Warner Bros. Online Interviews Robin Williams and Billy Crystal
WB Online How long have you wanted to make a movie together? When did you first think about it?
Robin When I was born, I realized that Billy was out there. (Laughter). I remember my mother saying -- one day, you'll meet a funny Jewish man and there are many. But you will know him from the way he will work.
Billy First of all, there are only six funny Jewish men, counting Freddy Roman.
Robin Right, but with you it's the magnificent seven, or maybe six and a half.
Billy Actually, it's been a long time coming. Since Comic Relief, when we stated to work together a lot on stage. I guess it's been about ten years.
Robin We had one script about two cops who were trying to form their own religion. But no one ever wrote it.
Billy Yeah, there were some small attempts.
WB Online Well, how did it finally come together?
Billy I'd changed agencies to CAA and the president of CAA, Richard Lovett asked if I'd ever seen the French film "Les Comperes," and I said no. The night I signed with him he brought the tape to dinner. I looked at it the next day and said this would be a great thing for Robin and me. So then we called Robin and sent him a copy, he saw it, and then it just started to snowball from there.
Robin It took a while.
WB Online How long did it take?
Billy About five or six months.
Robin Actually there was a whole thing about seeing a script. And then they wrote the draft and then Ivan came in, and then you know, it started to build. The hard part for me was that the script wasn't totally there, so it was one of those times, I said O.K., I'll take the chance because it's him (Billy). But what was really interesting about the movie is that there's different typed of comedy at different times. It's very out there. There's kick-ass stuff. I mean, I can't imagine that scene in the movie where I get hysterical is not funny.
Billy Plus it's us and how we've developed as personas on stage.
WB Online Why did you want to work together?
Robin Because there's almost like a subconscious timing right off the bat that you couldn't get with someone else. We can do wonderful set-up stuff with each other -- knowing when to back off and when to go for a great laugh.
WB Online So that leads me to another question, which is what was it like to be directed in a comedy since you guys are experts on what's funny and Billy's directed comedies before?
Billy Someone has to see it, and then mold it and guide it. We're not going to be right all the time. We throw a lot of stuff out that is not good.
Robin And I'll go too blue sometimes, or it'll get too strange. You're hoping you're giving the director something insane, that he'll pick the best and have a sense of story and a sense of character. The nice thing in this film is the behavioral comedy of the two different characters. They're both damaged in their own way and have their own problems, and then by somehow finding out about this boy, they come together and are brought out fo themselves in positive ways.
WB Online So being directed in the right hands is essential?
Billy You need somebody in control, to reign it in, who is intelligent and knows when to say yes and when to say no.
WB Online What did you like best about working with each other?
Billy What a great chance to spend time with a great buddy and laugh and do really good work and have all those times in between where we just talk about stuff that sometimes is really funny. Like, when we're in the make-up trailer at 6:30 in the morning doing a Mexican variety show. And then the next thing you know, we're talking about our kids. It's been a great exchange of that too, getting to know each other so much deeper.
Robin The friendship has grown. That's the bottom line.
WB Online You guys have become closer because of this movie?
Robin Real close. (Laughter)
Billy I mean there were times when we both had days where we'd look at each other and-- There were times when we were the defiant ones.
Robin Sometimes we were Ray Milland and Roosevelt Grier.
Billy Sometimes we would disagree on things and then agree... But the best thing about it is that we did great work together and had a wonderful time and that's rare in a movie.
WB Online So was there any down side to it?
Billy That he has to leave.
WB Online What are your expectations for the film?
Robin All I think about is if people laugh and that somehow it has the type of laughter where people applaud and laugh their asses off. That's a great thing, man.
Billy It's going to be a well-made film. We've waited a long time to do something, and we want it to be as good as we can make it. We know how precious this is. You know, he's going to be busy for a long time. I'm going to be busy for a while.
WB Online But if this hits, will you do another one? Will you want to do another one?
Robin I don't know how you can repeat these two characters. It would be too difficult. But we'd love to do another one. A comedy would be great.
WB Online Where do you guys see yourself ten years from now? What will you be doing?
Billy Still complaining that I didn't get to use that one joke I wanted. (Laughter)
WB Online What joke?
Billy Doesn't matter. I'll be whining about something. (Laughter)
WB Online Where do you see yourself in 15 years?
Robin Still doing this. Hopefully, being allowed to be with funny people performing, doing funny stuff. That's the joy in all this.
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