: Can you talk about Peter’s relationship with his sons and why he decides to crash their bachelor party?

    GD: Yeah, that was the endless question that we talked about on set all the time. I think he does know (that he was not invited), and he was told, but he’s at an age, and I remember I had seen it in my own father, where you convince yourself, you didn’t know. You hear what you want to hear. I have a daughter who’s an adult, and we’ll argue about something, and she will say, “What? I told you this. I mean, how can you not remember this? I told you.” I’ll say, “No, I don’t think you did. I’m telling you, you didn’t.” Then about two weeks later, I’ll remember we were in a restaurant, and we had an entire discussion about it, whatever the thing was, it was important to me, and I just blocked it. We’re messed up, complex people.

    (L to R) Griffin Dunne, James Norton and Miles Heizer in Greenwich Entertainment's 'Ex-Husbands'. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
    (L to R) Griffin Dunne, James Norton and Miles Heizer in Greenwich Entertainment’s ‘Ex-Husbands’. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.

    MF: What was it like working with Miles Heizer and James Norton to create those father and son relationships?

    GD: It was so easy. We just sort of fell into it. I was not aware of Miles’s work. I knew he was in the Netflix series (’13 Reasons Why’). I knew he was a big deal because we’d be in Mexico City, and girls would just squeal like I was with Justin Timberlake or something. But the one I really did know that I was a big fan of, that was James Norton, who I had never met until we worked together. But his work had blown me away in so many things, in English series and movies. He has a huge breadth of work. Of course, no one knew who James, or I were in Mexico City. I go, “Wait, yes. Miles is great, but do you know who this guy is?” They had no idea. Anyway, we had an easy chemistry on camera and hung out a lot off camera. We even vacationed when we had a break from shooting, so we could move locations in Mexico. We all took a trip and went to an island off somewhere in the Pacific and vacationed together. It was like family. We each gave each other COVID too which really brings people together. Now we’re really family.

    (L to R) Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Richard Benjamin and Marcia Jean Kurtz in Greenwich Entertainment's 'Ex-Husbands'. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
    (L to R) Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Richard Benjamin and Marcia Jean Kurtz in Greenwich Entertainment’s ‘Ex-Husbands’. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.

    MF: Can you talk about Peter’s relationship with his own father and your experience working with legendary actor and director Richard Benjamin on that dynamic? Did your own life experience with your father help inform those scenes for you?

    GD: Well, first there were so many parallels to my life and who I played having lost my father and mother, who I was very close with, and having been married and divorced and a father of an adult child, so I had a lot of personal things to draw from. I also have been a lover of movies from the earliest of age and grew up on Richard Benjamin. He was one of those actors, he and Dustin Hoffman, when I saw as a kid, were I go, “Hey, they’re kind of weird looking, and they’re really funny. I think I can do that. I think I can be one of those guys.” It was one of my earliest, “I want to be an actor feeling” was seeing Richard Benjamin. I think he was in ‘Goodbye, Columbus’ and both movies, ‘The Graduate’ and ‘Goodbye, Columbus’, I was too young to even be allowed in the theater but got in anyway. So, working with Richard was really like an honor. He was so patient with me because I just had so many things to talk to him about, so many questions and wanting to go over different things from his different movies, not only as an actor but as a director as well. I reminded him of maybe a delusion I’ve had for many years that it came down to me and Mark Linn-Baker to be the kid in ‘My Favorite Year’. I don’t know where I got that idea. I did audition for Richard, and I wanted that part so badly. I think every actor remembers the one they didn’t get. This is the one that’s haunted me for decades. So, when I meet Richard, one of the earliest things I said was, “You almost cast me in ‘My Favorite Year’.” He had absolutely no recollection of me. But it just shows you the things that we carry around that we believe at the time are part of my DNA. I know Mark was lovely but you always remember the one that got away.

