- 3 months ago
The actress was joined by by 'Can You Keep a Secret?' director Elise Duran.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Hi, I'm Alexandra D'Addario, and I'm Elise Duran, and we are in studio with The Hollywood Reporter, and this is Toots McGillicuddy.
00:12So, Can You Keep a Secret is now in theaters, and you obviously star in the movie, but you also are attached as an executive producer.
00:19You directed it, and Toots McGillicuddy here is a big star in the movie, plays the dog in the movie, but so what drew you both to wanting to work on this project?
00:27I sat down, I loved the script, and I was looking also to do something very fun. I love romantic comedies. It's just a nice, fun thing to work on.
00:39And I sat down with Elise, and we immediately connected, and I really believed in her and wanted to work with her.
00:45So, it just seemed like the perfect thing for where I was in my life, needing that sort of fun, romantic comedy. Great script, great director, and I got really lucky.
00:55I loved to laugh. I wanted to do something that would make people laugh. I saw great potential in the story to bring it modern day, too.
01:04And when we met, we just connected, and we had the same sense of humor, which was great, because we loved to laugh.
01:13And it felt very organic.
01:15And we're both a little absurd, and I think that life is absurd.
01:19And if you embrace that and not try to ignore it, you find some really cool moments, and I think we did find that in the film.
01:27Definitely.
01:27Because we both have the same sort of absurd approach to life.
01:30Yeah.
01:32With also a great consideration of how hard life can be.
01:35Definitely.
01:35So I think that we brought all of that to the film.
01:37We shared the need to create a really positive working environment for women.
01:44That was really important to us.
01:47For everybody, of course, but particularly for women.
01:50So that bonded us as well.
01:52And our love of rescue dogs bonded us.
01:54Like Toots, right here.
01:55Like Toots McGillicuddy.
01:56That's right.
01:58Now, speaking of women working on the film, did you go out of your way to really try to hire a lot of women behind the scenes?
02:04Absolutely.
02:05Yes, we have Autumn Eakin, who is our DP.
02:08Anywhere I could, I hired women.
02:12And it was the majority of the positions, for sure.
02:16That's amazing.
02:17And also watching the movie, it's really clear on screen.
02:19There's a lot of diversity in the film.
02:20Absolutely.
02:21Did you also try and do that behind the scenes?
02:22Absolutely.
02:24Both with the main cast, supporting cast, and background as well.
02:31It was crucial that the cast represent the world that we live in.
02:36And you've talked about this movie being obviously a comedy and a little absurd sometimes.
02:40But how do you think this role is different than ones you've played on screen in the past?
02:43One of the great things about doing this was all of us were allowed the chance to improv a lot.
02:54And bring out a huge part of ourselves and our own goofiness and our own unique perspectives.
03:01And I think that created a lot of unique moments and allowed me to bring out part of myself that I sometimes don't bring out in roles.
03:10You know, I've been able to be, do a lot of stunt work and play this sort of badass one, which is incredibly cool in its own way.
03:17And in this case, I was allowed to tap into more of the goofiness and vulnerability and really just improv and go off.
03:24A huge part of, a huge amount of the film is improv.
03:28And that was a lot coming from documentaries too.
03:31But also, I knew that was the key to it being authentic.
03:36It was really fun to watch.
03:37I mean, I had a hard time.
03:39I'd have to put like towels in my mouth and stuff so I wouldn't ruin takes because I was laughing so much.
03:45So it was a joy.
03:47Yeah, I actually wanted to ask that because watching it as a viewer, I found myself laughing through so much of it.
03:51Were there any scenes that you as an actor or then, yeah, even as the director, you had a hard time getting through because you just couldn't stop laughing?
03:58I had a tough time with David Charles Eber, who plays my boyfriend at the beginning of the film.
04:03He is really very funny.
04:07And a lot of what he did didn't end up in the film because he became so absurd.
04:12I was dying laughing.
04:14And I usually can keep a straight face pretty well.
04:16It was very hard at times.
04:18But I liked when you laughed because it made me feel like I was being funny.
04:21So it was like an encouraging.
04:23It was encouraging.
04:25Even if it was ruining the take or I had to ADR it.
04:27It was kind of nice because you have that encouragement.
04:29Yeah, it was really fun.
04:31I wanted it to be, I wanted us all to laugh for a living.
04:35I mean, that's really the goal.
04:37That was the goal.
04:38And interesting thing about David Charles Ebert, he read for Casey.
04:42And he, I literally, and I don't use that word a lot because I think it's overused, but I fell out of my chair because he was so funny.
04:51And I thought, he needs to have a bigger role.
04:55And that's why I cast him as Connor.
04:58Was Connor originally going to be that, like, kooky and crazy?
