MARISA TOMEI | FULL FAN EXPO CHICAGO PANEL

[Music] [Applause] I just realized there's no clock here so you didn't have to let now how you right around here that let you know you know the timing but whatever uh how are youj so far well I just I justed but I thank you listen one you have done so many cool things in your career but there's going to be people out there that have actually never seen anything that you've done so what would you like me [Laughter] to what I was trying to get to me was if someone is actually you what's the first thing you'd like them watching and why uh well I I leave that to you what do you think they should [Applause] [Music] I I promise I've [Applause] seen uh so I love asking this of uh actors and you've done theater you've done movies what do you wish more people knew about like being an actor on both the stage and in movies um you're just starting off it's a very hard question what do I wish I mean I don't I don't think that way um what why did he ask me about I don't know what what say about I'll switch to something else um one of the things you done I I like throwing curve balls at the beginning and so this is why I yeah I'm call you right on it man why like cball make me feel comfortable first then maybe [Applause] back if you don't mind to earli in your career okay so uh you actually were part of a different world that long time ago uh and that was early in your career when you know bring any gig was going to be fantastic for you what was it like being a part of a of a TV show early in your career when you were just trying to you know make it well I had been in the theater company for a long time before that and I uh and I was on a soap op called um as Ro terms and so I worked a lot at that point and then and and then some I don't remember how I wounded up auditioning for a different world but um I was already really close with Lisa Bon friends from an AC class and so and they had someone else cast in that part and then I guess they dropped out my audition I audition like everybody else it just worked out so great uh a lot of people like to talk about my cousin VY and obviously you won an Oscar and it was amazing but that year you also got to do chap with Richard adoro um and what if you don't mind what do you remember about working with Richard and being a part of that project um L of these questions rely on my memory General um what do I remember about Richard abber well I named my cat after my character at that time because Robert dra told me to do that he said any time to get a pet name your next pet after your current character so my cat was named Mel Norman and that was name my character in The in Oscar I mean in um movie Oscar um in the in Chapman and um you know it was a very different time of making movies now everything is made on digital most things very unusual for it to be on film but but that was on film so it's it's a different pace and it's for me a much more enjoyable process because it's it's a little slower and the director is really with you all the time now the director a thing called video Village so they stay far away and they're just watching the monitor but at that time and particularly with that level of of brilliant director who's very invested in all the characters he that they they would stay very very close to you on the set like you know closer than you and I are right now the camera would be fairly close but the director would be very very close to actually just watch your face and feel your energy and not just kind of look on the tiny like almost uh phone siiz screen and and then be surprised what you see in the edit later and yeah then you could it was a really different kind of dialogue and you could be directed and you had to get it all right from the beginning like okay take the way you did the beginning part of this and put it with the way you did the end part of that CU you have to do the whole run it wasn't really of course they edit things but it was just a different kind of very very different kind of process really high bar and they had recreated the old Hollywood too so that was really fun so we shot like um out in I think in Ventura where all the orange ropes were which is where the old movies used to be shot so we had an outdoor platform kind of like this with big white sails that were reflecting and and kind of creating the soft light on the actress like it would have been done in the 20s and 30s so it was like stepping into time and getting to pretend that I was doing movies when they were first being creative that it was really really special on that way I I am a big fan of your work and I'm just curious how have you changed as an actor from when you first started to now when you are getting ready for a role do you have a similar process in terms of how you prepare or have you refined it as your career is going and every project is different and and whatever is required if it's different research or if it's um like um kind of finding a person who really reminds you of the character and that's your anchor and you hang out for more or um there's a lot of different it depends on if a if a role is really physical it's really just the rhythm if it's a comedy or a drama it's very different for each one you can kind of prepare differently one do you still get nervous before in first stay of filment uh yeah uh I'm curious you've done like I've said so many cool things what do you what do you think was the most work you did in terms of preparing for a role before stepping on set yeah you're giving me a memory question again don't really have back and I don't really remember things kind of like until like my friends always have to tell me what happened um so I can't say the most work everything gets 100% or more of my attention when we're doing it it's not something that just takes over your dreams and it's just always always with you I'm going to do a play in New York now right in that back that's sitting there that my friend is carrying it has my little script with me so I have with me at all times can you say what the play no it's called bab it's um it's off Broadway at the Signature Theater so if you're coming to New York you can see it and October all the way through the end of the year Broadway is there a difference um between in the audiences or