Interviewer: After having 3 of these films now, and it is just so
adored by audiences.
What do you think it is about Ethan and Julie that they've so clicked with people
for so many years now?
Richard: I don't know.
I think that accumulation of time, seeing them
grow up, people . . . if you're anywhere near their age, it
becomes special to see these parallel figures in your life just
get a little older and the life accumulate in their world.
They're pretty relatable, I think.
They're not extraordinary.
They're not superheroes, they're real people, that's what we're
trying to depict, the reality that's not.
I guess they're just not that outside the norms of anyone else
at their age.
Interviewer: It's also these 3 movies are taking you to various
locales; one, just individually, and then two, as a director.
Do you have a favorite spot to film?
Richard: Of these 3?
No.
They're all really special.
I have such great memories of all of them.
The most recent is the most present, of course.
Greece was very unique and very different.
The others were these old European cities, Paris and
Vienna.
It's something about the coast of the Mediterranean, they're
in Greece and [inaudible: 01:23].
It was beautiful in a whole ancient way.
It was really special.
Interviewer: One of the first things that struck me about this movie is
the two daughters sitting in the backseat.
One, were they really sleeping?
Richard: No.
Interviewer: Two, where did you find them and their ability to be able
to be so on?
It's amazing.
Richard: I'm glad you appreciate that.
People always talk about . . . I said, "There's 4 actors in that scene . . ."
Interviewer: That's right.
Richard: ". . . and those girls aren't asleep."
They are waiting to hear their line, they're faking being asleep, they
shift around.
It's a real performance.
I'm glad you noticed that because that's really hard, especially for a young actor
who's barely 8-years- old, I think, to have that kind of patience.
I have daughters that age, and they could never have done that.
They would've been looking at the . . . 3 minutes; it would
be so tough to keep your eyes shut.
Those girls, they were really polite, quiet and calm; very rare for kids that age.
Beautiful, they looked like little Julie Delpys.
Interviewer: Yeah, they're little angels.
To me, there's so many great lines, such a dialogue-heavy movie.
I still love "Where's my apple?"
It just kills me every time I think about it.
Speaking of the writing, this is a real collaborative
effort with the 3 of you.
Richard: Yeah, thoroughly.
Interviewer: What is it like writing with those two?
Richard: Fun.
It's crazy.
We sit in a room and we just throw out everything.
We're such friends now and comrades, we just talk
about everything; politics, philosophy, literature, just
anything, art.
We just sit around and talk about anything and
tell crazy stories.
It's up to the other two, if anyone's doing anything, just go, "That' kind of funny."
Julie will say something crazy and Ethan will go, "That should
be in the movie.
Not all that, but that part."
The person who says it is like, "Really, that?
I wasn't . . . I was just telling the story."
It's like, "No, no.
Let's . . ." We're sort of working and sort of goofing.
Everything is fodder, potentially, to find its way
in here.
Ultimately, it's a really exacting process.
We drop probably 95% of the ideas that come forward,
that they don't really fit in the movie.
Interviewer: You as the man behind the film, it's been on people's
radars for some time now.
It's just about to hit theatres.
How are you feeling?
Are you excited and eager for these people to
get their hands on it?
Richard: This film stands alone.
Enough time's gone on now, I think I'd be excited if a 23-year-old wanders in to
see this and then discovers there's two earlier films.
This stands on its own, too.
I think it's a bonus if you happen to be of an age where
you have seen the others.
It's not really necessary.
Interviewer: Right.