05:02So he really sort of stepped into that and made that his own.
05:04Connor on the page was a very good looking, not that David isn't good looking, he is, but a vapid, kind of pretty boy.
05:11Um, and David is not that.
05:15And he turned out, yeah, that character is so not that.
05:16He's this super, like, dorky, awkward boyfriend that's, like, kind of cringe-worthy.
05:20Everything a woman could want.
05:23I perform kind of links.
05:25This isn't working out.
05:27And I also wanted to ask about the vibe of the cast because there's some, obviously, big-name actors in this movie, like Laverne Cox.
05:32But it sounds like the vibe on set was amazing and that you all got along so well.
05:37Oh, yeah.
05:37And Laverne was incredible because she came into the project and she was there for, what, a week, a week and a half?
05:42Yeah, a short period of time.
05:43And she could have just come in and done her job and left.
05:45And she cared so deeply and had such a clear perspective on the role and on the entire project.
05:51And she helped the story in such a tremendous way.
05:53She added in an extra scene that helped the movie so much.
05:58And I really respect and appreciate her for coming in and caring so much.
06:04She was tremendous and really, like Alex said, she came and she could have phoned it in, come in, done her thing and left.
06:11But she cared deeply.
06:13We had long conversations about her character.
06:15And it was beautiful.
06:17And at the end, she said something to me that brought me to tears.
06:20She said, you know, I was coming in thinking, oh, it's a fun rom-com and that's cool.
06:25But it was much more than I had bargained for.
06:28And speaking of vulnerability, being a young person, you know, out in the world of dating, I really related to the message of the movie of, you know, when you first start dating someone, how honest do you be?
06:36Do you tell them all your secrets or do you, you know, maintain that mystery at the beginning of the relationship?
06:42So what are your guys' thoughts on that?
06:44Well, the message of the movie is to essentially for everybody, every character, is to be yourself and that being yourself is cool.
06:51So some people may feel more comfortable sharing themselves or not.
06:55But it's also that people make mistakes and that's okay.
07:01So I think it's a really positive message either way.
07:04But with dating, I mean, I'm the last person.
07:06But I think that, I think it's just about being yourself and finding the thing that will click with that.
07:12Yeah, because you hope that when you're yourself, it's like the truth won't scare the right person away.
07:17And as you see in the movie, it doesn't scare him away, even though he knows all her secrets.
07:20Right. And again, it's about being vulnerable, right?
07:23I mean, that's, we're all vulnerable and a lot of times we do a lot to hide it.
07:28And at the end of the day, what connects us? Vulnerability.
07:33Even if it's hard.
07:34Even if it's hard.
07:35And even if someone doesn't accept it, then you know, right?
07:38And the sooner you tell them, it's the sooner than you move on and find the right person.
07:41Yes.
07:42Right.
07:42So there you go.
07:43Right.
07:44Advice for myself.
07:45I need to date.
07:47It's hard out here.
07:48It's hard.
07:48You know?
07:49It's hard.
07:51But now this movie is a rom-com, of course.
07:54So what's your favorite rom-com of all time?
07:56I love Notting Hill.
07:58I'm obsessed with Notting Hill.
08:01It's such a good movie.
08:03I mean, Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, doesn't get better than that.
08:05So great.
08:07You know, and when the roommate walks in, I don't know if people remember the movie,
08:11but when the roommate walks in and Julia Roberts is in the bathtub in the apartment,
08:16it's a hilarious scene.
08:17And I also love Bringing Up Baby, Catherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, old movie, but that's a great rom-com, too.
08:22The first thing that comes to mind is Albert Brooks' Modern Romance.
08:26I'm a huge fan of Albert Brooks.
08:28And Modern Romance struck that perfect balance between comedy and tragedy, the tragedy of being human and insecure, all those things.
08:43And I just adore that movie.
08:47And so now the big question, can you keep a secret?
08:50No, don't tell me anything.
08:52Yeah, I can keep a secret if it's...
08:54The problem with me is I'll deem whether there's maybe one person I can tell.
09:02Yeah, I do that, too.
09:02No, I think the risk, this is why I don't tell anyone anything unless I...
09:06Because I think everyone sort of does that.
09:07It's like, well, I can tell this one person.
09:11But I feel like I can't...
09:13I keep secrets that are important to tell.
09:15But if you don't want something to be told, don't tell anyone.
09:18People are bad at it, I think.
09:19That's true.
09:20I feel like my mom is always the one person I tell.
09:22I'm like, my mom's not going to tell anyone.
09:23I can tell her.
09:24Right.
09:24And then, of course, I do the same thing.
09:26And then, of course, my sister knows.
09:27And then her boyfriend knows.
09:28You're like, wait, dad knows?