is it um like or what do you enjoy so much about continuing to return to uh there there's not of difference in the audiences this is really special because I get to meet all of you and it's a different because yeah give yourself [Applause] a so yeah it's it's I mean Broadway is big like big like this room and even bigger thousands of people and Off Broadway is really nice and intimate and it's kind of better for character drums and things like that uh I did not know this but when I was researching to talk with you uh I read that you did wait until dark in 1998 with Quint Tarantino as a co-star and I had no idea that you did that or that you did you know Broadway like that or up Broadway at my sure do you remember working with him on stage he off try remember it was it's Broadway Broadway it based on a play the original play that then became a movie I think audre H was in that movie and then uh then they revived it as a play so supposed to be very scary today um yeah it uh we toured it out of town we toured it in Boston first we tried it out of town then we brought it into New York and um you know it's just like when you ask me what do you remember I give you something more specific like it's just work because a lot of obviously everyone in this room knows Quin and they know that Quin can do like little Parts in his movies but you know like to be on stage and you know it's not something that I knew that he did and um you're in a we position work well I guess it was at the time it just like a desire that he had that he just kind of wanted to try out I can't really speak for him but that's the feeling that I got that was just on like hey this would be fun kind of list and he's that kind of guy like what would be fun to do um and um yeah it was rest of the blur I am going to touch on My Cousin Vinny because it means so much to so many people you making the film I know going back to making the film but did you when you were making it did you have a feeling way this could be really special no no it was only the second film I had done I had done a review with Sylvester Stone called Oscar right before that moving C baby um and that was really fun I I do recall that um was very fun and I had a lot of fun with him on that and and so this then when my cousin Vinnie came along it was just I just auditioned and um but Joe Pa did pick me personally it was his choice so that made me feel very comfortable when I got there and uh no it's certainly we didn't know that it would be any any that we would still get to have fans now or get to meet all of you now uh and that the comedy would hold up and last it was very very well written script um and those those things are hard to find it really well cast like each each character is and each actor is so well drawn I I think everyone just we we had a lot of fun doing it and and I it was the biggest learning curve I ever had I was never it was the second time I was on a movie set and I was I would never been on location before so I had I had to learn a lot and Joe was very patient with me told me what he knew I was fing channels the other day and I saw Seinfeld and you popped up on screen because you did an episode of Seinfeld and you played your um so I I know again I'm going back into history but what what what was it like being offered that role and being on that show at the time cuz it was incredibly popular when you did it uh yeah I got I kind of thought I mean I always loved I Love Lucy when I was a kid and I remember that all there were a lot of different guest stars so I thought oh my God I'm going to get to be a guar on a popular show it's just kind of was like a Lucille Bish kind of thing to me and um they asked and uh I I remember asking they why would you even ask me to do this I wasn't really sure but it was just it really just had to do with like the rhythm of my name like D D D D D D D D anyway where's that going where going so it was really just luck of the JW that the right Rhythm for that TV right now is you were you have been very selective in your career about the TV guest thoughts you've done um but TV right now is producing such high quality stuff have you been offered any roles or there any are you interested in pursuing um a character over multiple Seasons yeah I think that would be really really fun thing to do I I might have missed the peak TV wave but I'm definitely open to that um obviously I have to touch on the fact that you're a part of the Marlin universe and um people love your work as an M um when you credit is to John Watts for homeing those films because like he made it look so easy when it's so hard and I'm just curious to talk a little bit about collaborating with him um on set because I I just think he did such a great job uh well John had done a couple of he had done a he was known for his Indies really and really for a lot of action in his Indies with some comedy and also working with kids so it was kind of the perfect fit and when I met with him he said it's just we're just going to pretend it's an independent movie like forget all the bells and whistles forget the budget we're just going to do it like it's an envy and we're going to do it like character focused and um and that's what he did True News were and I had a great time with him I I miss him a lot it was a great when you when you think about the different Marvel things you were a part of is there a day or two that I know it's a Memory question but like is there a day or two that um like stands out or just let any you know cool stories from SE that you can share nope I love but it's just so fantastic and it's just such a fantastic film um about of playing that role because you played it so just raw and gritty and honest and it's just so good I want you want to know that oh I just wanted to know you just talk about being a part in film and you know getting ready to play a role like that where it's just you're putting yourself out uh well I went to high school with Daren a a directed it and uh he was a little younger than he was my brother's class so I kind of knew him a little bit and um he had as I trusted him very much and we talked about you know what would be involved and I was certainly like hesitant um but ultimately you know he said you know I'll I'll be with you the whole time I'm not going to I'm