    (L to R) Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette and Adam Heller in Greenwich Entertainment's 'Ex-Husbands'. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
    (L to R) Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette and Adam Heller in Greenwich Entertainment’s ‘Ex-Husbands’. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.

    MF: Your ‘After Hours’ co-star Rosanna Arquette plays your ex-wife in the film. What was it like reuniting with her after all these years, and did your past experiences working together help you both slip into these characters and their relationship rather effortlessly?

    GD: Yeah, it was an interesting experience in mortality and a life experience because Rosanna and I first worked together, we met in Poland in 1980, which led to me casting her, with director John Sayles, in ‘Baby It’s You’, which she starred in and so many things since then. So, we’ve always stayed friends, but imagine how much aging takes place from 1980 to us working together as a couple with grown children. So, it really was like we spent a lifetime together as soon as we were working. Our backstory was already written.

    (L to R) Griffin Dunne and Martin Scorsese on the set of 'After Hours'. Photo: Warner Bros.
    (L to R) Griffin Dunne and Martin Scorsese on the set of ‘After Hours’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    MF: Speaking of ‘After Hours’, the film has had an incredible renaissance in recent years inspiring an album by The Weeknd and an episode of ‘Ted Lasso’. What are your memories of making that movie with Martin Scorsese and are you surprised by the legacy of the film?

    GD: Yes, I guess I am. What surprises me, when it came out, I think it invented a genre of humor, which is anxiety humor. I don’t think there were movies, and people have done them since, ‘After Hours’ has become almost an adjective for a kind of genre. But at the time, in the States it was not hugely received. I remember (film critic) Pauline Kael kind of dismissed it, called me a second-rate Dudley Moore, by the way, but it was not a big box office extravaganza. It was also very much outside of the box of what people expected a Martin Scorsese film to do. So, there was a cultural adjustment and you had to let things settle. I didn’t know at what point it happened, but it was after VHSs and once HBO was pretty much well established, it started to really pick up steam. By the time it really did, the film was filled with anachronisms like there are no cell phones, and its subway fares, and Soho being a wasteland of an empty neighborhood, which by the time the popularity picked up, it was basically a mall shopping district. So, the world had changed so much, but the kind of sensibility of life going sideways, that sort of (Franz) Kafka meets ‘Alice in Wonderland’ sensibility never changed. I think people really embraced it and saw how exciting and how unique it was that Scorsese made a movie at this point about that, and that he was funny. Who thought he was funny? He made a movie called ‘The King of Comedy’, which didn’t do very well, which now is also embraced as brilliant, as it is. So, I find that that happens quite a lot to tell you the truth. That’s why we have the Criterion Channel. They remind us how great the movie was that we didn’t quite get at the time. But look, it was right there, and it’s still here, and you can go back and look at it anytime you want.

    'Saturday Night Live' celebrates its 50th anniversary. Photo: NBCUniversal.
    ‘Saturday Night Live’ celebrates its 50th anniversary. Photo: NBCUniversal.

    MF: ‘Saturday Night Live’ recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and you hosted the show back in the 80s. What are your memories of that experience?

    GD: Yeah, it was a season, the first season that Lorne (Michaels) came back after being away. I was a huge fan of the show, of course, like anyone from the very beginning, and I remember how nervous I was. I remember how terrible the dress rehearsal went, and I remember my friend, Mitch, who was with me, came to my dressing room with a look of like, “Are you really going to go out there again?” I thought, “Well, this is never going to work. I’ve never seen such a catastrophe.” Once 11:30 pm hit, and the moment I went out on stage, it just worked. Everything just flowed. Everything was where it was supposed to be. It was like a miracle, and that miracle happened every Saturday night at 11:30pm before and since. The dress rehearsal was hardly the first disastrous dress rehearsal. They were completely used to it, just the hosts weren’t. So, it was exhilarating, and it was the rushing and getting into different costumes and wigs and everything during a commercial break and being shoved back up on stage. It was a rush. The whole thing was a rush.