09:29Like, how does everybody know?
09:31Yeah.
09:31I'm like, wait a second.
09:32Like, well, it's your sister.
09:34Now, speaking of love and relationships, you also...
09:36And that's what this movie is, you know, all about.
09:38You also now are starring in a show that's about love and relationships,
09:41Why Women Kill, on CBS All Access.
09:44And so now for anybody who hasn't seen that show,
09:46can you just give us, like, a little rundown on what it's about
09:48and your character role, character's role in it?
09:50Why Women Kill, it's from the same creator.
09:53Who created Desperate Housewives.
09:55So it's very over the top but also grounded at the same time.
09:58Really fun.
09:58It's a dark comedy in a way.
10:02And it's three different time periods, 60s, 80s, and modern day.
10:06I'm in the modern day story.
10:08And it just portrays three different women who are dealing with betrayal
10:15and how they deal with betrayal in different time periods
10:17and how it's changed and how it hasn't changed.
10:19I would say you're in the most complicated relationship in the show.
10:23You're in a, not to spoil it at all, but a throuple.
10:26It's a throuple.
10:27It's an open relationship, which I have never personally been in.
10:32So it was really funny to explore, or fun to explore, what that might be like.
10:38And I have friends who are in those kinds of relationships,
10:41and I think that either they're becoming more common or people are discussing them more,
10:45being more open about them.
10:48But, yeah, it's myself, Reed Scott, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste in a throuple.
10:56And thus far in the show, what we've seen, things are already getting really complicated.
11:00Yes.
11:00And so what can we expect for the rest of the season?
11:03What's going to happen with these three characters?
11:04I think that's really juicy.
11:06I think that, you know, it's one of those things, the whole show,
11:09you don't know which way it's going to twist and turn.
11:12And it just gets really, really exciting.
11:16So, you know, it's one of those things.
11:18Every single episode is a cliffhanger, and you want to know what happens next,
11:22and you won't expect what's going to happen next.
11:24And now with these two projects, Emma is kind of awkward and quirky,
11:28but then Jade is super confident and seems like she just, you know, knows who she is.
11:33Who would you say you relate to more in your own life?
11:35I definitely relate to Emma from Can You Keep a Secret?
11:40Jade is, she's very sexy and confident,
11:45and I would say that's more of a role that I play than actually who I am in real life.
11:51I'm more a bumbling goofball.
11:54The sexy sort of, like, seductress is not, I'm not good at that stuff.
12:00I think men get baffled when they, like, get me into bed.
12:03They're like, what is this?
12:07So that's why it was fun to play Emma, because you got to, like, be more yourself.
12:11I definitely relate more to Emma, so I get that, the kind of, like, quirky, awkward thing.
12:15Sure.
12:16And for both of you now, just talking about the show, you know, Why Women Kill,
12:20there's these three time periods, the 60s, the 80s, and today.
12:22If you could live in any of those time periods, which one would you want to live in?
12:27Oh, God.
12:28They'd all be cool.
12:29I mean, modern day has, I mean, we've been doing it, and it has its own problems.
12:34The 80s were a really interesting time, and it, you know, we were, I would, I would like
12:42to try the 80s, if not just for the fashion, I mean, and to go to, like, aerobics classes,
12:48and I just think it was, like, a really, to wear leg warmers and go to an aerobics class.
12:54Can't do that now.
12:56That's true.
12:56It's, like, only Halloween you can dress up like that.
12:58Yeah.
12:59But they dress like that all the time.
13:00And I love the idea of living before cell phones.
13:02Definitely.
13:03I would have loved to have done that.
13:04Definitely.
13:05These cell phones are driving me nuts.
13:06They're a nightmare.
13:07They're a nightmare.
13:08Yeah.
13:09Yep.
13:09I would pick 60s, but if 70s was, it would be 70s all the way.
13:16Yeah, which explains her wardrobe.
13:17Well, if you're in 60s, you'd eventually get to the 70s.
13:19Right.
13:20That's true.
13:21That's true.
13:22And depending on how old you are.
13:24Yeah.
13:25For sure.
13:26Can I add one little thing?
13:27Yes, you can.
13:28Just about how important it was for us to promote rescue in the film.
13:32Yes.
13:33That was hugely important.
13:34The whole movie is vegan.
13:35Everything we wore was vegan.
13:37There was no leather.
13:38Everything was green.
13:39Quaid.
13:39And we promoted dog rescue, so adopt, don't shop.
13:42Yes.
13:43Well, thank you so much for talking to me.
13:44Thank you so much.
13:45Yes, of course.
13:46And you can check out Can You Keep a Secret in Theaters Now?
13:49And you can watch Why Women Kill on CBS All Access.
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