>>> AS THE STAR OF EVERYTHING
FROM "DUMB AND DUMBER" TO "THE
NEWSROOM," JEFF DANIELS IS ONE
OF HOLLYWOODS MOST VERSATILE ACTORS.YWOODS MOST VERSATILE
ACTORS.
IN "THE LOOMING TOWER," HE PLAYS
AN FBI AGENT INTENT ON STOPPING AL QAEDA YEARS BEFORE 9/11.PING
AL QAEDA YEARS BEFORE 9/11. >> TELLING YOU, ITS LIKE
WHACK-A-MOLE.
WHACK-A-MOLE.
THEYRE HERE. THEYRE HERE IN AMERICA.
THEYRE IN LONDON AND
AFGHANISTAN.
THEYRE IN KENYA, TANZANIA.
WE -- WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WERE UP AGAINST.VE NO IDEA WHAT WERE
UP AGAINST. >> JEFF DANIELS, GOOD MORNING.
>> MORNING.
>> FOR THOSE WHO THINK, I KNOW
THE STORY OF 9/11, A LOT OF
PEOPLE DONT KNOW THIS STORY. THIS IS ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER,
JOHN ONEIL, A REAL PERSON, WHO
SPENT YEARS CHASING OSAMA BIN
LADEN AND TRYING TO SOUND THE
ALARM.
ALARM.
>> I DIDNT KNOW ABOUT JOHN ONEIL.IDNT KNOW ABOUT JOHN
ONEIL.
I DIDNT KNOW THE LEAD-UP TO 9/11.NT KNOW THE LEAD-UP TO
9/11.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW BECAUSE OF
WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY, BUT THE LEAD-UP TO IT IS JUST -- YOU
CANT BELIEVE IT.
THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO JOHN LATER IS -- YOU CANT WRITE THIS KINDR
IS -- YOU CANT WRITE THIS KIND OF STUFF.
OF STUFF.
>> NO.
>> HE WAS A GREAT HERO. HE WAS FLAWED, BUT HE WAS AN
AMERICAN HERO.
AMERICAN HERO. >> HE -- AS YOU SAID, A REAL
PERSON, AND WHAT A STORY TO TELL
AND CHARACTER TO PLAY.
I MEAN, HE WAS SO INTENSE AND,
YET, HE HAD THIS VERY LARGER
THAN LIFE, COLORFUL SIDE.
THE SHOW KIND OF SHOWS ALL OF
THAT.
THAT.
I MEAN, HE WAS UP ALL NIGHT
CHASING SOME WOMEN, RIGHT?
>> HE WAS BUSY. HE HAD -- HE HAD PLACES TO BE,
PEOPLE TO SEE, YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. HE REALLY WAS SOUNDING THE
ALARM, TRYING TO GET PEOPLES
ATTENTION
ATTENTION ATTENTION.
ATTENTION. >> HE WAS THE GUY WHO WAS
FOCUSED ON THIS BIN LADEN GUY
THAT HADNT DONE ANYTHING YET.
HE WOULD MARCH DOWN TO
WASHINGTON AND SCREAM AND YELL,
BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT JOHN DID,
AT PEOPLE GOING, "YOUVE GOT TO
PAY ATTENTION TO THIS GUY."
THIS WAS A LOT OF THIS BETWEEN
THE FBI AND THE CIA.
IT WAS LIKE THE METS AND
YANKEES, WHERE THEY JUST DIDNT
GET ALONG.
GET ALONG. BETTER NOW, IM TOLD.
BUT IT GOT IN THE WAY.
>> THIS IS SUCH A GREAT
CHARACTER.
CHARACTER.
YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO PLAY GREAT CHARACTERHE CHANCE TO PLAY GREAT
CHARACTER CHARACTERS.
CHARACTERS. IF THE CAN"NEWSROOM," WAS IT A G
CHANGER FOR YOU?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. AARON SORKIN WROTE IT, AND I WAS
LIKE, ILL STAY IN THE BUSINESS.
>> WERE YOU THINKING OF
RETIRING, HANGING IT UP?
>> YEAH, IM DONE.
ITS BEEN GREAT.
PUT ON MY TOMBSTONE, A TOILET,
"DUMB AND DUMBER."
CALL IT A DAY.
WE HAD A GOOD RUN. >> YOU WERE DONE?.
>> YOU WERE DONE? YOU THOUGHT THE ROLES WERENT
THERE?
THERE?
>> BOTH.
IF THE ROLES ARENT GOING TO BE THERE, LETS DO SOMETHING ELSE.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> BUT, HERE COMES AARON SORKIN.
HERE COMES "NEWSROOM." HERE COMES NETFLIX, HULU, WHERE
ALL THE WRITERS HAVE GONE.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> ITS GREAT FOR GUYS LIKE ME.
>> ITS SUCH A GREAT ERA FOR TELEVISION. A GREAT ERA FOR
TELEVISION.
I MEAN, I WOULD THINK --
>> FOR THE VIEWER.
>> YES, ESPECIALLY FOR US. IF YOURE AN ACTOR TODAY, IS A
SERIES LIKE THIS MORE APPEALING
AND MORE ENTICING THAN A MAJOR
BLOCKBUSTER FEATURE FILM?
>> IT IS TO ME BECAUSE YOU
ARENT RELYING ON AN OPENING
WEEKEND, YOU KNOW?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> WHICH, BY THE WAY, THEY KNOW
WHETHER YOULL BE A HIT ON THE OPENING WEEKEND ON THE THURSDAY
BEFORE.
BEFORE.
YOU ALREADY GET THE PHONE CALLS YOU BOMBED. GET THE PHONE CALLS
YOU BOMBED. >> THEY DONT REALLY MAKE THE
PHONE CALLS, DO THEY?
>> IVE GOTTEN THE CALLS, YEAH.
>> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> WHATS THE WORST YOU EVER
GOT?
GOT?
>> THE WORST ONE WASNT ABOUT
ME, BUT THIS IS THE ONE YOU
DONT WANT.
>> WHAT?
>> WHEN YOURE GOING, HEY, WHAT
ABOUT THIS ACTOR FOR THE SHOW,
AND THEY GO, NO, NO, HES OVER.
YOURE GOING, ARE THEY SAYING --
AM I OVER?
WHEN AM I OVER?
AM I GOING TO GET THAT CALL?
>> ITS THE WORST.
>> ABSOLUTELY THE WORST.
>> I DONT KNOW HOW YOUVE BEEN
DOING IT, THIS ACTING BUSINESS. YOU HAVE A SIDE GIG.G BUSINESS.
YOU HAVE A SIDE GIG.
>> I LOVE THE MUSIC. >> YOU DO.THE MUSIC.
>> YOU DO. >> I DO.
>> I DO. IVE TOURED WITH MY SONS BAND,
THE BEN DANIELS BAND.
ITS ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS I
GET TO DO.
WE PLAY OPERA HOUSES.
WERE TOURING AGAIN IN THE
NORTHEAST IN THE SUMMER.
ITS JUST A JOY.
A JOY.
A JOY.
>> SO FUN.
NEXT TIME, BRING YOUR GUITAR. >> I WILL. BRING YOUR GUITAR.
>> I WILL.
>> THANK YOU.
SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, JEFF.