Woody Harrelson

0:00What about me? I know we're not rolling yet but you're singing on C.E.'s record. Well we've been friends a while, been friends with him and a lot of people from his family and his grandmother especially very close friend of mine. She lived on a survey now. She died unfortunately. We were pretty tight with her to make a couple times. But hung out a lot with those guys in Miami. Well we're here in Toronto. Well let's get to it. We're here in Toronto, the city that you know kind of wealth from your play. You're not too long ago.

0:46So it's like to be back. I love Toronto. It's one of my favorite cities on the planet. It's my favorite festival. People say I like can, I like bands like this or that. I like Toronto. We appreciate that. It's just great people. I got a lot of great friends here now. Nice. Tell me about this movie. What drew you to Charlie? How can you say yes? Well I'm a big fan of Martin McDonough. I really think he's maybe the greatest living playwright. And also then he started doing his thing. He did Inbruges and that was amazing. I was really psyched to get a chance to work with him.

1:34You met him years ago in Dublin, all right? Yeah, yeah. Many years ago in Dublin. So did you always have a plan to get discussed? Yeah, let's do something eventually. He just went for the right time. Well he did all for me a role in this. I was doing a play in London. And while I was there he was saying, you know, he was writing this play. He was like, oh I finished the first act. He'd tell me the bits about it. And then he offered me the lead part in it. And I was like, well, I just feel like the darkness is kind of overwhelmed the light on this one. You know what I mean? He's great at kind of juxtaposing dark and light and something.

2:20Well, that's your character in the film. Something, yeah. But in this case I just turned out to be wrong because I didn't do it. And then I went and saw a film and it was one of the greatest productions I've ever seen. So I really regretted not doing that. So certainly this style I wasn't going to miss out on this chance. And you came in a little late because Mickey Rourke had the role, right? So did you join in after they started shooting or when did you get involved? Well, I joined, I came in after they started shooting, but I joined it, you know, just before they started. Yeah, Mickey Rourke fell out, lucky for me. I want to get through some comedy. I haven't seen you in comedy enough recently. Yeah, it's true. I've been, I don't know what I've been thinking doing all these dramatic things.

3:09You're getting good roles since you're making me. It's just what matters is laughing. I mean, that's all that matters. So, I mean, I got a play running in New York now. Same one of those. Right, for eight off. The one that was here in Toronto. And that's the whole point of it. The whole point. The whole reason we did it just to make people laugh. So, I really do prefer comedy and I have gotten a little sidetracked. But I'm going to try to do more comedy, you know. Well, this is interesting role because you get to do the comedy, but you also get the sinister stuff of Charlie. Like, there's a duality to this character. Yeah, yeah, there's a wonderful little sinister aspect to Charlie. Man, that's what's cool about the role. You know, it's got two sides to them and, or at least two sides.

3:59And I actually think generally just interesting about Martin's characters. Some of them are very dark and twisted, but you find yourself pulling for them. Maybe not. This particular character, what you do in Martin's plays and his movies, you know, you find yourself pulling for some demented people. How did you and Martin develop Charlie? Because I imagine when Martin writes for a play, it's very scripted. Like, the line's probably won't change too much depending on who's playing a part. But in film it tends to be you get a little more freedom with the director and the writer. Was that the case? Martin really likes it, said. He'll come up here, you go. You said, and it's the. Gotcha. So, you know, which is cool. I mean, he's very specific about language and he's, I think, probably the greatest living to playwright.

4:50So, I think if anybody's going to tell you that he wants it said this way, instead of that way, you know, it's cool. But I stayed on script. So, what was it really? How did you do scripts nowadays? Because he must get offers all the time. Yeah. What are you looking for in a script? What when it hits your desk? You're just like, oh, that's what I'm looking for. I mean, usually it's something in the story or the heart of the piece that really resonates. But yeah, it's always the story. I mean, we're all storytellers, I guess. You know, all of us in this business are storytellers. So, whether or not the story resonates is what matters. What stories have been resonating recently? I mean, this one's about the premiere, but you got a couple things in the can, I think.

5:38Yeah. I did one called out of the furnace that's going to come out in the not too distant. That's another drama. I got admitted. That's another freaking drama. I don't know what's wrong with me. But then, yeah, I hear it's great. It's Christian Bale's in it in case the athlete. And it's just, it's great. Scott Cooper directing it. Oh, cool. So, and then, you know, I did this kind of, how would you describe it? I guess like a musician heist thriller. Interesting. Now you've seen me? That it'll be coming out before long.

6:26I mean, I just, yeah, it's all about, when I look at anything, it's really about the main things are the script, obviously, the director and the actors. You know, hopefully all those things work together to make a good piece. Are you going to go to the screen tonight? The midnight screen? Yeah. What's it like? Are you able to? I mean, do I have a choice? I don't think so. But I was leading to a question. I was just thinking, like, watching yourself, or you overly critically yourself and you see yourself on screen, or you just, you let it go. That was the performance. Like, hey, I'm good. Well, my best buddy is quite over critical of himself, you know. And I am too, to some degree, you know, like I have a hard time watching myself.

7:14If I don't like what I'm doing, it's a very difficult experience. And this, I thought it turned out pretty good. You know, there's definitely some things I would have done different, you know. Like what? Well, you know, the character's kind of tightly wound, and you know, like, there's always the threat of violence with him. But I wish I had to let myself really get mad once you twice. You know what I mean? Is that hard for you? No, I mean, I didn't do it. That's not hard at all. But I think I just, you know, that was my one criticism, which I don't know why I'm sharing, but like, you did ask. And I appreciate the answer. Yeah.

7:59I appreciate the jacket. Yes. As you can tell, it's cool. Ah, you showed the inside. Thank you. You know, when I first received the inside. You kidding me? That's beautiful. Yeah, thank you so much. I appreciate it. It's a good ending with the jacket, I'll play something. Cool. He's like, so I assume you mean Matthew best by you? No. Oh, okay. Yeah. Because it's gonna bring up the... Matthew, I don't know. I thought you guys were doing something together for HBO or something. Yeah, we are. Yeah, okay. Oh yeah, I didn't mention that we're gonna do the true detectives. Is that what's called? True detectives. Yeah. Is that what you call? Well... You get to play with it a little bit? Yeah, yeah. Comitically? Or is it straightforward?

8:44Well, you know, the way it's written is quite dramatic. There's not any comedy in this thing. Right. But I have talked with Matthew and we both like to laugh and we believe in comedy so we gotta throw something in there, you know, find some stuff too. Because also when it is beautifully written but like, you know, once in a while you need a little laugh or something to break from the tension. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. I need you to sign these Xboxes if that's cool. I know it's a random request. We're gonna give it a word. The whole way I have. That is a good question. Heather? It's just a contest. You know, a contest for who? The users?

9:29Like over at Alexa and so. Okay. So, for Jerry? Yeah, it's just playing. Is that going to be nice? Yeah. Okay. Sorry, we found it. It's going to be nice. Let's get told to do this. Let's get told to do this.