- 17 minutes ago
Lee Isaac Chung, George Clooney, Paul Greengrass, Regina King, Spike Lee, George C. Wolfe and Chloé Zhao joined The Hollywood Reporter to talk about their respected films.
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00:07Hi, and welcome to Close Up with the Hollywood Reporter Director's Roundtable.
00:11I'm your host, Rebecca Keegan, and I'm delighted to welcome our guests,
00:15Lee Isaac Chung, George Clooney, Paul Greengrass, Regina King, Spike Lee, George C. Wolfe, and Chloe Zhao.
00:27Let's dive right in.
00:302020 was a year of doing things differently.
00:34Case in point, the way we're meeting today, we are not gathered in a studio.
00:38Our guests are joining us from all over the world.
00:40I want to ask you, what is the thing you learned about yourself that surprised you during the pandemic?
00:47Let's start with you, Regina.
00:49Well, of course, I'm the lucky person that gets asked first.
00:56The thing that surprised me the most about myself, I guess that I have more patience
01:11than I thought I had prior to the pandemic.
01:18I started planting a garden and a vegetable garden and pulling out the weeds by hand so
01:29that I don't rock the boat by each of the kale or the peppers or whatever it was that I
01:38was
01:38growing. That takes a lot of time.
01:41And I found that normally I probably would have been super frustrated and just had someone else do
01:51it, but I was very patient through it.
01:54And then also with the technology, it has not frustrated me the way one would think it would.
02:01I've been very patient with it.
02:03George Clooney, you're laughing.
02:04What did you learn about yourself that surprised you during the pandemic?
02:08Well, mostly I learned that Regina is pulling these plants out by her hand.
02:13That, to me, that's been the biggest step.
02:17You know, I think we've all kind of learned a lot of the same lessons.
02:23We, you know, we're doing things, some things we haven't done in a while.
02:27Some of us, you know, we're learning to,
02:32we're learning how deeply we need to be in contact with one another.
02:37I learned that I, I really need to spend more time with my parents,
02:42you know, who are in their upper eighties.
02:44And so I learned, I think you'd get back,
02:48I've learned to get back to the things that actually matter in life.
02:51And, you know, listen, I do a lot of diaper changing, you know,
02:54and that's not even for the kids.
02:56That's just for me.
02:59That's about it.
03:01Chloe, what about you?
03:03I think I'm with Regina.
03:05You know,
03:05I never knew how much I would love this three chickens that I got at the
03:09beginning of the pandemic.
03:11I was like,
03:11I'm never going to have eggs anymore because supermarkets ran out of them.
03:16So I got three little chicks and the patience of watching them grow and then
03:21to give you eggs one day.
03:24And also just the little triumphs that we are,
03:27we take for granted that our ancestors are satisfied with, you know,
03:31chopped wood, carry water.
03:33I just did laundry this morning.
03:35It felt pretty damn good.
03:36What about you, Paul?
03:39Same, really.
03:40I think,
03:40I think it's been an opportunity in a strange way for a simpler life.
03:46You know,
03:47I haven't been on an airplane for a long,
03:49long time and just walking in the woods,
03:53bringing you closer to the natural world for sure.
03:58Appreciating,
03:58you know,
04:00the leaves coming on the trees earlier in the year and falling off later in
04:04the year.
04:04That,
04:04that was,
04:05you know,
04:05the drama of it all.
04:06That was wonderful.
04:08Um,
04:09and as George said,
04:10you know,
04:11get in touch with this,
04:12with the things that matter.
04:15Spike,
04:15how about you?
04:17Well,
04:18at the beginning of this pandemic,
04:20I was wondering what am I going to do all this time on my hands?
04:26Because I've been,
04:28you know,
04:28I'm just,
04:29I'm working all the time,
04:30working,
04:31teaching,
04:34you know,
04:34breakneck pace.
04:38And I amazed myself that I was able to slow down and,
04:45uh,
04:45live.
04:47So it was,
04:48it had to slow down.
04:49Had no choice.
04:51And Isaac,
04:52how about you?
04:54as for me,
04:55I tend to be really introverted.
04:57So I thought in some way there would be a positive element to this where I can just hold away
05:03and,
05:03and write and do stuff like that.
05:05But,
05:05um,
05:06like George was saying,
05:07I,
05:08I,
05:08I really miss people.
05:09I miss just being able to go out and see friends when I want.
05:12And,
05:12um,
05:14there's just this freedom you feel and knowing that there,
05:17there are people out there who you can just go and see.
05:20Uh,
05:21but that maybe that's taken away from us right now.
05:23And that's,
05:24that's been pretty sad.
05:25Uh,
05:26but yeah,
05:26it's,
05:26it's all about the people for me.
05:28Mm-hmm.
05:29George Wolf,
05:30how about you?
05:31Uh,
05:32just the phenomenon of standing still,
05:35you know,
05:35because I move a lot and I do a lot and I like to stay busy.
05:38And all of a sudden,
05:39you know,
05:39I was three weeks shy of completing posts on Ma Rainey.
05:43Then all of a sudden everything stopped and I,
05:45you know,
05:46screamed for about a month.
05:48And then after that,
05:49you know,
05:50I started standing still and listening and finding calm and order in that and
05:57rediscovering the value of that because,
06:00you know,
06:01you know,
06:01it's New York and you want to do everything.
06:03And then all of a sudden you thoughts happen and feelings happen and all sorts of
06:07things come up.
06:08And so that's been really great.
06:09Just,
06:09just being exposed to what's going on inside that I don't oftentimes listen to.
06:16Were there moments that emerged in the performances that caused you to,
06:21to take a different direction than you expected?
06:25I don't think it was as much take a different direction,
06:28but,
06:29you know,
06:30I was afforded a,
06:31a,
06:31we had a two week rehearsal period with,
06:34you know,
06:34prior to anything being shot,
06:36which was really great because I,
06:37I wanted the actors to,
06:38you know,
06:40form an ensemble,
06:41but also find liberation inside of using this incredibly thick,
06:45rich,
06:45complicated language.
06:46So,
06:47so that was achieved there.
06:48And it was also a time for them to focus in on mastering as much as they
06:53possibly can,
06:53those damn instruments.
06:55So,
06:56so,
06:56so,
06:56so there was a lot of preparation time that was done in terms of,
07:00of,
07:00of that.
07:01But then once the filming happened,
07:03it was just creating space so that the velocity and the rawness of the performances were given space to,
07:09to just erupt and go as deep and as complicated as they possibly could.
07:15I mean,
07:15so there really wasn't any startling surprises.
