SYDNEY—The boats in the harbor are noisy and busy, but Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig remain unflustered as they answer questions about their new film, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”
They mix humorous responses with serious reflection about what they do and what they’ve done. There’s an earnestness and gravitas to Stiller that’s unexpected, and Wiig manages to be both giggly and thoughtful.
The film’s director and leading lady, respectively, sat down for an interview with Super. The highlights:
Ben, how does this film fit your evolving filmography as a director?
I think it relates to where I am now in my life. I made my first movie 20 years ago… For me it was a challenging film in that it was a little different from the others I’ve made recently in terms of tone. But I felt it was something I really wanted to do, to engage in and feel connected to.
Kristen, as someone who has proven herself immensely successful on television and print, what made this particular role different from the others?
The script! Steve Conrad wrote a very unique script, and I met with Ben. I mean, those two things combined made it an easy ‘Yes’ for me.
Did the vignette-heavy structure remind you of your “Saturday Night Live” days?
Yeah, the fantasies for sure were the parts of the film where you had to be someone else, in a way… So, yeah, and I think those were the more—I don’t want to say comedic moments—but out of reality and a little bigger, which definitely is how you would describe sketch comedy.
(Laughs) Gosh, I don’t know, it’s fun to have the chance to do stuff that was out there and in the context of a movie like this, I honestly really enjoyed that. To be able to go to places like that and then have the reality of the other parts of the movie. But it’s always fun to do that stuff.
Kristen, you’ve spoken glowingly of Ben as a director. But what is he like as an actor?
As an actor he’s incredible. I mean, it’s funny talking about you when you’re next to me (looks at Ben and laughs). He’s incredibly talented as everyone knows, and to watch him act and direct in this film was really inspiring to me. He’s in it with you and you always feel you’re not with the director, but you’re with the actor in the scene. He’s an actor, so he knows what a person needs. What I like is to know what the director wants and to be given the opportunity to do your version of it.
The music in this film is great—chosen by Ben, and Kristen gets to sing David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”—and definitely a soundtrack you’d want to have. Which are your favorite songs?
Ben: That’s great. I’m really happy with the soundtrack and proud of the work that Teddy Shapiro, Jose Gonzalez and our music supervisor, George Drakoulias, put together. One of the songs I really like from the movie is “Don’t Let it Pass” by Junip, which is Jose’s other band.
Kristen: I love that song! I’ve been such a Jose Gonzalez fan for a really, really long time, and I was so excited when I heard that he was doing the music. There’s so many I can’t pick just one. I like that Arcade Fire song, too (“Wake Up”).
What was the biggest challenge for you in this particular film?
Ben: I guess the biggest challenge is ultimately navigating the movie through the different stages of making it in terms of budget, the studio and how you get through each part of the process. Finally, in the editorial process, keeping the movie true to what you want it to be while also being aware of the broader audience.
Kristen: I think each project that I do is a challenge to me because it’s always something different and you want to do your best work. I really felt a connection with the material and I’m very flattered that Ben thought of me for the role.
Ben, the film is based on a classic James Thurber short story and you’ve chosen a very radical and ambitious take on it. It’s not so much an adaptation but an extrapolation. What’s it like taking on such a big story?
The original story is sort of perfect as a short story. It’s so well-written but story-wise, there’s not enough plot there—you couldn’t make a full-length movie out of it. You can take it and sort of change it a little bit. Honestly, what Steve Conrad was doing, was bold enough to do, is take and extrapolate the tone and the character. And the tone to me was the most important thing because of what’s beneath the surface of this person, the idea that we all have something beneath the surface that the world doesn’t see that’s amazing. That idea, to me, was the most important thing.
What would be the one thing that you hope viewers will remember after watching the film?
Kristen: I have a lot of friends who have seen the movie and they all take away something different. I think it’s all positive, but it’s hard to say because I think everyone relates to a different part or a different character, and a different message.
Ben: I just hope that it’s a movie that speaks to them personally and that they have some sort of connection with it, so that they walk away from it feeling different. I never want to tell an audience how to feel; but for me, the movies I love are the ones I walk out of and want to see them again because they made me feel so great and they presented a world I wanted to go to and go back into. I just hope they have that experience. Ruel S. De Vera