    MF: You appeared in the infamous sketch where cast member Damon Wayans went off script and was immediately fired by Lorne Michaels. What are your memories of that?

    GD: Yeah, he didn’t so much go off script, but I think it was, I was a Tony Montana kind of drug dealer, and it was an interrogation room with cops. So, he was doing a tough cop in the dress, and I think he just suddenly lisped during the show, which I don’t know where that came from, but I really didn’t, it didn’t register. I’m not on live TV going, “Well wait a minute, what’s he doing?” I’m just like, “I got my own problems.” So, I wasn’t aware of any of that, but I’ve read about it since, and apparently, he was dismissed as soon as he walked off the set, but I was the last one to know. I ended up reading about the incident years later.

    Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in 'Practical Magic'.
    (L to R) Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in ‘Practical Magic’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    MF: Finally, there has been a lot of talk in the trades recently about a possible sequel to ‘Practical Magic’, which you directed. Reports have said that ‘Bird Box’ filmmaker Susanne Bier will direct the sequel. Is that true? Are you still involved with that project as a producer, and why have you decided not to return as director?

    GD: Well, I think rightly so. I think we should see what a woman would bring to that magic. It was an extraordinary experience to be asked to direct a movie that was so driven with female characters as a man. At the time it was something I could anchor onto much more than the magic and spell books and everything, but it was family. Having had a very formidable grandmother and a mother and then sister, I grew up around strong, interesting women, and I understood the generational, but I think so much has happened in the world. It’s funny, I had a reputation at that time of being a woman’s director, like George Cukor or something. I think that there’s no such thing as a man being a woman’s director anymore, there’s a woman director. So anyway, there’s no director hired or anything yet, but I’m sure that they’re mainly focused on hiring a woman. I’m included as executive producer, but not involved in a day-to-day or any of that.

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    What is the plot of ‘Ex’Husbands’?

    Manhattan dentist Peter Pearce (Griffin Dunne) is facing a midlife crisis after his wife (Rosanna Arquette) of 35 years leaves him. On the spur of the moment, he books a trip to Tulum, Mexico, only to crash his son’s (James Norton) bachelor party.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Ex’Husbands’?

    (L to R) Griffin Dunne, James Norton and Miles Heizer in Greenwich Entertainment's 'Ex-Husbands'. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
    (L to R) Griffin Dunne, James Norton and Miles Heizer in Greenwich Entertainment’s ‘Ex-Husbands’. Credit: Wyatt Angelo, Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.

    Griffin Dunne Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Griffin Dunne Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Saturday Night’

    (L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in 'Saturday Night'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    Opening in theaters everywhere on October 11th is the biographical comedy ‘Saturday Night’, which chronicles the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere of ‘Saturday Night Live’.

    Directed by Jason Reitman (‘Juno’, ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’), the film stars Gabriel LaBelle (‘The Fabelmans’) as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman (‘Licorice Pizza’) as NBC executive Dick Ebersol, Rachel Sennott (‘Bottoms’) as writer Rosie Shuster, Cory Michael Smith (‘Gotham’) as Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien (‘American Assassin’) as Dan Aykroyd, Lamorne Morris (‘Jumanji: The Next Level’) as Garrett Morris, Ella Hunt (‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’) as Gilda Radner, Emily Fairn (‘Mary & George’) as Laraine Newman, Kim Matula (‘Fighting with My Family’) as Jane Curtin and Matt Wood as John Belushi.

    Related Article: Jason Reitman’s ‘SNL’ Movie is Titled ‘Saturday Night’ and will be Out in October

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin, and Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase in 'Saturday Night'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (L to R) Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin, and Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    ‘Saturday Night’, director Jason Reitman’s loving tribute to the 50-year television institution that Lorne Michaels’ created is fun, fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining. The film plays like a greatest-hits of all the behind-the-scenes stories and sketches from the first year of ‘SNL’, within the confines of the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere episode in 1975. While Reitman certainly took creative liberties with the facts, the film is exciting to watch and probably his best movie to date.