07:19It was just,
07:20you know,
07:22creating safe space so that therefore this degree of emotional nakedness could take place.
07:29And then one was perpetually startled by how amazingly brilliant and raw people got inside their performances.
07:37But that was,
07:38that was sort of fundamentally it.
07:40There was no violent shocks or anything that changed.
07:43How many of you used rehearsals?
07:46Like show of hands.
07:49Just Spike,
07:50how come?
07:51We didn't have the time.
07:52No time,
07:53Regina?
07:54Well,
07:54one or two,
07:55but we didn't have the time.
07:56Yeah.
07:57Yeah,
07:57I bet.
07:59Spike,
08:00how come?
08:00Why did you,
08:01why did you have rehearsals for Defied Bloods?
08:04Well,
08:05we always rehearse and we also shot this in Thailand.
08:07and Vietnam.
08:09So,
08:11we were there.
08:12You were in place.
08:13Yeah,
08:14you know,
08:14ensemble,
08:14everybody's together and you become tight.
08:21I mean,
08:21these guys have known each other for 40 years.
08:25They're going back to Vietnam when they were 18,
08:2719 years old.
08:28So,
08:28we wanted to see that closeness on the screen when the camera rolled.
08:33Mm-hmm.
08:34Isaac,
08:34you,
08:34you used rehearsals as well.
08:36How come and how long?
08:40It's kind of interesting.
08:41It's the reverse of Spike because we had Korean actors coming to the U.S.
08:45and going to Tulsa,
08:47Oklahoma.
08:47So,
08:48we were there,
08:49you know,
08:49I know that feeling.
08:51We were in a house,
08:51basically,
08:52and it was just a week of rehearsals and going through all the lines together and reshaping the script together.
08:59Those were like such precious days together.
09:03It's great when it's great when it's great when you can have,
09:06when you,
09:07when it could be put in the budget that you can get rehearsal.
09:10You can't.
09:11Yeah.
09:12It's a win-win.
09:13You know,
09:14if you can get it,
09:14take it.
09:15Yeah,
09:16I don't ever see a situation where,
09:20I guess,
09:21not having a rehearsal works better than having rehearsal.
09:26I mean,
09:27we did have the opportunity to sit down together and have a table read and sit down and just kind
09:32of have our come to Jesus moment between myself and,
09:36um,
09:37I call them the quadrumbrate,
09:39uh,
09:40the four actors and,
09:41and to just go through the entire script and talk about the dialogue and,
09:46um,
09:46some of the changes that I had made,
09:49uh,
09:49to the dialogue and scenes that I had omitted and new scenes that I'd put in.
09:54So we did have that moment together and that was very helpful,
09:59but I would have loved to have had,
10:02um,
10:03a week of rehearsals,
10:04but next one,
10:05I'll have more money and more time.
10:08I refuse to.
10:10Yeah.
10:11I,
10:11I,
10:11I said,
10:12I can't,
10:12I can't do it without the two weeks.
10:14If you know,
10:15I have to have time with the actors and it's the only way we could do it.
10:20I tried for three,
10:20but I ended up with two.
10:21So it worked out.
10:23Well,
10:24let's talk about working with actors a little bit.
10:26Um,
10:27George Clooney,
10:28how is it directing George Clooney?
10:31Oh,
10:31it's fun.
10:33Uh,
10:33there's nothing more fun than directing.
10:36I hear he's difficult.
10:40Well,
10:41I tell you,
10:41at least the,
10:42uh,
10:42the actor knew what the director wanted.
10:44Um,
10:46but you know,
10:47it's a,
10:47it's a,
10:48it's a tricky thing.
10:49You know,
10:50Regina is an actress as well.
10:52And she knows what it's like,
10:53you know,
10:54you don't want to,
10:54you're breaking rules,
10:56right?
10:56You're breaking rules at actors.
10:57If Regina and I were doing a scene together,
11:00uh,
11:01in general,
11:01two actors,
11:02I wouldn't then that cut say,
11:04okay,
11:05could you do it a little faster?
11:06You know,
11:06it's,
11:06it's that the type of thing that actors should never break out ever,
11:10you know?
11:11And it's a very,
11:12you have to have trust with other actors to be able to do it.
11:15It's a do it with yourself.
11:17It's,
11:17you know,
11:18I have a,
11:19my best buddy and producing pal for 40 years,
11:23Grant,
11:23who sits behind a monitor and,
11:25you know,
11:25you want to do less takes on yourself than you want to do on other people.
11:29Cause you look like a schmuck otherwise.
11:30And so,
11:31you know,
11:31you do,
11:32you know,
11:32you do a couple of takes and you go,
11:35you know,
11:35that's fine.
11:36And then Grant will stick his head out and go do another take.
11:39Okay.
11:40You know,
11:42Regina,
11:43how come you didn't,
11:43did you go to the,
11:45oh,
11:45sorry.
11:45No,
11:45sorry.
11:46Go ahead.
11:46Yeah.
11:46I went to the monitor.
11:47Yeah.
11:47I would go to the monitor after every take and then look,
11:50and then I said,
11:51no,
11:51no,
11:51no,
11:52yeah.
11:52You know,
11:53no,
11:53not after every take I do kind of,
11:55when it was me on camera,
11:57I do like a run of two or some three or something.
12:00I didn't have,
12:01there weren't that long scenes,
12:02you know,
12:03and then the ice,
12:04you couldn't stay out that long,
12:05maybe 60 seconds and you were back in.
12:08Where'd you shoot it?
12:10Iceland.
12:11Yeah.
12:12That was,
12:13that was fun.
12:13It looks cold.
12:16And Regina,
12:18why did you opt not to act in your film?
12:22Oh,
12:23because I've had that experience once before,
12:28when I was acting and directing an episode of Southland,
12:33a show that I was on a few years back.
12:35And I don't want to ever do that again.
12:38I just,
12:39it was,
12:40I applaud,
12:41you know,
12:43George and Don Cheadle.
12:46I just,
12:47I,
12:47it just blows me away that you are able to just,
12:53I don't know.
12:54I just,
12:55my brain just doesn't want to work like that again.
12:59I felt like something was missing.
13:02And I guess you're going to always kind of feel like that anyway,
13:04as,
13:05as,
13:05as a,
13:05as a director,
13:07but I just felt like I just was not giving my all to either.
13:15You know,
13:16I was,
13:17it was maybe,
13:19maybe with the patients I have now,
13:22if I am ever asked to do that again,
13:27I'll,
13:28I'll reconsider.
13:30But it's,
13:31it's,
13:32it takes a lot of,
13:33you're,
13:34you're exercising kind of two different muscles in your brain at the same time,
13:41acting and directing.
