What Is ‘The Friend’ About?
NAOMI WATSON: He is one of the most soulful creatures, and he delivered.
He will break your heart and melt you unless you are heartless altogether.
Image by Photagonist at TIFF
SCOTT MCGEHEE: There’s a lot of space in the book.
If you’re familiar with it, it’s a very interior story.
But Sigrid, who wrote the book, Sigrid Nunez, she didn’t even give her characters names.
Image by Photagonist at TIFF
It’s far from a movie blueprint; we have a lot of work to do.
Was it always Iris or did you play around with options?
SIEGEL: We played around.
Image via Big Creek Productions.
It always takes a little bit of time.
WATTS: We changed the last name.
SIEGEL: The character was originally called Iris Dunn.
We named her Iris Dixon after our good friend and great screenwriter Leslie Dixon.
I was reading that it’s not super easy to get a script into Bill Murray’s hands.
In this case, Naomi, you stepped in and did that.
Image by Photagonist at TIFF
I’m curious about what that’s like from your perspective.
Is it easier for another actor to get a script into Bill Murray’s hands?
WATTS: No, not really.
Image by Photagonist at TIFF
We have worked together before, but we’re not always in touch.
Though, having gone through this second movie, I think we probably will be in touch more often.
I’ve done it one other time.
Image by Photagonist at TIFF
Is that what this is about?
[Laughs] That speaks to my self-esteem.
[Laughs] But yes, I loved the idea.
Image by Photagonist at TIFF
I thought I’d take a shot at it.
I sent him a text, and he responded right away.
But also, the other caveat is that you will not be able to send him an email.
Image by Photagonist at TIFF
He’s not gonna read it digitally.We had to have the script printed and hand-delivered by me.
I managed to track down where he was at a certain time.
He doesn’t have an agent; he doesn’t have a person to call.
He loved the story right away.
He read the book right away.
He didn’t like saying what dates he was available.
[Laughs]
SIEGEL: Buthe never wavered on the project.
WATTS: No, it was always a yes.
He just couldn’t say February 18th to 26.
Those kinds of things were just annoying details to him.
May contain traces of Wes Anderson.
WATTS: Oh, wow.
I fell in love with the story of it.
I loved that story.
That does tend to repeat if there is repetition in the choices I make.
I think it’s an endlessly fascinating subject.
This was also about a really powerful friendship.
Romance is explored in great detail, and family stuff, but not friendship so much.
As you get older, friendships become extremely meaningful to you.
I loved that part of it, as well.
What was the second part?
Something that wound up being more creatively fulfilling than you ever could have imagined at the start.
I figured that would be the answer.
It often goes badly, and it couldn’t have gone more beautifully.
He’s so soulful.
MCGEHEE: He always gets up when we talk about him.
Yeah, we’re talking about you, man.
He’s taking the compliment right now.
I see the tail wagging.
Bing loves Bev so much that we could move Bev around to attract Bing’s attention.
Bev would become Bing’s eyeline.
It was truly invaluable in terms of being able to capture his performance.
MCGEHEE: We went to Iowa to meet Bing.
SIEGEL: And we saw that position.
There was just no looking at more dogs after we met him.
It was just super clear.
We just stopped looking and made the movie when he was ready.
I warm to them very quickly.
I’m not squeamish.
Slobber all over me.
Do whatever you need.
SIEGEL: That’s a unique question!
[Laughs]
WATTS: You have to connect.
That means eye contact.
WATTS: There were so many of those.
But at a certain point,Bing just sat down in the revolving door.
WATTS: That’s an example of an add-on to the question before I sat down, too.
SIEGEL: And it’s hilarious.
WATTS: Because I was reacting to him.
That’s two partners in a scene, just like two actors.
WATTS: I don’t know, maybe I’m getting softer.
But it feels timely.
It reminds you that friendships are important.
It’s just where I’m at in my age.
I’ve done a lot of dark.
Watts & Co.
Her name was Tiger.
She was about a year old.
She was a very striped, brindled cattle dog mix.
She loved all people; she loved all humans.
She was super playful.
Scott knew her super well.
She just opened you up to the world in a very particular way.
Thank you for sharing that.
I’ve got a picture of Pal in my office.
WATTS: I’ve got a beautiful dog now called Izzy that I got at the beginning of COVID.
But just before COVID started, I lost Bob, who I had for 20 years.
He’s a Yorkshire terrier.
He made a massive impact on my life.
And also Roxstar Entertainment, our event producing partner and Photagonist Canada for the photo and video services.
