Interviews with WIENER-DOG actors Danny DeVito, Julie Delpy, and Ellen Burstyn!!!

Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here, continuing our coverage from out sometime correspondent Mott Hoffman of writer-director Todd Solondz’s latest ensemble work, WIENER-DOG, the spiritual follow-up to his breakthrough 1995 film WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE—this time with Greta Gerwig taking over as Dawn Wiener. For this report (from this year’s Sundance Film Festival), Matt has quick interviews with three of the film’s stars. Take it away, Matt…


As extreme as his films may be, director Todd Solondz never fails to round up some of the best ensemble casts around. With his latest, WIENER-DOG, Solondz has grouped the likes of veterans like Danny DeVito and Ellen Burstyn, with beloved actors Greta Gerwig, Julie Delpy, and more. I was given the opportunity to speak with DeVito, Delpy, and Burstyn about their work in the film and as artists in general. Each had similarly remarkable things to say about the film, but could not be more different on the opinion of their canine co-star. Check out highlights from the three interviews below, and be sure to catch our scoop with DeVito on a possible sequel to TWINS, as well as Burstyn’s reaction to the upcoming TV remake of THE EXORCIST.

DANNY DEVITO



Matt Hoffman: This is a very unusual role for you. It's very dark.

Danny DeVito: There's no punchline. It just goes. I think Todd has such a unique voice. When I read the script, I thought, “Oh, man.” I finished it and immediately called my agent to say yes. They had offered it to me, and I said, "Without a doubt. Let me do this movie." I love Schmerz. He's so dark.

Matt Hoffman: There's no levity with Schmerz.

DD: Which I thought would be lots of fun to do. Todd's the kind of director you want to be around because he knows exactly what he wants. Once we discuss the idea, there are ways to make that funny. You could go another way. But I agree with Todd.

Matt Hoffman: What was it like working with the dog?

DD: The dog was a trip. Oh my god. I've worked with kids in MATILDA, and now I've worked with a dog. I'm ready to go back to kids [laughs]. The dog was hysterical. First of all, the dog comes off great in the movie. It looks phenomenal. I think we had three or four different dogs. They're bred to be show dogs, so they look good, but they don't listen. You say, “Sit!" Nothing. Ed Lachman, who was our brilliant cinematographer, he had his work cut out for him. Todd was as patient as a man could be. There's one shot where I'm picking a dress for the dog, and I'm holding it out to show the dog—45 minutes to get that shot. That was my first day of work. I said, "Todd, note to self, first get a dog that stays still. Then call the film whatever breed that dog is." It was pretty funny.

Matt Hoffman: It's crazy to hear that, because from a viewer's perspective the dog is brilliant.

DD: Fucking brilliant. He did a great job. We had a good editor; he did a great job.

Matt Hoffman: It's been over 10 years since you've directed a film. Are you looking for another project?

DD: I am, I'm looking for something to do. I have to go back to work on “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Before that, I'm shooting a movie where I'm playing Robert De Niro's brother. It's called THE COMEDIAN. It's a very, very good vehicle for Bob. It's one of those great De Niro roles. He plays this guy who's totally fucking obsessed with his stand-up. It gets a little bit out of control and a little violent. He gets caught doing it, and it goes viral and it changes his life. Basically, it's this great character study. In the summer, I'll be ready to find something to direct.

Matt Hoffman: There have been plenty of rumors that Arnold Schwarzenegger and yourself are re-teaming for a sequel to TWINS. Is that happening?

DD: I don't know. I want it to happen, I really do. The script has to be right. You want it to carry the mantle of the original. I don't want it to fall down at all. It has to be as good or better. I don't want it to be schticky. I don't want to take the low road or take the easy way out. I want it to be difficult; I want it to be good. I want it to be really good. So that's what I'm waiting for. I'm waiting for that good script. Arnold and I have a good rapport. We're not politically in the same boat, but we're good friends.

Matt Hoffman: Have you ever thought about getting Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas back together for another movie?

DD: I love those guys. They died in WAR OF THE ROSES, so you can't do a sequel to that. The thread, which I like, is that we did three movies with the same cast, ROMANCING THE STONE, JEWEL OF THE NILE, and WAR OF THE ROSES. We could do a film about three people who are in our age range, in another situation. We're still good friends. Again, it all comes down to material. You sit down reading scripts looking for something. My son Jake is a producer. What he does all day and all night is read. Everybody does in this business.


JULIE DELPY



Matt Hoffman: Your character has this incredible monologue in the beginning of the film...

Julie Delpy. Yes, about the dog, Croissant, being raped by a nasty dog.

Matt Hoffman: It's so perverse and hilarious.

JD: And fucked up. I read the script early on before anyone else was cast. I read that scene and I knew I had to do it. When we talked, the way to do it was for her to be heartfelt when she says it. She means it, that's what's funny to me. There's something that resonates, this blunt honesty to children, which is wrong but at the same time doesn't mean bad. I thought it was hilarious. It just never ends. I think my last line in the film is "It's just like being in an oven,” regarding cremation. From beginning to end, my character says terrible things, which I think is very funny. It was interesting to find the right tone to say it. If you say it too aggressively, it's kind of nasty and not very funny. If you say it with a sweetness and compassion—a sadness—then it becomes funny, because it's so out of place.