    Script and Direction

    Director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures' 'Saturday Night.'
    Director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Saturday Night.’

    Unfolding in real-time, ‘Saturday Night’ tells the story of the 90-minutes leading up to the premiere of the first episode in 1975 and literally ends after the first sketch and Chevy Chase says, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night’.

    The movie begins by introducing us to a frantic Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), who is dealing with a handful of problems including nervous NBC executives, a missing John Belushi (Matt Wood), over 3-hours of sketches to cut down into 90 minutes and the fact that he still doesn’t know what the show is going to be. Pressuring Michaels to cancel the live-broadcast and air a tape instead is NBC executives Dick Eborsol (Cooper Hoffman) and David Tebet (Willem Dafoe), who has ulterior motives for hiring Michaels in the first place.

    We soon meet cast members including Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), who already thinks he is a superstar. We also meet Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), who as the oldest member of the cast and mostly a dramatic actor and playwright, has no idea why he is there. In addition to meeting the rest of the cast, we also see a young Billy Crystal (Nicholas Podany) who was promised a spot on the show, and a confused Andy Kaufman (Nicholas Braun) arriving for his appearance. Finally, we meet writer and Michaels’ wife, Rosie Schuster (Rachel Sennott), who is trying to calm the cast down and decide if she wants to be credited with her married name.

    (L to R) Cinematographer Eric Steelberg and Director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures' 'Saturday Night'.
    (L to R) Cinematographer Eric Steelberg and Director Jason Reitman on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Saturday Night’.

    Reitman clearly has a lot of love for ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the original cast, I would imagine partly because his father, the late director Ivan Reitman (‘Ghostbusters’) had worked with most of them in Toronto before they were cast on the show, which makes Jason the perfect person to tell this specific story. Rather than doing the usual biopic that follows the creation and casting of the series, and maybe even chronicle the entire 50-year history, Reitman wisely focused on the hour and a half before the first broadcast. The movie fits in all the legendary stories that fans have heard over the years, while also finding time for glimpses of most of the sketches that would end up featuring in that episode and later in the first season.

    While Reitman takes some liberties with the facts, the film is none the less fascinating to watch. However, there was more time spent with certain characters like Garrett Morris and Billy Crystal than needed, and I thought it took away from exploring the main cast. In fact, except for Morris, most of the original cast members don’t have as much screen time as you would expect, especially Belushi, although I think they were trying to use the character sparingly like Spielberg did with the shark in ‘Jaws’. However, it still kind of works because we as an audience have so much nostalgia for the show and already basically know who Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and the rest are. But I wonder how well this movie would have worked if it was an original story and we had no history with these characters or this show.

    Performances

    Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris in 'Saturday Night'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    The actors playing the original ‘SNL’ cast are excellent, truly working as an ensemble as no one actor stands-out, but again, this is also one of the problems with the movie as we really are not given enough time with any of them to really get to know them. Lamorne Morris probably has the most screen time and brings vulnerability to the character of Garret Morris (no relation).

    While not in the movie nearly enough, Cory Michael Smith is excellent as an arrogant Chevy Chase. Kim Matula was very intriguing as Jane Curtain, but again didn’t have enough to do and the same can be said for Dylan O’Brian as Aykroyd, Emily Fain as Newman, Ella Hunt as Radner and Matt Wood as Belushi.

    The character we spend the most time with is of course Lorne Michaels, but we never really get the feeling that we know him. That’s not actor Gabriel LaBelle’s fault, and I would argue that he played the role perfectly. The problem is that the character of Lorne Michaels is aloof to begin with, and there is no way to truly understand his genius.