13:42And it's,
13:44it's a big thing to ask of yourself.
13:46Chloe,
13:47having worked prior to Nomadland with people who aren't professional actors and then going to working with Frances McDormand,
13:55what was that transition like for you?
13:58Did she adjust to your style?
14:00Did you adjust to hers?
14:01How did it work?
14:04My friend's a dream to work with.
14:06You know,
14:06she,
14:07she,
14:07there's a huge part of firm is friend.
14:11You know,
14:11she is many,
14:13in many ways playing a version of herself.
14:14But for me,
14:15like there's always three babies on set for me.
14:17You know,
14:18there's the,
14:18the cast,
14:19there's the world and there's a camera.
14:21And,
14:22uh,
14:22I,
14:23there are times I have to decide who I'm favoring and who I'm compromising.
14:27It's a constant negotiation.
14:28It's never easy.
14:30But friend is a dream to work with in terms of bringing a professional actor into a situation like this,
14:36because she's,
14:38it doesn't matter what the non-professional actors throw at her.
14:40She's constantly present.
14:42She never for a moment go,
14:44that's not what I prepared.
14:45That's not what's on the pages.
14:46Her capacity to connect as a human being,
14:49to listen,
14:50is a huge,
14:51um,
14:53help for me to draw the performance out of my non-professional actors.
14:57Mm-hmm.
14:59Um,
15:00Spike and,
15:00and George Wolfe,
15:02uh,
15:02your films are sadly the,
15:04the last work we have from Chadwick Boseman.
15:07And I'm curious if you could talk at all about,
15:12did you know what he was physically struggling with at the time he was doing both of these quite demanding
15:18roles?
15:18George Wolfe,
15:19if you,
15:19if you want to start,
15:21you know,
15:21what was,
15:22what was Chadwick like on set?
15:24Chadwick was like,
15:25he,
15:25he was,
15:26I knew absolutely nothing.
15:28I knew absolutely,
15:29I had no sense of it.
15:31You know,
15:31he was,
15:32he would do take after take of these deep raw emotional moments at,
15:36there's a moment in the film where he breaks through this door and,
15:40and he kicked the door so violently that the door shattered and we had to figure out how to put
15:45it together.
15:46So every single thing that he was doing had this incredibly intense level of,
15:51of,
15:51of,
15:51of,
15:52of commitment to it.
15:53He was thinner,
15:54but I just,
15:55you know,
15:55I thought he was fasting or something like that,
15:57but there was no indication emotionally or physically that anything other,
16:02anything else was going on.
16:04And,
16:04you know,
16:05and then,
16:05you know,
16:06finish,
16:07you finished working with him.
16:09And then afterwards,
16:10he and I would,
16:11you know,
16:11talk about,
16:12you know,
16:12I sent him a script.
16:13He sent me a script.
16:14We would talk about maybe we were going to do a play.
16:15Then he saw a draft of that.
16:17And then a version of the film.
16:21And then we talked after that.
16:22And then we had an ADR session in June.
16:24So there was no indication other than the future and other than a ferocious commitment to what he was doing
16:30in the moment.
16:31And then I found out when the world found out and it was just,
16:36you know,
16:37devastating and shocking because I sensed nothing else was going on other than an actor giving every single ounce of
16:46heat of what he had to make that the character in the film and the moments come alive.
16:52So no,
16:54not at all.
16:55Spike,
16:55what about on the five bloods?
16:57I mean,
16:57you guys were in a remote location.
16:59It was very hot.
17:01He's playing a war hero.
17:03How,
17:04how was he?
17:05I did not know.
17:06George,
17:07I asked George,
17:08George didn't know.
17:09I asked Ryan Coogler.
17:10He said he didn't know.
17:12I don't,
17:12we didn't know.
17:13There was a very small circle that knew he was not going to be here for him that much longer.
17:19And I understand why he did not want people to know if I would have known.
17:25I mean,
17:25the,
17:25the,
17:25the first battle sequence in the film is a hundred degrees and he,
17:32we have shots.
17:33We have to run 50 yards like using bolt.
17:36I mean,
17:36he has to haul it.
17:40If he tells me that automatically,
17:43I'm not going to make him.
17:45I'm going to,
17:46I'm just have to react.
17:46I'm not going to push him as hard as I can.
17:50I can't talk to the other films,
17:52but my film.
17:54I didn't know.
17:57And he did not want any shortcuts.
18:01That's why I didn't say nothing.
18:04Any special treatment.
18:06Didn't want it.
18:09I believe I haven't talked to nobody.
18:12This is my belief.
18:14He knew his time was coming.
18:16And I think that he asked God for one more film.
18:20And I was going to be the five bloods and God gave him one more with Ma Rainey.
18:24That is my belief.
18:27His team,
18:28hair and makeup and his,
18:29they were incredibly intensely protective of him.
18:35And that was my only sense that maybe,
18:39but you know,
18:40but that's hindsight,
18:41but they were so,
18:43you know,
18:43brilliantly,
18:44lovely and protective of him.
18:46And,
18:47and saw him through that in an,
18:49in an extraordinary way.
18:50So,
18:51and it was the,
18:53I mean,
18:53in retrospect,
18:54the love that,
18:55that,
18:56and the energy of protection that they showered on,
18:59that they showered on him was just an amazing thing to witness.
19:02And I didn't realize what was going on until.
19:06Yeah.
19:07Same thing with,
19:07with,
19:08what my brother,
19:09George C.
19:10Wolf just said,
19:11they were on him.
19:13And,
19:14you know,
19:14he's black Panther,
19:16Jackie Robinson,
19:18James Brown,
19:19bigger Marshall.
19:20So I'm thinking like,
19:21maybe there's some Hollywood stuff.
19:23I don't know.
19:26they will be on him praying on him,
19:30massage him,
19:31you know,
19:32while waiting for a setup.
19:34So I don't know what that was.
19:37I wasn't going to disturb it.
19:40You know,
19:41do nothing with the process.
19:43So,
19:44but afterwards,
19:45like yourself,
19:46George,
19:46that was,
19:47then I thought,
19:49aha.
19:51It's interesting.
19:52When you watch him,
19:52it feels like it,
19:54in Ma Rainey's in particular,
19:55that by the end,
19:56you do feel like as an actor,
19:59you're watching an actor saying,
20:01I'm running out of time.
20:03I'm going to,
20:03I'm going to give it,
20:04you know,
20:05it's,
20:05it is,
20:06you know,
20:07he's probably going to win the Oscar this year.
20:09He shouldn't win it because he died.
