I have to know what it's like to be taking on a role in a project where it's
pseudo autobiographical and your co-star is the person whom the story is about.
And not only that,
he has all his friends on the set with him.
It's not even just him.
It's like his act— like everything you're describing is the movie too.
Like you turn around like his co-writer, his best friend,
Dave, and Ricky,
you know,
people he loves and has worked with for years,
It makes it easier.
And also they're all just really fun,
easy going guys to hang out with.
So it was a really,
really fun movie.
I can't emphasize that enough, it was really fun to do.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Not your dad.
As a New Yorker yourself,
did that add
an extra layer of poignance to this story?
Yes.
For sure.
Just—
how much I deeply love them and am also indebted.
And so if it did of course bring up a lot of those,
the memories and those feelings and
the honor, you know,
What was so affecting for me about your character in the King of Staten Island
is that she is a woman who's so fiercely protective of her children,
but is also carving out a new path for herself in life.
How often do roles like this come along for you?
Well, I think it's very unusual
how Judd set up the script.
He gives a lot of real estate to the mother and usually it's like,
kind of a,
you know,
background part,
Although it's a father and son story, really like he's working things out
really with his mom,
even though they don't really speak that directly to each other about their feelings.
But eventually they do.
What would you say to how real and authentic that dynamic is presented
in this movie?
It's real to them.
And I would ask Amy,
how are you this patient? Don't you get aggressive?
And she's all heart.
She's a nurse.
She is a giver.
And she was married to a firefighter.
These were people who were in service to other people and really wanted to be,
and feel that from,
in their bones.
And, it's deeply admirable.
And so her relationship with him though,
it can also seem indulgent or
what's she really doing?
Did she have a plan?
I don't really think she has a plan, personally,
but I think that love carried the day.
Like she always saw that her son was,
a tender, really good guy and she just focused on that.
Don't worry, Mom.
I know your daughter got smart and went to college and abandoned us,
but I'm still here.
I'm going to be here forever.