    (Left) Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman in 'Saturday Night'. Photo: Sony Pictures. (Right) Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson in 'Saturday Night'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (Left) Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures. (Right) Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    But the love story (if you can call it that) between Michaels and Rosie Shuster helps to give the audience a little insight into his character and their relationship. In fact, Rachel Sennott lights up the screen as Shuster and gives one of the brightest performances in the film. It’s also worth mentioning Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol and Willem Dafoe as David Tebet, respectively, as both actors give solid performances but, in the end, just act as the antagonists.

    Part of the fun of the movie is watching the cameos, including ‘Succession’ actor Nicholas Braun who is unrecognizable as both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson, who people forget was technically a member of the original cast. Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons also steals his one scene as legendary comedian Milton Berle who Chase catches successfully hitting on his girlfriend Jacqueline Carlin (Kaia Gerber). Other strong cameos include Paul Rust who is a dead ringer for Paul Schaffer, Taylor Gray as an amusing Al Franken, Jon Batiste as musical guest Billy Preston, and Matthew Rhys as an unpleasant George Carlin, who hosted the first episode.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), John Belushi (Matt Wood) and Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O'Brian) in 'Saturday Night'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (L to R) Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), John Belushi (Matt Wood) and Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brian) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    In the end, ‘Saturday Night’ is probably the best possible version of this movie that someone could make, and the best film of Jason Reitman’s career so far. I would think that the film will certainly be on the shortlist for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay at next year’s Oscars, but unfortunately, no one performance stands-out enough to be nominated. Whether you are a diehard fan of ‘Saturday Night Live’ or have never seen an episode (that’s hard to believe), you will enjoy this fun, funny and fast-paced film, which is a perfect tribute to the comedic television institution that is celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.

    ‘Saturday Night’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘Saturday Night’?

    The film is based on the true story of what happened in the 90 minutes prior to the October 11, 1975, debut of ‘Saturday Night Live’.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Saturday Night?’

    • Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels
    • Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster
    • Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase
    • Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner
    • Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd
    • Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman
    • Matt Wood as John Belushi
    • Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris
    • Kim Matula as Jane Curtin
    • Finn Wolfhard as an NBC page
    • Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson
    • Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol
    • Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin
    • Andrew Barth Feldman as Neil Levy
    • Tommy Dewey as Michael O’Donoghue
    • Willem Dafoe as David Tebet
    • Matthew Rhys as George Carlin
    • J. K. Simmons as Milton Berle
    • Jon Batiste as Billy Preston
    • Taylor Gray as Al Franken
    • Mcabe Gregg as Tom Davis
    • Nicholas Podany as Billy Crystal
    • Tracy Letts as Herb Sargent
    • Leander Suleiman as Anne Beatts
    • Paul Rust as Paul Shaffer
    (L to R) Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, and Matt Wood as John Belushi in 'Saturday Night'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (L to R) Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, and Matt Wood as John Belushi in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    Movies Based On ‘Saturday Night Live’ Sketches:

    Buy ‘SNL’ Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘Will & Harper’ Press Conference with Stars and Director

    (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    In the new Netflix documentary ‘Will & Harper,’ which premieres September 27th, director Josh Greenbaum chronicles a cross-country road trip by actor/comedian Will Ferrell and writer Harper Steele, who embark on their journey after Harper comes out to Will as a trans woman.

    Longtime friends and collaborators ever since meeting on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Will and Harper address their own friendship, Will’s questions about Harper’s transition, and the chances of both acceptance and intolerance along the way, especially as they venture into areas of the country where Harper may be the target of hate and misunderstanding.

    Related Article: Director Josh Greenbaum Talks ‘Strays’ Starring Will Ferrell

    While some situations sadly meet those latter expectations, others show that people can find love and acceptance in surprising places and that Americans are much more complex than often portrayed. Deeply moving, warm, and of course hilarious (this is Will Ferrell, after all), ‘Will & Harper’ offers hope that we can all find common ground.