20:11It's the,
20:12it's the best performance of the year.
20:14You know,
20:14he pours his heart out in that performance.
20:17And I,
20:18and unfortunately I watch it after he was gone and you're watching it and your mouth is
20:23just dropped open the whole time watching this incredible performance.
20:27It's just,
20:28you know,
20:28I just can't believe the loss,
20:29you know,
20:30I want to shift gears a little bit and talk about material.
20:35Isaac,
20:36you tell an autobiographical story in your film,
20:39and I'm curious how you chose to turn the lens on your,
20:45your own family and your own story.
20:50Yeah,
20:50this,
20:50this is actually my fourth film.
20:52And in a way it's what I always wanted to do maybe with my first film,
20:57you know,
20:57to dive in and kind of tell a story of my childhood.
21:00But I think I just needed to go through a lot of different things in life,
21:04experience becoming a father,
21:07experience failures,
21:10disappointments,
21:11a lot of different things that I feel like my,
21:13my mom and dad went through when they came to the U S.
21:18So it was around the time my daughter became the age that I was back then in,
21:24in terms of when this story is set,
21:27that I started to see the world more through her eyes and just being able to do
21:32that,
21:33being able to see the world through her eyes a bit,
21:35helped me to remember back to,
21:36to my childhood and gave me that impetus to really try to tell this story and,
21:42and to remember back what that was like.
21:44Regina,
21:45in your case,
21:46you're working from a play.
21:48How did you think about adapting from stage to screen?
21:55Well,
21:55I mean,
21:56you know,
21:56first thing that you're always thinking,
21:58and I'm sure Mr.
22:00Wolf was in the same place,
22:03you know,
22:03you want to,
22:05you don't want it to feel like a play,
22:08but part of the thing that attracted you to the piece is the dialogue.
22:14The words are the star.
22:16So it was coming to it with the intention of making sure that the dialogue
22:25remain the star,
22:26remain the star,
22:27but also trying to make sure that there was always a feeling of movement or energy,
22:36even if we are in the same place for a large part of the,
22:45of the piece.
22:47of the piece.
22:48So,
22:48Kemp Powers,
22:50who adapted his own play into the screenplay,
22:55did a really great job of opening the screenplay up so that we're meeting the four men at a time
23:07where they're like getting kicked in the gut,
23:10and are a moment that humanizes all of them.
23:18So taking that humanity and the vitality that all four of these men possess and translating that into the technical
23:31choices we went with.
23:34You know,
23:34I would say that I'm not the most,
23:37as far as my technical language is probably not so deep,
23:43but I'm very clear at explaining what it is that I want to accomplish.
23:49And so I have a great relationship with my DP,
23:54Tammy Riker,
23:55and she was very clear that color and saturation was really important to me.
24:04And,
24:04and that again,
24:06movement in the frame without the camera being a distraction was very important to keep the energy and not feel
24:15static when we're in the same place for so long.
24:18So hopefully that did translate.
24:22I feel good about it.
24:27The chemistry of your cast is the country of your cast.
24:31Regina is insane.
24:33Those four men in that,
24:34you know,
24:34it's the casting is incredible.
24:37Yeah.
24:37And,
24:38and that's what I felt when I read the script.
24:40I knew,
24:41like I said,
24:42the dialogue was so strong that.
24:45Four actors that truly understood that they were embodying for people and not doing an impersonation.
24:52To understand that,
24:54and that this was a slice of life and that the research is all of the things that took place
25:00in those men's life that led them to this moment right here was,
25:05was part of their research.
25:07I would be,
25:09you know,
25:09that'd be half the battle.
25:11So it was Chloe.
25:13The,
25:14the casting process was definitely a process,
25:18but I,
25:20there were just little moments for each of them.
25:23You know,
25:23a couple of them were sending tapes in because they were in other countries.
25:27I think Aldous was in Australia and Kingsley was in London.
25:33But there were just little moments with each of them that,
25:37and,
25:37and I'm sure you guys can relate to this as well,
25:40where you go,
25:41yeah,
25:42it's you,
25:43you know,
25:44there's,
25:44it's,
25:45it's sometimes it may not even be the best reading or the best audition,
25:49but it'll be just a little thing that lets you know they,
25:53they,
25:54they understand the journey that they're going to have to go on.
26:00And,
26:01um,
26:02yeah,
26:02the,
26:03the,
26:03the,
26:03the cast that the quadrum for it.
26:06Yeah.
26:08Paul,
26:08you were,
26:09you were nodding as Regina was saying,
26:11yeah,
26:12it's you.
26:12You have a,
26:13a young actress in your film who was new to me.
26:18And I'm curious how you cast her,
26:20what that process was like.
26:21Well,
26:22it,
26:22it,
26:23it's,
26:23it's that thing.
26:24When you start the film,
26:25you always have a sense of what your big challenge is going to be,
26:29what the thing that's going to be the most difficult.
26:32And,
26:33uh,
26:33I'd never worked with a child actor.
26:36And,
26:37uh,
26:37I thought to find an 11 year old girl who could play that part,
26:43uh,
26:44was going to be a great challenge.
26:45I knew she had to be German.
26:48Um,
26:49um,
26:50and,
26:50uh,
26:52I was sent a cop,
26:53a copy of system crasher that Helena was in and she was so amazing.
26:58I actually knew,
26:59I thought there can't possibly be two 11 year old girls in Germany as good as
27:04that.
27:05And,
27:05um,
27:06she,
27:06she,
27:06she came over and met her with her mom and we did some work in the
27:12afternoon.
27:14She was astonishingly good.
27:16And so I thought it was going to be a process of months seeing lots and lots
27:20of people.
27:21And it was going to be some agonizing decision of should it be her?
27:25Should it be her?
27:26It turned out to be the easiest decision.
27:28And then when it came to the first day,
27:32you know,
27:32you never know with a,
27:34particularly with a young 11 year old girl,
27:36how it's going to be with on a big set and Tom Hanks and all the rest of
27:41it.
27:43I mean,
27:43the first take,
27:44I just,
27:45I forgot all,
27:46all the anxiety because she was,
27:48she was so strong and confident and her technique was good and she was
27:53emotionally true.
27:55And she just was superb.
27:58I thought.
28:00What was the,
28:01the scene that technically gave you the most anxiety on your film?
28:06And we'll start with you,
28:07Paul.
28:07And then I'm curious to hear from some others.
28:11Well,
28:12probably there's a,
28:13there's a sort of shootout in the middle of it.
28:16And a chase.
28:17That was probably the hardest thing because it was physically the hardest.
