He’s one of the most legendary filmmakers of all time. His status as a Hollywood personality is unrivaled. His talents have given audiences a new, wholly original film virtually every single year since 1969.
So, how do two young actors relate to Woody Allen? For starters, they look to “Whatever Works.”
“Being around town with Woody, you feel like New York royalty,” marveled 21-year-old actress Evan Rachel Wood this week, telling us about her sexy turn in Allen’s July comedy of that name. “He hasn’t filmed in New York in so long. This movie is old-school Woody Allen. It's all about the dialogue, but the city is a character in itself.”
Unlike his recent, Oscar-worthy efforts with Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz, “Whatever” brings back a Woody stand-in, this time played to neurotic perfection by “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Larry David. The film, which opened this week’s Tribeca Film Festival, centers around his miserable character and the ill-fitting romance between a suicidal hypochondriac and Wood’s free-spirited dim bulb.
“I used to just sit there in the a.m. and watch Woody give Larry directions,” Wood remembered of the flick, which opens in theaters in July. “I just couldn’t take my eyes off them. When I read the script, I didn’t think anybody else could play that character except for Woody - but [Larry David] is probably the only person who can do that.”
The film also stars “The Tudors” hunk Henry Cavill as a younger man who causes trouble when he enters the picture, presenting Wood’s character with a more age-appropriate spousal option. “He gave precise, accurate direction,” the 25-year-old actor said of the methods that yield Woody’s unique mix of brilliantly-written but seemingly-spontaneous dialogue. “He also gave me plenty of room to work with. He gives you what you need, and lets you do your thing.”
“He really just takes a step back, and his dialogue is so natural,” Wood agreed. “On set, I'm freaking out trying not to forget my lines. But when you watch the movie, it sounds like you’re improv-ing. He likes to keep it really simple.”
”Whatever Works” marks the 44th directing effort by Woody Allen. In your opinion, who has been his greatest “muse” actress?
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