    Moviefone was at a virtual press conference not long ago where Will, Harper, and Josh discussed the film, their experiences making it – and why Will threw a tantrum over Dunkin Donuts.

    1) It’s All About Who You Know

    (L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    Before directing ‘Will & Harper,’ Josh Greenbaum directed documentaries like ‘Becoming Bond‘ and ‘The Short Game,’ as well as a number of TV projects and the narrative feature films ‘Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar‘ and ‘Strays,’ which is how he came into the orbit of Ferrell and Steele.

    Josh Greenbaum: I actually knew them prior to making this doc, which is the first time I’ve ever made a documentary where I knew my subjects beforehand. I’ve known Will for about eight or so years. He produced my first movie, called ‘Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.’ He starred in my next movie, called ‘Strays,’ and we’ve been friends for a while. I’ve known Harper for about three or four years. I was introduced to her through Kristen Wiig while I was making ‘Barb and Star.’ Then I was brought into the mix of this incredible story and this incredible film through our producers, Jessica Elbaum and Rafael Marmor.

    2) You’ve Got Mail

    (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    As ‘Will & Harper’ begins, Will Ferrell gets an email from Harper — an email that Harper sent to all her friends — in which she reveals that she has transitioned.

    Harper Steele: That’s a tough email to press ‘send’ on. You build up a lot of fear, unnecessarily in my case, which is a privilege that I had. I had friends that responded the right way. But I was very afraid to send that. I’m also a writer. I’m a comedy writer, and I’m arrogant enough to think that I’m always right. But that letter was a different kind of writing. I rewrote it probably a hundred times, you know, over a long period of time, 10 years. That was a very difficult letter to put out in the world.

    3) Will Ferrell’s Big Idea

    (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    Before her transition, Harper Steele loved taking road trips across the country, stopping in funky, out-of-the-way places and meeting new people, but she found herself wondering if she could safely do that again as a trans woman.

    Will Ferrell: If you know Harper Steele, you know that one of her great loves is taking cross-country road trips. We started talking about that, and a thought just popped into my head. I made sure she knew I wasn’t trying to exploit our friendship in any way, even though I was trying to get into the lucrative documentary game, but I just said, “I have this crazy idea. Please say no. I expect you to say no. But what if we did a road trip and I was able to use it as a way to ask you all these questions I have, even though we’ve known each other for so long. I now have all these questions of what your transition is like and what it means to be trans, and I want to be able to educate myself in the right way. At the same time, we can go to these places and I’ll kind of be your buffer. We’ll go and talk to people, and we’ll film it, and maybe someone will pay for us to take a fun road trip.” And she eventually said yes.

    4) The Key to Will and Harper’s Friendship

    (L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    Harper Steele says that there is one thing that has kept her and Will Ferrell’s friendship strong for years.

    Harper Steele: Comedy, probably, is what we center our life around. We circulate and spin around each other with jokes all day long. I would say that’s sort of the basis of our friendship. It’s been that way since the day we met because we come from a humor background. I think we wanted to show that life and friendship are messy, but as long as you can keep it funny, you can basically encounter and talk about any subject. As long as you’re kind to each other and making each other laugh, that’s kind of our relationship and I think that is what we wanted to get across.

    5) How To Support Trans Kids

    Harper Steele in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    Harper Steele in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    Harper Steele was asked what advice she would give to parents about supporting their trans children.

    Harper Steele: Well, personally, I would tell them to vote for the kinds of people that are going to support them. We’re not naming any names today, but I do think we need to keep in mind that politics does have a certain amount of control over the laws and the help that we get as trans people. I would say to any parent, you’re very lucky and you’re very fortunate to have trans children. So get out of their way. Let them be themselves, and they’ll be taking over the world soon enough. Let them be themselves.

    6) Kristen Wiig Wrote A Song For The Film

    (L to R) Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell at the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell at the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Although they ask Kristen Wiig in the movie to compose a theme song for their trip, Will and Harper never actually heard the tune until Josh surprised them with it.