28:21I mean,
28:21we had to go up a quite a high bluff and we had to climb on ropes.
28:27It took sort of two hours to get to positions.
28:30And then there were all sorts of safety issues once you got there.
28:34And,
28:35you know,
28:36beautiful rattlesnakes everywhere to welcome us.
28:39And that was quite a challenge.
28:40And it was amazing actually how quickly you sort of forgot.
28:45And,
28:46you know,
28:46somebody would come up and say,
28:47there's a rattler about eight feet away.
28:49And you go,
28:50fine.
28:50Don't worry.
28:50Can we shoot?
28:52You know?
28:53But that was,
28:54that was quite challenging.
28:55What about you?
28:57Where were you?
28:58Well,
28:58I was,
28:58where were you?
28:59New Mexico.
29:00You were,
29:01oh,
29:01wow.
29:01New Mexico.
29:02Just out of Santa Fe.
29:04It'll wear you down.
29:06You know,
29:07mine was,
29:08you know,
29:08it's easy.
29:09It was,
29:10it was the space stuff,
29:11you know,
29:12the,
29:12the spacewalk and leading to the bleeding out,
29:15you know,
29:16it's,
29:16you know,
29:17I'd done gravity with Alfonso.
29:19I'd done Solaris with Steven Soderberg.
29:21So I'd worked with some really good directors in that.
29:24And Alfonso in particular was always ahead of the technology.
29:28He was always,
29:29we were waiting for the technology to catch up for the things he was trying to do.
29:33So what was supposed to take,
29:35you know,
29:36a few months took a lot longer because of it.
29:39And I was the benefit.
29:40I benefited from that in a way.
29:42I had some advantages.
29:43Some of the technology has caught up and surpassed it.
29:46The VR stuff.
29:48But you know,
29:49it's,
29:49it's still,
29:49you're still putting actors on wires and trying not to cross them up,
29:53which is believe it or not,
29:54incredibly complicated and having them,
29:57you know,
29:58getting them to be able to speak fast,
30:00but move slowly.
30:01Cause that's what space is.
30:03And then getting to the sequence where they're on top of each other for the
30:06blood sequence.
30:08It was just,
30:08you know,
30:09I mean,
30:09that's not the kind of world I've worked in before.
30:12So that was complicated.
30:13That was all.
30:15How many of you,
30:16if I could just see a show of hands,
30:17how many of you have been in production on something during COVID?
30:23You mean post-production?
30:24Or,
30:25oh,
30:25I was thinking production,
30:26but,
30:27uh,
30:28uh,
30:28Regina,
30:28I think you,
30:29you did some shooting for one night in Miami during COVID,
30:32right?
30:32What,
30:32what was that like?
30:33What was the sort of biggest challenge of it?
30:35Um,
30:38probably waiting for everyone's tests to come back,
30:41uh,
30:42negative.
30:43Um,
30:44that,
30:45that created the most anxiety.
30:47Um,
30:49my test was a test that came back inconclusive or non-conclusive.
30:54So that was terrifying.
30:56Um,
30:58and I knew that from constant meetings with the DGA,
31:03that if that was the case,
31:06you know,
31:07the production shouldn't go on,
31:09but I wanted to finish my film.
31:11So I was,
31:14you know,
31:15I think as everybody knows,
31:17we're always up against,
31:19uh,
31:20some things never go perfectly.
31:22So we're always in a solution based,
31:25you know,
31:25place,
31:26you know,
31:26we kind of,
31:28yes,
31:28emotion has to do with it,
31:29but you kind of always have to put that to the side.
31:31So I put the emotion to the side and just started thinking solution based.
31:37Okay.
31:37So can we,
31:39uh,
31:39one of the PAs who had,
31:41um,
31:42uh,
31:42a negative test?
31:43Can we get them an iPad and they'll just be,
31:46you know,
31:47designated person with the iPad with me while I'm directing from home.
31:51We ended up not having to do that because we were able to,
31:54um,
31:55I was able to get another test that came back just in time,
31:58uh,
31:59for us to start shooting.
32:00So that was the most,
32:02um,
32:03that created the most anxiety.
32:05And then just the being on set,
32:08we're so used to doing things the way we do with them,
32:12you know,
32:12with not being within six feet of each other and,
32:15and,
32:15and congregating around a monitor.
32:18So it was,
32:19uh,
32:21it was just difficult to reprogram your mind to shoot something that is
32:28actually a galvanizing moment,
32:31but treat it as though you're all in individual bubbles.
32:41It was,
32:42it was,
32:43it was very tense.
32:45I mean,
32:45we got through it and,
32:46and everyone was given their a game and wanted the film to be finished and
32:52really believed in the story that we were telling.
32:55So we got there,
32:56but I talked to many of the crew members after the fact and,
33:00um,
33:00it,
33:01it was,
33:01it was very stressful.
33:03You know,
33:03no one really spoke about it in the moment,
33:06but,
33:06uh,
33:06it was a lot of anxiety because they have the people on set that are like
33:10six feet,
33:11six feet,
33:12you know,
33:12as soon as you get,
33:13Oh,
33:13six feet.
33:14And you were like,
33:14Oh shit,
33:15you know,
33:16and,
33:17uh,
33:18but when we got through it and,
33:19um,
33:20I went on and shot another film as if that wasn't,
33:24uh,
33:25for me.
33:28One of the businesses,
33:30many businesses that's been really devastated by the pandemic is the
33:35theatrical,
33:35uh,
33:36exhibition business.
33:38Um,
33:39I'm curious for those of you who have films going in theatrical release.
33:43Um,
33:43and I'll start with you,
33:44Chloe,
33:44did you ever consider with Fox searchlight doing it differently or going to a
33:52streamer?
33:53Or what were the options that you weighed?
33:55Well,
33:56there there's forces outside ourselves right now that we can't,
34:00you know,
34:00the pandemic,
34:01we don't know how it's going to pan out,
34:03uh,
34:03was safe,
34:06but I was just been thinking about it recently,
34:08you know,
34:09like this thing right here,
34:11there's very few places now in the world,
34:14including airplanes that I have to shut this off,
34:17being in a dark room with strangers and be told a story together.
34:22Very few places left.
34:24And I just think that it's incredibly important that we help preserve that.
34:31So we'll do what we can.
34:34Yeah.
34:35Yeah.
34:35I agree.
34:36Yeah.
34:36Paul,
34:37Paul,
34:37how,
34:37how has the pandemic affected the way you are approaching the rollout of news of the
34:43world?
34:43You obviously shot it with the big screen in mind.
34:47Yeah.
