♪♪
-Over. -I just feel like...
-Just, like -- -I feel like --
-Don't rush into it. Yeah, yeah. -Just so slowly.
I'm slowly starting to trust you.
-Yeah. Okay, good. -Like E.T.
Like E.T., and you're like Elliott.
-Here. I'll put some -- There we go.
Yeah. There we go.
[ As E.T. ] Seth.
-Hey, congratulations -- six Oscar nominations.
That's really exciting. -Cheers, cheers.
[ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
Hey, before we get started off,
I saw what Max did for you and stuff.
I kind of -- He kind of tried to steal the wind
out of my sails, and what I've done for you --
-You drew a picture, too. -I did one for you, as well.
And this is...
-Yeah, great. It's like a --
-That's just your name with a bunch of snakes.
-Great.
-Over the years watching you, I kind feel like
you're sort of like this sort of venomous
kind of person who sort of can't be trusted.
-Okay. Yeah, that's really nice. Thank you.
-Yeah, no, there's a bunch there,
and the "H" is made up of a kind of bendy snake,
which has got about -- See that?
-Yeah, got a bunch of tongues. -Bunch of tongues in there.
-Yeah. This snake -- And, again, I don't want to be critical --
-Well, there's a striped snake. -Yeah, it looks like a --
-Very straight, tall. -A carrot snake.
-And it just happens to be the timing
was just perfect when I drew it.
There was a flying snake that's going past.
in the background.
-Yeah. Oh, that's really -- Well, that means a lot to me.
Thank you so much.
-Also, it happens to be on the back of the
lovely welcome card that you wrote to me.
-Look at that. Look at that. I wrote a beautiful card to you.
-Yeah. -"Welcome to the show."
-So I want that back. -Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Yeah, that's mine. -Yeah, yeah.
-Thank you. -[ Laughs ]
This is such a unique film.
How does a movie like this come together?
Because I don't feel like studios say,
"We're looking for a movie like this."
-No. Yeah. No, no. I mean, those days are gone.
Yeah, I mean, you can't really pitch this film.
-Yeah.
-I mean, you try -- You pretend
I'm a studio exec in Los Angeles,
and try pitching the film to me.
Hold on. I'll just get into character.
-Okay, and you want me to pitch "Jojo Rabbit"?
-Yeah, you're me, and I'm a Hollywood type.
-Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-"Eh, I make movies.
And boobies."
-Okay. -"What do you got, kid?"
-I'll have a -- -Get out!
That was pretty much it. -Yeah.
-So, I really was -- -It's based on a book, yeah?
-It's based on a book.
My mother -- she suggested this book to me,
which it was really beautiful.
The book is a lot darker.
It doesn't have any jokes or an imaginary Hitler in it.
This is what I felt was missing.
But there's a beautiful story there between a kid
who finds this girl living in this house
and, you know, a story about understanding
and about a little boy's indoctrinated to hate
who learns to think for himself.
And it has a very positive message in it,
and that's what I was attracted to.
-And you play Hitler in the film.
You also directed the film.
I imagine that leads to moments where
you are directing dressed as Hitler.
-Yeah.
Yeah, that's...
[ Laughter ]
You've lost me. You've lost my trust.
-That's fair. That's fair.
-No, that's -- I think the overwhelming feeling
when you dress up like that is embarrassment.
-Yeah.
-And then, weirdly, on set with the crew,
you become a lot nicer all of a sudden.
You know, you overcompensate, and --
But it's not an easy thing to tell an actor,
"Hey, I think that was great" when you dressed like that.
"Come through the door.
Next time, come through.
Say the line a bit little quicker.
Get over to here. This is just a suggestion.
I'm not ordering you to do this. Okay?"
-The kids -- Here are a couple of your wonderful actors,
Roman and Archie.
-Yeah. -They were great.
-Wonderful. Wonderful little Aryan kids.
-Just so much -- So much heart in this kid.
Really nice comic relief by Archie over here.
-Yeah, yeah. I mean, they're beautiful.
Roman is -- yeah, he's a very incredibly beautiful,
sensitive kid, and, turns out, an amazing actor.
Neither of these kids had acted before.
Archie is -- I mean, he really --
Every scene you see him in, he steals the show.
And he's just a character unto himself, who's now, I heard,
is now in the reboot of "Home Alone."
-Oh, that's exciting. -Yeah. Yeah.
-Oh, that's great.
-So good for him.
-Another scene-stealing character
that was in another film of yours, "Thor: Ragnarok" --
you played -- You were the voice of Korg.
-Yeah, that's right. Yeah. [ Cheers and applause ]
-How did that come about?
Did you sort of know from the beginning
that you were going to play Korg?
-I had no idea that I was gonna play that character, actually.
No, it was just something that --
Yeah, it was a happy accident, I guess.
But that -- Yeah, I mean, you know, it's --
That character is played by one of the most amazing actors
and someone I very much respect as a...
[ Laughter ]
Look, I mean, I will crowbar myself into any of my films.
-Yeah. -I don't pretend anymore.
-Yeah. -Yeah.
-And it's nice now, 'cause we expect to see it.
-You're like Hitchcock, but it's a lot easier to find you.
-Okay...Oh.
[ Laughter ]
-Hey, congratulations. Best of luck at the Oscars.
-Thank you. -So delightful having you here.
Taika Waititi, everybody.