Ed Begley Jr. was not even part of the bulk of publicity for Whatever Works. In Woody Allen's latest comedy, he enters the film only in the third act. Even with less than a half hour of screen time, his character, John, has a full arc. He goes from overprotective father oblivious to the reality of his daughter's situation to a man opened up to the world.
The film centers on aging genius Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David). Boris sees young ditz Melodie St. Ann Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood) and takes her under his intellectual wing. It's a situation built for Allen's comic observations about relationship mismatches. John, Melodie's father, shows up to rescue his runaway daughter, who he just assumes was kidnapped against her will. Shocked by the world she now inhabits, John has no choice but to embrace all walks of life in New York City.
By this point in his career, Begley is better known as an activist than an actor. While he still works prolifically in film and television, he more often appears on talk shows or the public speaking circuit to promote environmental causes. He lives in a solar powered house and makes it a point to bicycle wherever he can, even to glitzy movie premieres.
Begley made himself available for a private phone interview with SuicideGirls one afternoon. While scheduling logistics about picking the kids up from school threatened a distraction, Begley remained focused and engaged. He was surprised to find out about Suicide Girls' interest in him, but went along with it as a good sport.
Fred Topel: Did you ever thing you'd be interviewed on Suicide Girls?
Ed Begley, Jr.: Well, no, I never did but I'm very happy to talk to you. Will I be talking to you or one of the Suicide Girls themselves?
FT: Just me, I'm afraid.
EB: Happy to talk to you, buddy.
FT: But are they your type of girls?
EB: Were I not married, definitely.
FT: We hear how Woody Allen works. Did you get the whole script or just your pages?
EB: 15 pages is all I got.
FT: Had you ever worked that way before?
EB: Never. Very interesting but it was fun. It was kind of improv acting in some ways because what happened the first day on the set, I'd never met Woody Allen, so I get to meet Woody Allen. "Hi, Ed Begley, nice to meet you, Mr. Allen." "We're very happy to have you," said he. "Very glad you're here. Any questions?" "No." As he indicated in the pages that I saw, perhaps his letter said NRA Republican. I got that from the 15 pages as well so that's all you need to know. He's that guy. He's from the South so he has a Southern accent. I went, "Oh wow, that wasn't in the 15 pages." He said, "Well, he's an NRA Republican." I said, "Yeah, but he could be an NRA Republican from Vermont. I didn't know he was from the South, and you want a Southern accent?" "Yes, can you do a Southern accent?" "Sure."
FT: How did you get cast if you hadn't met him before shooting?
EB: They just sent me the script, the script again being a relative term, 15 pages of the script and said, "Read this." There's a letter that comes with it from Woody Allen. It says, "We thought you'd be great in this part. Tell me what you think." A guy sits or stands there when you read it because it's not like they mail it to you. They send you this script and then you read it and then you hand it back to the guy and he drives back to the production office with those 15 pages. So then you call your agent and say, "I like it. What do I do now? Do I have to meet him or go read?" He went, "No, no, no. I'll call but I think it's an offer. I'll let you know," says my agent. Calls back, "Yeah, it's an offer. If you want to do it, the part is yours." "Great, I want to do it." Who's going to say no to Woody Allen.
FT: What did you think when you saw the whole film?
EB: I haven't seen the whole film. I don't know what the film's about. I mean, I know what my 15 pages is about. I put two and two together in a few instances. I'm going to see it Monday.
FT: Do you think there is a message to your character or is it just good fun?
EB: I think it's just good fun and I suppose there is some message in that, I don't want to give anything away, but "what you fear you become" is all I'll say. My character has a tremendous amount of fear about certain groups. It certainly affects things down the line for him.
FT: There might be a message about gay rights in the movie. You're an environmentalist but do you work with that cause too?
EB: I do. I was very much opposed to Prop 8 and worked hard to defeat it. I was not successful, and lots of other things. There's a lot of groups that I work with that are certainly involved in gay rights, so I do what I can. We'll see how this all works out.
FT: Is it easy to be environmentally conscious in New York? Can you bike or walk to the set?
EB: Totally. I didn't get in a cab even the whole time I was there. I didn't need to. I walked, I took the subway. Every day they'd say, "Are you sure? We'll send a car for you." "No, why would I waste a car, a driver and the gasoline expense. I'll take the subway, I'll walk." That's what I did the whole time I was there. Whenever I'm in New York, that's what I do.
FT: Wood Allen has that neurotic persona. Is he neurotic about the environment too?
EB: I don't know what his thoughts are on the environment. I didn't broach the subject with him. He's a very private guy. We spoke on the set. He wasn't so closed off that we didn't speak. We spoke several times and had conversations but people are very respectful of his privacy and I'm one of those people. So I spoke to him when I felt he was receptive to being talked to, but otherwise I certainly didn't.