34:48And there aren't any,
34:50not many around,
34:51but,
34:51but we are going to give it a universe.
34:54We're going to give it a go in,
34:55in North America.
34:56And,
34:57you know,
34:57I admire them for,
34:58for doing that,
34:59to be fair.
35:00I mean,
35:00I think it's,
35:02you know,
35:03there's not going to be the business around that normally the wood,
35:07but,
35:07but I think we have to,
35:09I personally believe,
35:12you know,
35:12theatres will be back.
35:14The cinematic experience will be back.
35:15I think by the summer,
35:17it will look very,
35:18very different.
35:19I think that the vaccines are going to get us back to normal.
35:25I mean,
35:26I think that,
35:27so I think the first part of the crisis in the business will be surmounted.
35:32I think the second part of the crisis,
35:34which is the change and the fact that theatrical is going to have to coexist in some form with,
35:41streaming,
35:42I think is,
35:43is a change that,
35:44that is going to stay with us.
35:47And all of the,
35:48you know,
35:49whether they're theatrical studios who are going to have to,
35:52or,
35:52and are trying to grow streaming services alongside or streaming services that are trying to create theatrical offerings alongside,
36:00everyone's going to congregate in some version of that ground where theatrical movies coexist with streams.
36:08And I think it'll be fine myself.
36:11I'm optimistic about it.
36:13I think people will go and see movies.
36:16And I think movies will be back in business in a big way.
36:19And when I think to when I was a kid,
36:23when,
36:23when you went to see a film,
36:26you saw it once or maybe twice in the week that it was around in your local cinema.
36:31And then you wouldn't see it again for probably 10 years,
36:35if not longer.
36:36You know,
36:36it wasn't like the word DVDs or anything like that.
36:43Now kids experience movies,
36:46they might watch their,
36:46their,
36:47their movie 30,
36:4840 times and they'll watch it.
36:49They might go to the movies and then they'll,
36:52they might watch it streamed.
36:53They might watch it on their phones.
36:56That's technology.
36:57Then that's consumer choice.
37:00You can't stand against it.
37:01We have to learn to live in that world and,
37:04and take the positives.
37:06That's my view.
37:07Yeah.
37:07May I just add one quick thing to that?
37:11I do think that this is no,
37:14not at all a criticism for streaming at all.
37:16As a matter of fact,
37:17some of my favorite films that I made recently,
37:20recent years are made possible because of streaming services.
37:24It's more,
37:26when there's a natural disaster,
37:28when there's something,
37:29a state of emergency,
37:30we kind of hope that,
37:31you know,
37:32our politicians can put their differences aside and come together.
37:35And I feel that way about our industry leaders as well.
37:39You know,
37:39healthy competitions aside,
37:42this is a bit of a state of emergency.
37:44You know,
37:44I hope people will still want to go back to the theaters,
37:47but will they still be there?
37:48I just wish that all the leaders and people are in power in our industry,
37:53while having their healthy competitions,
37:55also have some kind of dialogue,
37:57you know,
37:57say some space aside and talk about longevity,
38:01nurturing our industry,
38:03because our government isn't giving us the funding in,
38:05in this type of emergency to preserve culture.
38:07And it's the job of our industry leaders to do that,
38:11I think.
38:12A lot of Warner's filmmakers are upset right now because they learned from reading in the press that their movies
38:21would be released on HBO Max instead of in theaters.
38:23The DGA called that,
38:26I think,
38:26quote,
38:27unacceptable in a letter to Ann Sarnoff.
38:30I'm curious.
38:31I mean,
38:31Spike,
38:32if you found out that way,
38:33that your movies release plan was changed,
38:36how,
38:36how would you feel?
38:37What would your reaction be?
38:39Are people overreacting or is this an appropriate reaction?
38:45Look,
38:45people are going to do what they want to do,
38:48but,
38:48uh,
38:49you can't get somebody heads up,
38:52you know,
38:54respect.
38:54I mean,
38:55why are they,
38:55why are they going to read about it in the trades?
38:57Pick up the phone,
38:59send a text,
39:00send an email.
39:01I think that's common decency.
39:04Yeah.
39:05I agree.
39:06Yep.
39:07Yeah.
39:08Between the pandemic,
39:10the election,
39:11the Black Lives Matter movement,
39:122020 was a year of major cultural shifts.
39:16What do you think are the changes we experienced this year that will be lasting?
39:20One of the things that struck me about all the films,
39:24you know,
39:25of the,
39:25that's representative of the directors here,
39:27they're all about trying to figure out how you belong in a world where you,
39:32where you no longer belong.
39:34And,
39:35and,
39:36you know,
39:36and I,
39:37I,
39:37I found that incredibly powerful and very moving that,
39:41you know,
39:42you know,
39:43seven different people are wrestling with the same dynamic because I think this particular,
39:48you know,
39:48the planet is,
39:49but this country has really been wrestling with that.
39:52And I found,
39:53I found something about that very reassuring that it's people looking to connect the way
39:59they've connected in the past,
40:00but the rules have all changed and the landscape is all changed.
40:03And so how do you go forward?
40:05And how do you,
40:05how do you embody the things that make you so,
40:09so fragile and so connected as a human being?
40:12How do you preserve that?
40:13You know,
40:14it's sitting in a dark theater with strangers watching something wondrous or people traveling around landscapes that are,
40:21that are fraught with violence and,
40:23and fear and horror.
40:24And,
40:25you know,
40:25it was,
40:26you know,
40:27none of us have had a collective conversation,
40:29but we were all in our own way exploring,
40:32you know,
40:33where do I belong?
40:34How do I defend that?
40:36which needs to be defended and protected and honored.
40:38And that I thought was really fascinating.
40:41I love that.
40:42I totally agree.
40:43Yeah.
40:44I love that.
40:45Yeah.
40:47One of the changes this year was that the Academy announced some new rules for taking the inclusion of a
40:55cast and crew into account when determining whether a film is Oscar eligible.
41:01And I'm curious for those of you who've had a chance to think about those rules.
41:06Do you think they're a good idea?
41:08Do they go far enough?
41:10Too far?
41:12Spike,
41:13any thoughts?
41:15Why are you calling on me?
41:17You,
41:17because you look down.
41:18You look,
41:19you went like this.
41:20I knew,
41:21I knew right away.
41:22You look down.
41:25To tell you the truth,
41:27I don't understand the rules.
41:29I'm not saying they shouldn't be there,
41:31but is there a number?
41:35I just never been,
41:36I don't know exactly what the rules are and what the criteria is.
41:43I mean,
41:44if so,
41:44if you have two black PAs,
41:46that,
41:46that means you're eligible.