Matt Hoffman: What was your experience like with the dog?

JD: Listen, I've worked with a lot of animals. I know that dog was not easy, but the truth is, I've worked with sheep. There's nothing dumber than a bunch of sheep, because they all follow each other no matter what they're doing. If they're jumping on top of the camera or jumping on top of the DOP, they will do it as a group. So for me, dogs, while they are not easy animals, you have a little bit of communication. You have a communication with them that you don't have with sheep. That's why I hate sheep and I don't hate dogs. I don't feel connected that much to the sheep [laughs].

But the truth is that working with animals is always an issue. When I was 17, I did a film and there was a line in the screenplay that said, "And then a hawk lands on the rock." It took us almost a week to film that one line in a French film. It helped me learn that you have to be careful with animals. You have to really think if it's worth it before you put them in a movie, if it's really worth it and it has a purpose. Obviously here, there is purpose. It's all about a dog. But it's not just all about a dog, obviously. It's about all these people, which I think is interesting. The dog is just a victim and a witness. He's just there but not really active.

Matt Hoffman: You share many of your scenes with a great child actor. So when your character is explaining these morbid things to her son, you're explaining them to this young boy on set. What was that like?

JD: We bonded very quickly, I really liked him right away. I have to say, I really like children. I think they're fun, and weirdly enough, the way I work with children—‘ve directed children in films before—I love to treat children like they're normal people, not like babies. I quickly have a relationship that is on the same level. When you deal with a seven, eight, nine-year-old, you can talk to them like any other kid. With these scenes saying these horrible things, we talked about it. The kid was super smart; it's not like he was traumatized by what I was saying to him. He understood everything. Kids understand so much. It depends on the parents. Either they're in a sheltered world and they think the world is Disneyland, or they know a bit about what's going on in the world. They're not traumatized by the ideal of mortality. It's part of life, like I say in the film.


ELLEN BURSTYN



Matt Hoffman: This isn't the type of film one often expects an actress of your stature to appear in. It's quite perverse in a way.

Ellen Burstyn: Well it's eccentric and it's unique. I don't know that it's perverse. It's really Todd expressing himself. It's a real work of art in that it's the artist expressing himself. Todd is special; I just love him. There's nobody doing films like him.

Matt Hoffman: What was your reaction when you read the script?

EB: You know, I don't remember my reaction to the role, I just wanted to do it. I know Todd's reputation. He's a real artist. I always say yes to an artist. I present myself on the set and say, "Tell me what you want, and I will give it to you". I don't question it, he knows what he wants and he's specific. I would not choose to wear big dark glasses all the way through the role, but that's what he wanted, so that's what I did.

Matt Hoffman: One of the thing's that makes your chapter of the film is that it is very different from what has preceded it. While much of the film is playful, this final chapter is actually quite sad.

EB: The way I look at—well I haven't discussed this with Todd. He may read this interview and say, "She's all wrong, that's not what I had in mind." But, I feel like there's the development in the film of life, people going through life. By the time it gets to me, it's that last stage of life. My character regrets, she lives in regret of all the things that happened to her that she didn't do right or didn't succeed in, or she wished had been different. When you live in regret, that's a pretty dark place. No fun there. So at the end, it goes to that dark place, but it all gets transformed into a work of art. I feel that that's what he's saying. That all of our stuff that we go through gets transformed by the artist. I feel that's a very personal and worthy statement to make.

Matt Hoffman: Everyone I've spoken to has had quite the experience working with the dog. Apparently, it was not easy...

EB: It was for me. I heard on the set people saying that the dog had been a problem, but it was no problem for me. She or he, I'm not sure, sat beside me, and I pet her. She was just very calm. I heard Todd say yesterday that there were four dogs; when I was on set, there were two. I just didn't have any trouble.

Matt Hoffman: Are you a dog person?

EB: I am. It probably has something to do with that. I'm always happy to work with dogs. I love to work with dogs and children. I think I can tune into them and relax them. I don't make them nervous. We were fine together, she was a very placid dog. I then heard later that she had not been easy, but with me she was very calm.

Matt Hoffman: I know it's a tough question, but you've been in so many iconic films over your career. Do you have a favorite or some that stand out for you?

EB: It's hard to answer that question. I made a film called RESURRECTION in 1980; it's not very well known. That film has a lot of meaning for me because of what it was about. There are many people who tell me that it is their favorite film, even though it is not easy to find. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, I love that movie. Of course, THE EXORCIST I enjoy watching again and again because it holds up so well. ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE has got to be my favorite because I won the Oscar for it. I would say those are my favorites. Each one has it's own experience and drama around it. Also THE LAST PICTURE SHOW. I guess I can't really pick one.

Matt Hoffman: I'm not sure if you've heard, but it was recently announced that THE EXORCIST was being adapted for television.

EB: I heard that yesterday for the first time. I have no idea what to think, I'm flabbergasted. I guess it depends on what they do with it. They're willing to commercialize anything usually. If it made money once, they'll see if it will make money again. That film, I think, is very special. It's the ultimate confrontation between good and evil. If they're going to deal with it at that level, fine. If they're going to be sensational about it, then I'm not so pleased. We'll have to wait and see what it is.

-- Matt Hoffman
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