FT: Do you have to be careful when you're picking Hollywood projects that it's not going to be a wasteful production?
EB: Big time. I work with some groups that are trying to green up every set in Hollywood and around the country. The Environmental Media Association, we have green guidelines for sets and for production offices and for films and television shows in general. So we have been fairly successful in greening up a lot of TV and film productions. We need to do more. Television and film has been a very wasteful industry for many, many years. They have a 2 x 4, cut off a small piece and put the rest in the dumpsters, and leave cars running with the air conditioning on just in case an actor might want to jump in it eight hours later. That kind of waste, it was celebrated for years, lighting cigars with $100 bills and limos and champagne and caviar. It's an industry based on excess so it's been challenging over the years, really starting in 1990, the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, begin to move into another direction. Now with some success, it's nearly 30 years later, we've come a long way. A lot of productions are greener on the set and a lot of the productions are greener in the production office. It's gotten better.
FT: You said in your UCLA speech that you're not overboard about it. Do filmmakers have that misconception about you?
EB: Yeah, it was a challenge in 1992 in this movie Pagemaster, they literally thought I wouldn't sit in this car for this one shot. They couldn't find an electric station wagon on this movie. It's kind of sweet that they even tried. They came to me talking about what we're going to do, because I had to sit in the car, I had to drive the car in the shot. I said, "It'll be fine. I'll drive it 10 feet down the driveway is all the shot call for. It's fine." It wasn't like it was supposed to be an electric car in the movie. It was just a regular car and there was no such thing as an electric station wagon back then. I don't think there is today. But, people were of the mind, they had the impression that I wouldn't even sit in a car with the engine off. They were wondering if they could just roll it down the hill. I like that people think I'm that dedicated but I suppose it cost me some work. They thought I was a little more radical than I am.
FT: Do you ever get in trouble for showing up to a glamorous premiere on your bike?
EB: I think for a time, people were scared a bit or turned off by it. I was never blacklisted. My name was not on a list in a drawer somewhere but I think people, when faced with a choice of me or someone else, would go, "Mm, give me someone else." They thought I was going to say angry words at them when they got into their limo or their SUV. I never do that but people don't know that. They know what I stand for and they don't know how that's going to translate on the sets or at a meeting or production office. So I think it definitely cost me some work in the '90s but I made it through that and now people are very much into doing everything they can themselves.
FT: Would you have to get permission because it's so different from how everyone else is arriving?
EB: Yes, you do. You have to let people know when you're coming to an event that you're going to come on a bicycle. Certainly, I've been to the Vanity Fair party for the Oscars on a bicycle. I've never been to the actual Oscars on a bicycle because my wife is coming with me and it'd be just like for show. It wouldn't be for show, I would come on a bicycle, but then she's coming in a separate car. What's the point? I might as well get in that car. That car is an electric car so it's as clean as the bicycle really because I charge it on the sun, so there's no real point to riding the bicycle to the Oscars other than making a statement and getting photographed that way. The point of this whole story is that if I were to do that, you'd have to let security know or some cop somewhere would say, "You can't come in here with that bike." "No, but I'm a governor." "I don't care what you are." "I'm a governor of the Academy." "Sir, you're not hearing me. You can't come in. you have to have an authorized vehicle." "But I have a ticket." "I don't care." You might get somebody who'd say that so you have to let people know. Whenever I'm doing anything unusual like that, I've learned over the years to just let people know.
FT: Are there any new initiatives you're involved in?
EB: There's so much going on, I wouldn't know where to begin. There's a wonderful site called Fixingtheplanet.com. I've been helping them get awareness. It's a great resource for people to get more involved with the environment, so I'd give them a plug if you'd allow me.
FT: That's not a link on your site.
EB: No, I've got to get that up there. Thank you for reminding me.
FT: You were in the original Battlestar Galactica. Did you want to be part of the new one?
EB: I loved that show. I'm very happy my friend Edward Olmos is doing it as you know. I just hear all about it from him. He's a dear, dear friend and he's terrific in the show as you know and he's directing a Battlestar Galactica movie, [The Plan].
FT: Would you be in the Arrested Development movie?
EB: Oh yes, whatever they want. I'll go and do craft service on that movie. I will be a fan and just watch it. I love that show. I was very happy to be in the episodes that I was but I'll experience it as a fan or be part of it if they need me. That's a great series.
FT: It seems they're trying to get a lot of the great cameo players to come back.
EB: Well, I can only pray that Stan Sitwell would have some minor role or anything, because I'm a big fan of Mitch [Hurwitz] and the whole experience.
Whatever Works opens in New York and Los Angeles on June 19. For more on Ed Begley, his green bible, Living Like Ed, and the environmental causes he supports visit EdBegley.com/.
