Is it Pelosi?
Is it Chris Wray?
Is it Mueller?
Who is it?
Who's gonna stop this?
Because they are not gonna stop.
- Jeff Daniels, I have a question.
You've made us laugh in "Dumb and Dumber"
and cry in "Looming Tower" and "To Kill a Mockingbird",
but which project do you think about the most?
- I am reminded of "Dumb and Dumber".
That movie means a lot to a lot of people.
That movie spoke to a lot of people,
who identify with that movie.
(tearing sound)
75-year-old guys with a martini in a thousand-dollar suit,
and they're going, just "Dumb and Dumber..."
(Sally laughing)
"don't tell anybody, but that was so funny."
(Sally laughing)
I always go, I'm glad it spoke to you.
(laughing)
- You kind of were an accidental actor in a way,
that you never wanted this,
like this wasn't on your mood board to be famous
and have everyone know your name.
- No, it was certainly not.
I'm from the Midwest and we're just kind of,
you know, we're in flyover country.
Wow, look at all the important people going
back and forth from the coasts.
It just never was, I was good at it.
So I've spent my life getting better at it.
- But what is it like when you know that films you've done
and shows have had such an impact on people,
because Margot, from behind the lens there,
told me she got into journalism from watching you
on "The Newsroom."
- Well, you know, that's what you hope.
"Gettysburg" was a movie I did about the Civil War that,
I've had countless teachers come up to me and go,
"I can teach the Civil War because of that movie.
They'll watch the movie."
and even "Dumb and Dumber".
I went to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, 25 rooms.
You got soldiers that just got, this is Iraq,
just got back from Iraq like three days ago.
Now you walk in and you're the celebrity,
there to brighten their day.
And this guy is changed forever.
And he saw "Dumb and Dumber".
So you do some of the lines with him,
as he's sitting there in his bed with
half of what he used to be.
I've been at this 42 years and just the stars aligned.
And you've got this book, that all these people,
the first two weeks of previews people were like
in there with the book going, "Don't screw this up."
"Please don't screw this up."
- What is it like when you see the full room
stand up on their feet and they're just clapping for you?
- I'm not a big, you know, "Hey can I get a picture?" guy.
I'm not that guy, in fact I don't like it.
But that would be a time when I would like to walk out
with a video selfie and just go, I'm going to bow now.
(laughing)
Just wanna capture it so when I'm 89 in a rocking chair,
going, "Atticus!", you know?
- People love this book and then you have the film.
Gregory Peck won an Oscar for his portrayal of Atticus,
so how did you kind of get over those moments of self-doubt,
and were there any reservations?
I've wanted challenges since "Newsroom" and "Godless"
and "Looming Tower".
Offered Atticus Finch with Aaron writing and Broadway,
- Given how tragically timeless this story is,
what do you think that is saying about,
not only the justice system,
but also race in American today?
- We've had systemic racism in this country
since the Mayflower saw land.
So this is not new.
The Civil War didn't go away.
And recently now, it's okay to be like that.
It's okay to be public with how you feel about others.
It's a dangerous time in this country for a lot of people.
And this play reminds people
that it's not enough to just sit back there
and hope people do the right thing.