41:48What position are we talking about?
41:50Oh,
41:51that's funny.
41:53Yeah.
41:54I'm not,
41:54I'm not trying to be funny,
41:55but I just don't understand.
41:57Maybe I'm glad that somebody would,
41:58the Academy would tell me,
42:00like,
42:00what,
42:00how does this thing work?
42:02That was my first thing.
42:03How does this work?
42:05In all honesty,
42:06like Spike,
42:07I have not really read through them all,
42:10you know,
42:11to,
42:11to really know in detail.
42:13So I think,
42:14I don't know who,
42:15who has,
42:16that's part of this group right now,
42:20but it's kind of hard to speak on something when you don't know all of the particulars.
42:27I guess in theory,
42:27it sounds like a great idea to give opportunity to people who don't get the opportunity,
42:34who continuously get looked over.
42:37But then there's also the thought of how do you fulfill those requirements when you're shooting in Iceland,
42:43you know,
42:45so,
42:45they have blacks in Iceland.
42:50Two.
42:51Two.
42:54And,
42:55and,
42:55you know,
42:57there's a very specific relationship between white and black people in America,
43:01just because of the history of black people coming to America and how we got here.
43:07But when you talk about inclusivity,
43:10you know,
43:11we're,
43:11we're talking about more than just black people.
43:15We're talking about women.
43:16We're talking about how you identify as a gender.
43:20So I don't know how all of that plays in the,
43:24the rules.
43:25So I feel like you,
43:27you're kind of getting a bit of silence from everyone when you pose that question,
43:30because we're all kind of like,
43:32well,
43:33we don't really,
43:35what spikes it know quite what it is.
43:40They are the rules.
43:42These new rules are pages long.
43:44So definitely understand people not having them at the ready.
43:49It does seem like the Academy is trying to address the issue that comes up often during Oscar nominations,
43:58whereby there are seemingly there's not representation,
44:04particularly on a lot of the crafts spike.
44:08like I think in my opinion,
44:15you rectify this by having those people in the room that I call the gatekeepers.
44:24The gatekeepers are the one that decide what film's getting made and what film doesn't get made.
44:30Not the Academy.
44:32You have to go to that high rarefied air of the people who have green light votes at studios and
44:44networks.
44:45They're the ones that have the power.
44:48And that's where I love my man,
44:50Lin,
44:50Lin,
44:51Lin Manuel,
44:52Manuel,
44:53you got to be in the room.
44:55If we're not in the room,
44:57the shit out of luck.
45:01Great song too,
45:03from Hamilton.
45:05Shit out of luck.
45:07Shit out of luck.
45:08Yeah,
45:08exactly.
45:09That's the next one.
45:12S.O.L.
45:13For short,
45:14S.O.L.
45:14Better for the one sheet.
45:17Rebecca,
45:18also,
45:18I want to,
45:19I want to say,
45:19I want to give a shout out to my professor spike here because,
45:23you know,
45:23change takes time.
45:24I spent a lot of times on a,
45:26on a reservation in South Dakota.
45:27There's quick changes.
45:29People come in and donate a lot of stuff and leave,
45:32but there's also a result oriented,
45:34but real change takes time.
45:37Sustainable change takes time.
45:38And you got to build from the ground up,
45:40you know,
45:41and,
45:41and spike dedicated so much to his years teaching at NYU.
45:45Part of the,
45:46the fight that I had in me,
45:47he put it in there as well.
45:49You know,
45:49so I think it's about education as well.
45:52It's about building from the ground up and that's going to take another
45:55generation to see results,
45:56but those results are the most important ones.
46:01Yeah.
46:01So for those who don't know,
46:03Chloe was spike's student at NYU professors and just saying something she's
46:07saying to,
46:07to be nice.
46:09It's pretty cool.
46:11So we are as,
46:14as you should be,
46:16as you should be.
46:16In fairness though,
46:18spike does make us all call him professional.
46:20So I just want to say.
46:26So we're going to shift gears to.
46:29You're funny.
46:29You're funny.
46:32Professional,
46:33man.
46:33Come on.
46:35I know.
46:37Well,
46:37that's a perfect segue.
46:38We're going to shift gears to some of the closing questions,
46:40which are lighter in nature.
46:42The first one is what movies have gotten you through this pandemic?
46:46What has been a respite when you needed some escape?
46:50Regina,
46:51what did you watch?
46:53Start with Regina.
46:56Start with Regina.
46:59Oh,
46:59goodness.
47:02Oh,
47:03movies.
47:05It has to be a movie.
47:08It does not have to be a movie.
47:10What,
47:10whatever made you feel good this past year watching or listening?
47:17Um,
47:18listening to a lot of music.
47:20Uh,
47:21so let's go with music.
47:23Yeah.
47:23That,
47:23that's a safe space,
47:24uh,
47:25to go because,
47:26um,
47:28I feel like most of the films that I've seen,
47:31you know,
47:32we're,
47:33we're all,
47:34George so eloquently pointed out,
47:37uh,
47:38our,
47:39our,
47:39our,
47:40all of our films are,
47:41uh,
47:41have great questions of,
47:44uh,
47:46human questions that kind of leave you to,
47:49to,
47:49to think,
47:50uh,
47:51um,
47:51and not that that's not good,
47:52but as far as taking you away,
47:54you know,
47:55I'm still watching golden girls episodes that,
47:58that,
47:58that,
47:59that works for me.
48:00Um,
48:02but music wise,
48:04um,
48:05this group that has been around for a minute,
48:07but I just love their music.
48:10I've been listening to this group called tank and the bangers and the lead
48:14singer is this young woman who just is just vibrant in her voice.
48:23Um,
48:24um,
48:26is she can just do so many different things with her voice.
48:29And then I discovered a young woman who just seems like Sarah Bond is in
48:35Ella Fitzgerald are both living in her body,
48:38but Samara joy,
48:40uh,
48:41if anybody has the opportunity to check her out on YouTube,
48:45this girl looks like she's about 16 years old and opens up her mouth.
48:50And literally it sounds like she is like,
48:55like if you close your eyes,
48:57you would think you're,
48:58you're hearing Sarah Vaughn and you see this face,
49:02this beautiful,
49:03beautiful,
49:04precious baby,
49:05if you will.
49:06And just all of this power and emotion comes out.
49:10And when I watch her and when I listened to her,
49:13it just,
49:14she just,
49:14her name is Samara joy.
49:16And she brings me joy.
49:17Hmm.
49:19Anybody else have any film show music spike?
49:23Well,
49:24for me,
49:25I'm going to,
49:27I'm going to piggyback on my sister,
49:29Regina.