not going to let you sink it was definitely a scary Challenge and um uh and it was and it was a very low wge it was really like rough and tumble shooting it and it was kind of a harrowing it was it was cold it was like nework New Jersey like in a strip bar like a real strip bar like filthy it was like gross um but it was authentic it was the real thing I remember the first day like being on the set and around where the trailers were and I looked across and I I just thought there were a bunch of resters around but it was Mickey was already there like so in character he was just unrecognizable at to me and he was completely in the own um so uh it was really something to behold I think just given some of the great great performances I don't know if you've seen him in po French Village or anything like that it's just a really great actor that I've always admired so it was um it he did another transformation with that that part everyone in that film amazing work if you haven't seen the wrestler I strongly suggest checking it out um do you have a preference when you're making you see me looking at my kind lot of exercise that one yeah do you have a reference in terms of you what what's great about your career as youve worked on as you said as a wrestler small budget not a lot of time inde and then you've also worked on these massive Hollywood movies do you have a like a preference in terms of um or do you just enjoy the bouncing back and forth in terms of you know like smaller movies bigger movies an act's life is just you know generally unless you're like you know one one 1% and 1% of the people and you just you got to take got to get when comes along and your career kind of makes itself in real time and people have very different Pathways and it's just kind of timy and how it how it comes along to you what is it like and I'm not sure if this has happened to you or not but what is it like when you're offered two different roles to film at like the same time and you get to pick one what is it like in terms of like picking a role like that how much you debating would you have to take well we try to do both we try to work it out we don't say no we keep trying keep trying to work out schedules and we just um flly place to place when you squeeze it in make it work uh I'm definitely curious about what that you Lincoln Lawyer PR Stupid Love I could like list all these great movies that you're a part of and um I'm just curious if you there's a memory question but is there anything that you remember about some of those roles and being a part of those films or what do you like like those films um I think that they're all really well directed and I think that Lincoln Blair I think Brad did a really good job with um it just Brad it is Brad yeah yeah he he's doing something right now um I forget the title but like Brad like did a really great job with Lincoln Lawyer and I don't think it's talked about enough like it was a really good movie and uh really well shot well a lot of I mean think they spun it off so it have to be pretty good I guess a TV show 100% do you remember do you remember working with bread and like making that milk yes I did work with bread um and yeah we did it was kind of like a late night shoot we did like a lot of night shoots and I was looking pretty Haggard I remember that like I don't want do again it's like 400 a.m. um and he made he kept this set really it was it was a little bit chaotic but um R was the most positive people I've ever met so it was easy just for him to be our leader and get us there I am curious that I asked this some people who have won Oscars is it can I ask where you keep it is it in a special place uh it I I move around a lot so I gave it to it's at my mother's house cuz she's in one place I was not expecting that and it's fantastic um [Music] I got a mother I don't know it out of my sight um so I know if I looked up and you recently filed your dting a narcissist M what can you tell people about the project they're wrapping it up now they're editing it and um yeah it's about like I'm a I'm a therapist who has a child who um and I specialize in narcissistic behavior and then she I see all the red flags of who she's dating and so it's kind of broad comedy about not getting her to marry this particular guy we'll see if I was right or not um obviously you've done so much work as an actor but uh have you ever thought about writing or directing or does that did that ever come up uh or is it something that you're not interested or you are I don't know I when I was coming up through the ranks it wasn't really something that was presented to women so much or to females it was kind of like it wasn't an option now I think it's so great that it's the it's everything is wide open and but I I guess at this point I feel like a little too late with I I actually must have stor I love actor directors I love like stepen mim's work I I really just love when I'm directed by um by actors Rebecca Miller the movie that I that I I just was in with that she directed she was a former uh actor as well it's a it's a special pleasure that was with Peter dinkin called she came to me um so I I love that but yeah I think I don't think I have the head I was actually going to ask about that that was also with me on halfway but uh you and Peter Peter is so talented and you and Peter are so good together can you talk a little B about collaborating with him working with him well Peter and I like we just some you meet some actors and it's just we work the same way we work very much the same way I don't know if that's I don't even really know where he studied um but somehow our method was very similar um and we both have so many friends in common it's all part of a lot of the theater people in New York and um so it was a dream very very very easy to work together like no no some sometimes people like to talk a lot before I see you partner wants to kind of analyze it or talk about it and um both of us were just kind of like let's just do the SC so it just depends how you to kind of work it out on the spot that's SM with a lot of actors and some of them really love shooting the rehearsal and doing it a take or two and trying to move on quickly and others really like to explore a scene where you know take after take trying different things