The role of Kevin Flynn in TRON LEGACY may not represent Jeff Bridges's most personal work to date, but it's possible that there's more of Bridges offscreen personality on display in this long-awaited sequel than we've seen in any other film he's appeared in over the last forty years. If you've ever read an interview with the iconic movie star, you'll no doubt notice a number of familiar, Bridges-esque words and phrases sprinkled throughout the screenplay by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (e.g. "We were jamming, man"). And since this occurs in a movie where the present-day Bridges faces off against a digitally-rendered version of his younger self, you can't help but feel that the actor is having a blast tweaking the engagingly laid-back characters (as opposed to the more manic types) he's drifted in and out of over a good chunk of his career.
As I learned when I talked with Bridges a few months ago, the actor was brought in early to help shape the basic story and themes of TRON LEGACY - so it's only natural that his voice can be heard amid the roaring sound design and pulsating Daft Punk score. And while Bridges says in the below interview that it's not unusual to encounter such a collaborative spirit in the making of a film, it is rare to find it flourishing in such a seemingly generous way on a major studio tentpole. No matter what you think of the finished film, you have to respect that there was a genuine attempt to do right by the source material in a way that served fans without completely alienating newcomers.
This is, of course, one of two hugely anticipated Jeff Bridges movies this December, and they certainly represent filmmaking at opposite ends of the spectrum. Whereas Bridges was a key creative resource throughout the development of the TRON LEGACY screenplay, TRUE GRIT was crafted with the usual degree of autonomy by Joel and Ethan Coen. I was curious to hear Bridges's thoughts on these different kinds of processes, and whether or not he has a preference. We also discussed how filmmaking has changed since the '70s - for better and worse.
But my first question sprung from a conversation I'd had with the screenwriters just a few minutes prior.
Mr. Beaks: I had to ask the writers who was responsible for the phrase "Biodigital Jazz". And they said, without hesitation, "Jeff Bridges." (Jeff laughs.) They said some of your best lines are things you say in real life. It seems like they really leaned on you to bring color to the character of Kevin Flynn. How did that feel?
Jeff Bridges: Wonderful. This was a very collaborative bunch. Starting with Lisberger, and the fact that Disney included him and counted on him in keeping us on track with the whole myth of TRON from the original. That was not only with Steven, but with me. They were very eager in wanting me to give as much as I could to the thing. Whether it was story points or whatever, they were just very collaborative - Joe especially. He kind of set the tone for that. And Sean Bailey was great that way. It's not that unusual, but when it does happen, it's great. I say it's not that unusual because making movies is a communal art form; you've got all these great artists, and they're coming together. Now some movies resist that, and you might have one guy who's a little forceful, but there's a great opportunity to take advantage of all those creative minds and then see what happens. It's the sum of the parts, and all that stuff. It comes together, and you have something that transcends everybody's expectations. It's a wonderful thing that happens.
Beaks: I just had to remark on your dialogue because when Flynn said, "We were jamming," I was like, "I've heard Jeff Bridges say that!"
Bridges: (Laughs) Yeah! When I prepare for a role, that's kind of what I do: I say, "What parts of myself apply to this guy, and what parts don't." Going back and looking at the first TRON, this guy was kind of a hipster. Flynn said "man", and all of those kinds of words were coming out of his mouth. I figured that's where he would be.
Beaks: Contrast that with the Coens. I've talked to many actors who've worked with them, and have heard that if you alter so much as a word of their dialogue, after the take one of them will come up with the script and correct you.
Bridges: Yeah, very true.
Beaks: Is there a better way of working for you? Do you prefer being collaborative in the writing, or working from a precisely written screenplay.
Bridges: With the Coen brothers, I often get the comment, "God, you guys must've improvised a lot. It's such great dialogue. It's so fresh." And I'll say, "No, that's just how good those guys write." In rehearsal, sometimes we would throw all the dialogue out and just "jam", to use a Flynn expression (Laughs), and then you get in touch with if it's you. You're not trying to remember lines and so forth. That informs the work, too. But when the guys are as good as the Coen brothers, you want to go back to the text. So I tried every "Man", every "Fuck", every ellipses. But I would go back to that and make sure that I put it in the spot that they put it, because that's the music of that particular scene. It would always feel better and ring truer if I went to that.One other thing that popped into my head: other great directors, like Hal Ashby for instance, would say, "No, I just want you to jam." It's following the director. Empowering the director to have power over you, and carrying out his direction.
Beaks: Well, Ashby would shoot so much because he was an editor. He wanted a lot of options.
Bridges: Yeah. Different ways of approaching. Both [Ashby and the Coens], they work completely differently, and were masters. It's fascinating.
Beaks: Not many filmmakers work in that mode now - in that '70s vein, where people were experimenting and allowing for a lot of chaos. I think filmmakers today feel more regimented; they have so many people looking over their shoulder, pushing them to make days. Did you feel that shift in filmmaking throughout your career?
Bridges: (Pauses) I don't know. It's interesting how different people work under pressure. I've had wonderful luck with first-time directors. First-time directors... the ones I've worked with and had great success with have been so fresh. We haven't done much better than CITIZEN KANE. I mean, look at that! [Orson Welles] was a first-time guy! How old was he? He was in his twenties and comes up with that? And Gregg Toland, the great DP was eager to work with somebody who was fresh and didn't know what he couldn't do. So, for instance, working with Scott Cooper, the director of CRAZY HEART - never directed a high school play, never written a script, and comes up with that in twenty-four days. How do you do that? It's the vibe he created, that inclusive feeling. Now on that set, we had such respect for each other. Whatever I wanted to do... if I wanted to jam or improvise, he'd say, "Are you kidding, go ahead!" And since he was the writer, I could consult with him on the script. I might've gotten off a bit on your question.
Beaks: No, that's good. Scott Cooper could have that kind of freedom on a twenty-four day schedule, but the films you made in the '70s, they took a little longer to pull together.
Bridges: Yeah, but that pressure, to be able to be that open under the gun that way, is really a special talent.
Beaks: Do you ever feel creatively restricted when you're under a tight schedule like that?
Bridges: Oh, yeah. Always. I always feel constricted. (Laughs) I always want to do one more take, give 'em one more shot.
Beaks: While we're talking first-time directors, though Joseph Kosinski was a veteran commercial director, this was his first feature - and it's a huge one. Collaborating with him as an actor, did you find that there was an ease, or did you have to work to build a relationship?
Bridges: He was great. It's something that grows a little bit over time. But, like you say, there's only so much time you have. So you want to get as deep and connected as quick as possible - that goes for the actors, too. Like with Garrett Hedlund, to get a father-and-son thing going, we kind of opened up to each other off cameras, so you can carry some of that on. I had a great time with Garrett. And Joe encouraged me to give as much input as I could. He still had very strong opinions and all of that, but he was very open to what I thought.
(Getting the wrap-it-up signal.)
Beaks: I remember the film critic David Thomson saying you're like Robert Mitchum in the way you work constantly, tirelessly, and yet bring such variety to your performances. What's your philosophy in continuing to work like this?
Bridges: I really try hard not to work. My goal is not any type of "Dude"-type thing, a lazy or kick-back thing; it's just that I know that when I'm working I'm going to be away from my wife, and that I'm not going to be able to do something else that might be right around the corner, because I'm engaged in this. So I do my best to not work, and the ones I end up doing are the ones where it's like "They made me an offer I couldn't refuse," you know?
That's the problem when you're Jeff Bridges. Too many bright and talented people want to work with you, and will do their damndest to not take "No" for an answer.
TRON LEGACY opens worldwide on December 17th, 2010.
