Interview (Written): Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Variety sat down with the Coen brothers in advance of the release of their newest movie Hail Caesar!

Do you let your actors improvise?
Joel: They can improvise all they want, but we’re not going to necessarily shoot any of it. Sometimes the actors are more strict about what we’ve written than we are. I remember Bill Macy struggling with something on “Fargo” — he had a line where he goes, “I … ,” and a couple of stumbles. I said to him, “Billy, this is just to indicate that you’re having trouble finding the words.” And he said, “No, I want to say it exactly as it’s written.”

Do you offer a lot of direction?
Ethan: We don’t. As Billy Bob Thornton, who is also a director, said, “If you find yourself talking to the actor a lot, you probably cast the wrong person.”

Do you require a lot of takes?
Joel: Not really. We’re not Stanley Kubrick.

You write your scripts together in the same room. Do you work in chronological order?
Ethan: Yes, we start at the beginning.

Do you take turns?
Ethan: I do most of it. I’m better and faster at typing.

A wonderful video: “The Coen Brothers: 30 Years, 16 films”.

Indiewire: ‘Hail, Caesar!’ Review & Roundup: Escapist Hollywood Comedy from the Coen Brothers.

For the Variety article, go here.

Who’s excited to see Hail Caesar!