49:30I'm going to add film to your music.
49:33I've been a musical thing.
49:35So I'm,
49:35I'm in my,
49:36I've been in a pandemic.
49:37I was in my Roger the Hammerstein.
49:41Shit.
49:43Carousel.
49:43Really?
49:44Oklahoma.
49:47Sound of music.
49:52What am I missing?
49:55I'm missing.
49:56Those are some heavy hitters.
49:57Mm-hmm.
49:58But,
49:58uh,
49:59I find that very unsettling.
50:00Oh,
50:01South Pacific.
50:02Did I say South Pacific?
50:03Yeah,
50:04South Pacific.
50:05Yeah,
50:06I mean,
50:06just so,
50:07that's where I've been,
50:09but then.
50:10Wow.
50:11When it,
50:12stuff will trigger.
50:13So,
50:14when,
50:14when my favorite,
50:18007,
50:20passed,
50:21where I had to go back to,
50:23Oh.
50:24Dr. No.
50:25Let me tell you a funny story.
50:26My mother was a cinephile.
50:28Swear to God.
50:29She died when I was in more house.
50:31I was sophomore in college.
50:32But she was,
50:32my father hated,
50:34my father's a Japanese musician,
50:35hated movies.
50:38My mother loved films.
50:39So,
50:40I'm the eldest.
50:40So,
50:41my mother would drag me to movie theaters.
50:43So,
50:43she took me to see Thunderball.
50:46So,
50:47no,
50:47till we see Goldfinger.
50:48So,
50:49I'm in a movie theater saying like,
50:51Mommy,
50:52why is that lady's name
50:53Pussy Galore?
50:54Ha!
50:56She said,
50:57shut up and watch the movie.
51:01True story.
51:03So,
51:03I went back to Dr.
51:04George,
51:05I mean,
51:06Sean Connery.
51:07That was like,
51:07God,
51:08I never got to meet him.
51:10All right.
51:11Next question.
51:14What do people think directing is that it isn't?
51:18What do people get wrong about directing?
51:21Paul,
51:21let's start with you.
51:25Wow.
51:28Well,
51:29I think people think it's easy.
51:32I remember,
51:33I went a few years ago,
51:34my dad,
51:35he's very,
51:36very old now.
51:36He's about 95.
51:37And he was at sea all his life.
51:42And so he was away quite a bit when I was young.
51:45Anyway,
51:46he,
51:46I think it was Captain Phillips.
51:49We had a screening of Captain Phillips and I got up an inches and he came and I made a
51:54little speech.
51:55And I said,
51:56you know,
51:57as I get older,
51:58I realized that I'm my father's son.
52:00And actually directing is a little bit like going to sea because you have a map called a script and
52:07you,
52:07you have a crew and you have a cargo and your job is to get the cargo to port safely
52:14on time.
52:15And you got to deal with the weather and all the rest of it.
52:18I thought it was a very pretty little speech.
52:22Afterwards,
52:23my dad said to me,
52:24what are you talking about?
52:26He said,
52:26I worked.
52:30I worked properly hard work.
52:33It wasn't like all that making movies stuff.
52:37That's not a real job.
52:41Fair enough.
52:42George Clooney,
52:43what do people get wrong about directing?
52:46I think,
52:47I think Paul has something that that's kind of the idea.
52:50They think that directing starts when the movie starts when you say action and it's over when the movie's over
52:56and you say,
52:57you know,
52:57cut,
52:58that's our wrap,
52:59you know,
52:59and that there's so,
53:01you know,
53:02there's nine months of prep beforehand and there's,
53:04you know,
53:05a year of post afterwards that I don't think people understand,
53:08but you know,
53:09it's a funny thing.
53:09I have to say,
53:11Paul,
53:11it is funny to me too,
53:12though,
53:13because we'll get in these things,
53:15you know,
53:15we'll have these conversations sometimes and it will become like,
53:19you know,
53:19this was really hard.
53:20They'll ask me about like being in the snow and they'll be like,
53:23was it really hard for you as an actor?
53:25And I'm like,
53:25yeah,
53:25it was hard.
53:26But you know,
53:27I used to cut tobacco for a living in Kentucky for $3 and 30 cents an hour.
53:32And I remember watching Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
53:36You remember that show with the,
53:37whatever his name wasn't.
53:39And they would always talk about like,
53:41you know,
53:42what they were doing was so hard.
53:43You know,
53:44you'd hear some famous actor go,
53:46it's so hard.
53:47It's so hard.
53:48And I'm like sitting there covered in tobacco juice going,
53:51it's not that fucking hard,
53:52you know,
53:55because we are doing what we love.
53:58I mean,
53:58even if you're working 17 hour days,
54:02we're doing the thing.
54:03We get to be kids.
54:05We get to do all of us here in this room.
54:08We get to,
54:09we love what we do for a living.
54:11And so that takes all the work part as hard as it can be at times.
54:16And it makes me still feel guilty to call these things jobs because we love what we do.
54:21And most people work for the weekends,
54:24you know,
54:25and they get to the weekend so they can enjoy them.
54:27And so I just feel like,
54:28you know,
54:29we are lucky in a way.
54:31And it's,
54:31and by the way,
54:32it's really fun.
54:33I,
54:33when you say,
54:34what did we watch?
54:34I watched your films and I couldn't believe how beautiful they were.
54:38And I can't believe what an honor it is to be here with you guys.
54:41And,
54:41and thank you,
54:43you know,
54:43that and money heist and money.
54:50It's just fun.
54:51Well,
54:52that seems like a great place to end this.
54:55Thank you all so much.
54:56This has been a great conversation for close up with the Hollywood reporter.
55:00I'm Rebecca Keegan.
55:05Spike is ready.
55:06I know.
55:07I know you want to.
55:10Are you okay?
55:11Oh no.
55:12Hi,
55:13I'm Brad Pitt.
55:14Thanks for watching the Hollywood reporters round table on YouTube.
55:18I know I don't look so good,
55:19but ever since I won an Oscar,
55:21I said,
55:21fuck it.
55:25Hello.
55:25My name is Spike Lee.
55:26Hi,
55:27I'm Chloe Zhao.
55:28Hi,
55:28my name is Isaac Chung.
55:29Hi,
55:30I'm Regina King.
55:31Hi,
55:31my name is Paul Greengrass.
55:33Hi,
55:33I'm George Seawolf.
55:34Hi,
55:34I'm George Clooney.
55:35And thank you for watching.
55:37The Hollywood Reporters.
55:38The Hollywood Reporter Round Tables.
55:41On YouTube.