    Will Ferrell: We thought it would be a funny running joke even if Kristen never got around to making the song. We were not even sure she was going to do it, and lo and behold, boy, did she ever. We had a final screening amongst ourselves where Josh said, “Can you guys come watch the movie again? I just made some small tweaks,” and he surprised us with her song at the end credits. It was another special moment of joy for us.

    7) Will Ferrell’s Biggest Fear

    (L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    Although Will, Josh and Harper were all concerned about what kinds of reactions they’d encounter along the course of the trip, Will was also worried about what was going to happen in the car.

    Will Ferrell: We were probably fearful about, could we fill the time every day? Could we talk to each other for six to eight hours a day in a car? And we passed with flying colors. We wouldn’t shut up. Also, I just thought, “Boy, this is going to get emotional at times. I don’t know where or when or how, but I just had this feeling that as I hear about what my friend went through and the struggles and the courage it took to get to this place, I just know this is going to get emotional.” I was kind of afraid of that. But then you go through it, and in the end, you’re so happy that you did.

    8) A famous actor and a trans woman walk into a bar…

    (L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Harper Steele and Will Ferrell in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    At one point Will and Harper stopped in a bar that on the surface seemed like it would be a dangerous place for Harper. But much to Josh Greenbaum’s surprise, they were welcomed and treated kindly.

    Josh Greenbaum: Harper had picked out this bar in the middle of Oklahoma that was the kind of bar that she used to love to go to, and I had to go in beforehand just to sort of say to my camera team, like, “Why don’t you guys hide over here. Put your cameras here.” When I walked in there, I was taken aback. There were Confederate flags. There were political signs that just did not indicate this was going to be a positive experience for Harper, especially because she wanted to go in on her own. As you see in the film, I think those prejudices and biases that I had were sort of subverted and not met, in a good way. So a lot of times, we found that adage of “it’s hard to hate up close” to be true.

    9) What Will Ferrell Learned On The Journey

    'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    Will Ferrell didn’t know what to expect from America when he and Harper embarked on their trip.

    Will Ferrell: I think what we learned is it’s such a big country, and what I mean by that is that within this country, people want to engage. There’s a lot of stuff played up in the media in which we’re made to think we have all these differences when really, there’s a lot more we have in common with each other than we don’t. That having been said, it’s still not safe for trans people in certain areas and in certain situations. There still is a lot of hate out there that I was really educated on by going through this journey with Harper. So there’s definitely a lot to still push through. At the same time, we ran into some lovely people who were not threatened in any way by Harper, and if anything, were fantastic. They were just super happy that we actually went out of our way to visit their community, and I think overall, that’s our hope that that’s what America is.

    10) Why did Will Ferrell throw a tantrum about Dunkin’ Donuts?

    Will Ferrell in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    Will Ferrell in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    In one of the funniest scenes in the movie, Will and Harper drive past a Dunkin’ Donuts and Will throws a fit when Harper says they can’t stop there.

    Will Ferrell: What’s so funny is that I’ve probably been in a Dunkin’ Donuts three times in my whole life. But we were just driving along and I spotted that sign from a distance, and something hit me where I was like, oh, I’m going to throw a tantrum right now. I’m just going to throw a tantrum and talk about how on this trip we haven’t done one fun thing and I just want to go to the Dunkin’ Donuts. I knew that would make her laugh. But that’s all we do. We are always thinking of the next thing that will make each other laugh.

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    What is the story of ‘Will & Harper’?

    When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend (Harper Steele) of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship, transition, and America.

    Who is in ‘Will & Harper’?

    • Will Ferrell
    • Harper Steele
    (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in 'Will & Harper'. Photo: Netflix.
    (L to R) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in ‘Will & Harper’. Photo: Netflix.

    List of Will Ferrell Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Will Ferrell Movies on Amazon

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