The film centers on aging genius Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David). Boris sees young ditz Melodie St. Ann Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood) and takes her under his intellectual wing. It's a situation built for Allen's comic observations about relationship mismatches. John, Melodie's father, shows up to rescue his runaway daughter, who he just assumes was kidnapped against her will. Shocked by the world she now inhabits, John has no choice but to embrace all walks of life in New York City.
By this point in his career, Begley is better known as an activist than an actor. While he still works prolifically in film and television, he more often appears on talk shows or the public speaking circuit to promote environmental causes. He lives in a solar powered house and makes it a point to bicycle wherever he can, even to glitzy movie premieres.
Begley made himself available for a private phone interview with SuicideGirls one afternoon. While scheduling logistics about picking the kids up from school threatened a distraction, Begley remained focused and engaged. He was surprised to find out about Suicide Girls' interest in him, but went along with it as a good sport.
Fred Topel: Did you ever thing you'd be interviewed on Suicide Girls?
Ed Begley, Jr.: Well, no, I never did but I'm very happy to talk to you. Will I be talking to you or one of the Suicide Girls themselves?
FT: Just me, I'm afraid.
EB: Happy to talk to you, buddy.
FT: But are they your type of girls?
EB: Were I not married, definitely.
FT: We hear how Woody Allen works. Did you get the whole script or just your pages?
EB: 15 pages is all I got.
FT: Had you ever worked that way before?
EB: Never. Very interesting but it was fun. It was kind of improv acting in some ways because what happened the first day on the set, I'd never met Woody Allen, so I get to meet Woody Allen. "Hi, Ed Begley, nice to meet you, Mr. Allen." "We're very happy to have you," said he. "Very glad you're here. Any questions?" "No." As he indicated in the pages that I saw, perhaps his letter said NRA Republican. I got that from the 15 pages as well so that's all you need to know. He's that guy. He's from the South so he has a Southern accent. I went, "Oh wow, that wasn't in the 15 pages." He said, "Well, he's an NRA Republican." I said, "Yeah, but he could be an NRA Republican from Vermont. I didn't know he was from the South, and you want a Southern accent?" "Yes, can you do a Southern accent?" "Sure."
FT: How did you get cast if you hadn't met him before shooting?
EB: They just sent me the script, the script again being a relative term, 15 pages of the script and said, "Read this." There's a letter that comes with it from Woody Allen. It says, "We thought you'd be great in this part. Tell me what you think." A guy sits or stands there when you read it because it's not like they mail it to you. They send you this script and then you read it and then you hand it back to the guy and he drives back to the production office with those 15 pages. So then you call your agent and say, "I like it. What do I do now? Do I have to meet him or go read?" He went, "No, no, no. I'll call but I think it's an offer. I'll let you know," says my agent. Calls back, "Yeah, it's an offer. If you want to do it, the part is yours." "Great, I want to do it." Who's going to say no to Woody Allen.
FT: What did you think when you saw the whole film?
EB: I haven't seen the whole film. I don't know what the film's about. I mean, I know what my 15 pages is about. I put two and two together in a few instances. I'm going to see it Monday.
FT: Do you think there is a message to your character or is it just good fun?
EB: I think it's just good fun and I suppose there is some message in that, I don't want to give anything away, but "what you fear you become" is all I'll say. My character has a tremendous amount of fear about certain groups. It certainly affects things down the line for him.
FT: There might be a message about gay rights in the movie. You're an environmentalist but do you work with that cause too?
EB: I do. I was very much opposed to Prop 8 and worked hard to defeat it. I was not successful, and lots of other things. There's a lot of groups that I work with that are certainly involved in gay rights, so I do what I can. We'll see how this all works out.
FT: Is it easy to be environmentally conscious in New York? Can you bike or walk to the set?
EB: Totally. I didn't get in a cab even the whole time I was there. I didn't need to. I walked, I took the subway. Every day they'd say, "Are you sure? We'll send a car for you." "No, why would I waste a car, a driver and the gasoline expense. I'll take the subway, I'll walk." That's what I did the whole time I was there. Whenever I'm in New York, that's what I do.
FT: Wood Allen has that neurotic persona. Is he neurotic about the environment too?
EB: I don't know what his thoughts are on the environment. I didn't broach the subject with him. He's a very private guy. We spoke on the set. He wasn't so closed off that we didn't speak. We spoke several times and had conversations but people are very respectful of his privacy and I'm one of those people. So I spoke to him when I felt he was receptive to being talked to, but otherwise I certainly didn't.
FT: Do you have to be careful when you're picking Hollywood projects that it's not going to be a wasteful production?
