They called and said, “I know we’re not supposed to even tell you, but you’ve been offered to play the President.” And I said, “OK. Say yes.” And they were like, “Do you want to read it maybe?” And I was like, “No, I just want to be the president.”
Because I had some roles that resonated with women, I immediately noticed that there were far more male characters than female characters in what we’re showing little kids in the 21st century, which was stunning to me. But I couldn’t find anybody else who noticed.
I just love all the details about movies, and it’s fun to be involved in everything. I just love it. It’s just a little added fun thing to be consulted about stuff.
I do like the process of producing. Later in my career, like when I had the TV show, I was a producer and I’ve been on a few things.
I think if you’re doing a play, you’re rehearsing enough that you get to a point where it’s freeing again. But in a movie, if you rehearse too much, now you’ve just shown everybody what you’re going to do. And any element of surprise or impulsiveness is taken away.
My sons last summer, they won a trophy from their surfing camp and they came home and went right over to the shelf and put it up next to my Oscar. That’s where we put our trophies.
I’m so not a party person. I’m so not social and don’t go to parties.
I do have a very chill – I can watch all my movies. A lot of people don’t like to watch their work. I watch everything. All the time.
Ridiculously – fortunately – my first job was with Dustin Hoffman. I had a little part in this movie called Tootsie. And he taught me how to watch dailies. That it was very important.
On film, you can’t do it over again. And you do have to stop shooting at a certain point.
My thing in high school was being the tallest kid in class. Always. I was always the tallest kid in class.
I had told my agents that I never wanted to do an hour-long TV show. I said, “I’m not that stupid.” Because it’s the worst lifestyle in Hollywood.
I got cast playing the best baseball player anybody’s ever seen. I don’t know how to play any sport, including baseball, but I trained really hard. They had these great coaches, and they started saying, “Wow, you have some like really untapped athletic ability.”
I always want a challenge. My whole career has been based on trying to avoid female characters that don’t get to do anything. And it’s really hard to avoid those.
I just passed on some a script that I was sent, because I said, “I haven’t yet played the person staying home, the one that says, ‘Good luck, honey,’ or whatever.” And so that’s what I look for. Therefore, by virtue of that exclusion, I’m always trying to find roles that are challenging.
The main thing about archery is a battle with yourself. You can ruin it all. Once you have learned the technique, the point is to recreate the perfect technique over and over and over.
The second I finish shooting something, I know I could have done it better if we started right then.
Instead of trying to manufacture feelings, use the way you already feel. Or at least add that in.
It’s a horrible and wonderful battle with yourself, to stay calm, stay in the moment. My coach said, “Stay here, not at the target. Don’t be down there.” It’s why they call it the Zen art.
I don’t think male characters are as one-dimensional as female characters.