um can I ask how you like to typically work on set kind of a combination where I like to I always like to feel the reversal well I not say always but uh if the blocking is set like if you know where you're supposed to walk and move um then I think it's great to shoot the rehearsal because you never know what you're going to get and sometimes you're fresh out of the gate it's kind of something special and then just try different things as kind of a combination of what you suggested um and again I'm not sure if you will remember but in your I'm I'm going to try but is there a scene or sequence in your career that you remember just being wow this is a really challenging scene to get whether because it's a camera rner the dialogue The Blocking but you know something like that caused that senior sequence to be like wow it's really hard yeah J yeah um well I think that I I mean it was early on so everything with my cousin in was kind of challenging because I hadn't done it before as I said but when we did do that the the uh on this I've told this story before so sorry if you heard it but on the on the witness stand when I have to explain everything that was going on with the cars see because we shot that on film the next day so they send it away and then they checked that the film was okay but that day the film was not okay and we had to do it again and it was something about the way the camera angle was so everything that I had so I to shoes the following day again but they were scared to tell me so they didn't tell me to the end of the day where I thought it was like done with my days work and then had to recall these lines from the day before and you know how my memory is and then um and I had to do it again but also saying everything kind of backwards like if it was right it had left was left it had to be right cuz if something had gone wrong that was challenging I was like give me a minute had to step away and cry then I went back okay ready let's go that was also early in your career where you know you're it it's want to press everyone and want to you know show you can do it y what is actually secret for you because one of the reasons I could never be an actor is I can not remember dialogue and so what is the secret for you in terms of when you have to learn a big monologue or a big chunk of dialogue like how a lot of act tell me well you just do it but at the same time like I I can't so what is the secret for you oh I have I am not talented I believe trust me are you saying you not no not at all because I can't learn I can't learn and also I look like this so no but I curious what is it like for you when you like a big monologue what's secret for you uh you know I used to be able to learn them like like really really really fast I used to know everybody's Minds actually um but now you just have to drill them it's kind of you know everybody's job has like something that's I don't like that part but you got to do it you just have to sit down and drill them and someone you know with you and it's just a process and sometimes it's better to like move and walk around while you're doing it somehow it gets more the body mind connection Works uh helps a lot we're here at Fan Expo uh Chicago and one of the things about Fan Expo think to walk on the convention Flor which I'm not sure if you have there's a lot of cool stuff whether it being lightsabers comic books posters A lot of people here collect things is is there anything that you collect I collect um I made vintage clothes I guess um I go to a lot of flea markets I love flea markets you know and people are like how you go to the flea market it's like nobody's looking at me everyone's looking down at like the treasures so I really like doing that kind of stuff it's also you outside and you get to like just be with people in person it's not like online so I I like that kind of activity um but um yeah I would say like that's that's what I collected prob uh I know mention you're going to be doing uh Off Broadway I believe you said or maybe it was Broadway I apologize but do you know what you're doing after that are you looking at scripts are you or you sort of take it just a little bit at a time right now it's just a little sure I actually don't know because I apologize for doing this but yeah I wonder know what time it is oh God okay um so is with di I know we talked about dialogue a little bit but what is it like when you're onet what is it like when you are a co-star is having a tough time with a scene and you're like the experience one on set you know like's say you're working with a new co-star what is it like trying to like get through something when someone is struggling well as you probably know that Jenna R is the greatest just all time my opinion passed away recently and I got to do a movie with her and I saw her do something so elegant there was a young man on the set on the movie that we were doing and he was nerv he was nervous and he kept forgetting his lines and so she just started forgetting her lines pretending to forget her lines so that he would just feel yeah so just whatever whatever it took just to make him feel more comfortable change the air and um I learned I really I learned a lot of her that's actually a beautiful story yeah beautiful person I uh I got to interview Donald Sutherland uh before and something he told me which struck me was uh that he having his contract that he would only shoot the middle of the movie his first few days of filming CU he said by then uh by the middle of the movie people are buying whatever you're selling and I don't want to big decisions about get the film on the first few days uh what are your thoughts on uh that I never heard that before but it sounds like a privileged take the way the movie is going to be shock I would do to I had heard about goodd deserves it actually like one of the things lot of people don't realize is when you were making a movie the first few days you might F the most emotional scene of the film on the first day of filming or could be the last day like scheduling on a movie is is randomly chaotic so what is it like for you when you find out like the first day of filming or the first few days you are doing one of the big scenes with Coach Stars youve never met you do it it's my job thank you for having me