- Hi there.
Hi there, Scott, how are you?
- A huge congratulations on the film.
It's a-
- Thank you.
Thank you so much.
- It's really, really wonderful.
I saw it in January.
So forgive me if my memory is a bit hazy,
it was a few months ago, but it stuck with me.
And I think that's the beauty of the film.
You must be delighted with the reaction so far
and the prizes and everything else
that's happened in between with the film.
- I'm actually in all honesty,
I'm excited for the general audience
and the way that it reaches people
on so many different levels.
And I'm looking forward to seeing
what the public says when it comes out.
I think August the 13th.
I'm really appreciative of the press.
They've been very excited.
They've all seemed to like the film
and it's exciting for me.
And to be able to watch my co-stars
get the recognition that they deserve
and this experience,
it's been a wonderful ride
and they've really enjoyed it too.
So I'm excited for everyone on so many levels.
- Yeah.
And in terms of reading the script
for the first time,
what was it about this story
and working with Sian [Heder, director] and her approach
to the material
that kind of make it stand out for you
and made you think, yeah,
this is a special one I want
to get involved with.
- Well, when I first saw the script, I,
it screamed my name.
It said, Marlee, you have to do this.
So I went after it.
And I told my team,
don't let anyone else take this role.
Because, although there are lots of wonderful,
talented, deaf actors out there
who could have played Jackie,
I wanted to do it.
I knew that it was perfect for me to do,
it was perfect a vehicle for me, the character,
the story, the people.
I mean, I imagined,
especially the fact that I got a chance to work,
I would have had a chance to work with Sian Heder,
who was a great director from the film Tallulah.
I was a fan of that film.
So I just said that I had to do it.
And I'm so grateful that they agreed with me.
- Yes, absolutely.
I'm glad they agreed with you as well.
(both laughing)
And also, obviously, it's a great character
for you and a great story,
but in the middle of it,
it's this wonderful family that's so pure
and so loving, and so solid together.
That must've been a fantastic story to tell
and also to play with the actors
in that sense that it's such
a rich family dynamic that you present on screen.
- It is.
It was such a unique type of family where,
you know, you could say
that nothing got in their way.
They were extremely protective of each other.
They were good friends, the husband and wife.
It was great to be able to see a film
that you didn't see deaf people
portrayed as victims.
There were a couple of scenes
where they had to face discrimination, ableism,
or audism as we call it.
But that's good.
I think it's important to highlight that
because that happens in real life.
And yet, at the same time,
this family was just a loving family.
We still, listen, after this film was finished,
we still feel like a family.
We still feel very close to each other.
When we're together,
we really become the Rossis again,
no matter where we are,
what kind of day it is, we're still the Rossis.
It's a great feeling.
Even though it was make-believe as a family,
but the love still continues.
And for each other and we still are very,
very close to each other.
And it's, I really cherish everyone.
- Yeah.
And you, I mean, you shared
some wonderful scenes with everybody,
but some of the scenes with you
and Troy [Kotsur] are just,
there's some really funny moments
and really kind of tender moments
between a husband and a wife.
I know you've worked with him before, but what,
what makes him such an amazing performer
because the two of you together,
it's just dynamite
whenever you're on screen together.
- He is probably
one of the most talented actors I know.
On earth. Period.
Regardless of whether he's deaf or not.
I've known his work for a very long time on stage
and his presence is so mind-blowing.
He's so mesmerizing he's so,
and his spirit is so infectious as a person,
as an actor.
I'm telling you that when I
see his work on stage,
I have always said to him, "You know what?
I'm your number one fan."
And I'm gushing, basically.
After the third or fourth time of saying this,
I would just say, "Well, you know how I feel."
But when I saw the script and I saw Jackie,
which I said screamed my name,
and then I saw the script with Frank.
I said it screamed Troy's name.
And I said to Sian,
when I met her during breakfast,
it was a three-hour breakfast, by the way,
and we didn't even get a chance
to eat our breakfast.
I said you know what, Frank,
you know who Troy is, right?
It has to be Troy.
I can't see anybody else
playing the role of Frank.
And she agreed.
And she knew that.
She knew that.
He was, and is, one of a kind.
- Yeah.
And speaking of one of a kind,
Emilia [Jones] as well, I mean,
she is the fish out of water
in terms of she's from the UK,
like me, she had to learn the accent
and everything else in between.
You must've been so delighted
to see her performance on screen
because she does such incredible work
in this film.
It must have been great to work with her as well.
- Amazing.
She is,
she is unique in that she is young,
who has so many talents
that she's able to show us on the screen.
I mean, as you said,
she had to learn how to fish,
she had to learn how to sign.
She had to learn to go to an American accent
and she had to sign and sing at the same.
She had to learn sign language.
I mean, she is a woman of many talents
and at such a young age,
it's like we won the lottery
to have her in our film.
I was absolutely proud
that she was able to be with us.
And I feel like a mother to her
still to this day.
Her own mother is great
and has given her such a foundation that,
I mean, she created a girl
who has a wonderful head on her shoulders.
- Absolutely.
Marlee, it's been lovely to talk to you
and meet you.
Thank you so much for your time.
And I hope the movie goes really well for you.
- Thank you so very much.
- Thank you.
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