EB: Big time. I work with some groups that are trying to green up every set in Hollywood and around the country. The Environmental Media Association, we have green guidelines for sets and for production offices and for films and television shows in general. So we have been fairly successful in greening up a lot of TV and film productions. We need to do more. Television and film has been a very wasteful industry for many, many years. They have a 2 x 4, cut off a small piece and put the rest in the dumpsters, and leave cars running with the air conditioning on just in case an actor might want to jump in it eight hours later. That kind of waste, it was celebrated for years, lighting cigars with $100 bills and limos and champagne and caviar. It's an industry based on excess so it's been challenging over the years, really starting in 1990, the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, begin to move into another direction. Now with some success, it's nearly 30 years later, we've come a long way. A lot of productions are greener on the set and a lot of the productions are greener in the production office. It's gotten better.
FT: You said in your UCLA speech that you're not overboard about it. Do filmmakers have that misconception about you?
EB: Yeah, it was a challenge in 1992 in this movie Pagemaster, they literally thought I wouldn't sit in this car for this one shot. They couldn't find an electric station wagon on this movie. It's kind of sweet that they even tried. They came to me talking about what we're going to do, because I had to sit in the car, I had to drive the car in the shot. I said, "It'll be fine. I'll drive it 10 feet down the driveway is all the shot call for. It's fine." It wasn't like it was supposed to be an electric car in the movie. It was just a regular car and there was no such thing as an electric station wagon back then. I don't think there is today. But, people were of the mind, they had the impression that I wouldn't even sit in a car with the engine off. They were wondering if they could just roll it down the hill. I like that people think I'm that dedicated but I suppose it cost me some work. They thought I was a little more radical than I am.
FT: Do you ever get in trouble for showing up to a glamorous premiere on your bike?
EB: I think for a time, people were scared a bit or turned off by it. I was never blacklisted. My name was not on a list in a drawer somewhere but I think people, when faced with a choice of me or someone else, would go, "Mm, give me someone else." They thought I was going to say angry words at them when they got into their limo or their SUV. I never do that but people don't know that. They know what I stand for and they don't know how that's going to translate on the sets or at a meeting or production office. So I think it definitely cost me some work in the '90s but I made it through that and now people are very much into doing everything they can themselves.
FT: Would you have to get permission because it's so different from how everyone else is arriving?
EB: Yes, you do. You have to let people know when you're coming to an event that you're going to come on a bicycle. Certainly, I've been to the Vanity Fair party for the Oscars on a bicycle. I've never been to the actual Oscars on a bicycle because my wife is coming with me and it'd be just like for show. It wouldn't be for show, I would come on a bicycle, but then she's coming in a separate car. What's the point? I might as well get in that car. That car is an electric car so it's as clean as the bicycle really because I charge it on the sun, so there's no real point to riding the bicycle to the Oscars other than making a statement and getting photographed that way. The point of this whole story is that if I were to do that, you'd have to let security know or some cop somewhere would say, "You can't come in here with that bike." "No, but I'm a governor." "I don't care what you are." "I'm a governor of the Academy." "Sir, you're not hearing me. You can't come in. you have to have an authorized vehicle." "But I have a ticket." "I don't care." You might get somebody who'd say that so you have to let people know. Whenever I'm doing anything unusual like that, I've learned over the years to just let people know.
FT: Are there any new initiatives you're involved in?
EB: There's so much going on, I wouldn't know where to begin. There's a wonderful site called Fixingtheplanet.com. I've been helping them get awareness. It's a great resource for people to get more involved with the environment, so I'd give them a plug if you'd allow me.
FT: That's not a link on your site.
EB: No, I've got to get that up there. Thank you for reminding me.
FT: You were in the original Battlestar Galactica. Did you want to be part of the new one?
EB: I loved that show. I'm very happy my friend Edward Olmos is doing it as you know. I just hear all about it from him. He's a dear, dear friend and he's terrific in the show as you know and he's directing a Battlestar Galactica movie, [The Plan].
FT: Would you be in the Arrested Development movie?
EB: Oh yes, whatever they want. I'll go and do craft service on that movie. I will be a fan and just watch it. I love that show. I was very happy to be in the episodes that I was but I'll experience it as a fan or be part of it if they need me. That's a great series.
FT: It seems they're trying to get a lot of the great cameo players to come back.
EB: Well, I can only pray that Stan Sitwell would have some minor role or anything, because I'm a big fan of Mitch [Hurwitz] and the whole experience.
Whatever Works opens in New York and Los Angeles on June 19. For more on Ed Begley, his green bible, Living Like Ed, and the environmental causes he supports visit EdBegley.com/.
nicole_powers:
Ed Begley Jr. was not even part of the bulk of publicity for Whatever Works. In Woody Allen's latest comedy, he enters the film only in the third act. Even with less than a half hour of screen time, his character, John, has a full arc. He goes from overprotective father oblivious to the reality of his...