Tully Interview with Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Jason Reitman, Ron Livingston and Mark Duplass
Recap and Photos by Myla Tosatto
Gathered together are several “mommy bloggers” with their pencils sharpened and camera phones ready to fire. One blogger, Movie Myla, nervous to be involved with her first press junket and embarrassed by her Britney Spears nail job, eagerly awaits the stars and director of the new Focus Feature, Tully. She will get a chance to ask her question in order to make Enza of Enza’s Bargains proud and to also learn the secret of life as told by Charlize Theron (okay, maybe not the secret of life, but something I will take to the grave or at least cross stitch on a pillow*).
Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Jason Reitman, Ron Livingston and Mark Duplass to much admiration and applause!
Many questions were asked and the stars and directors were game to answer them all and verbally play with one another. Along the way, these gems were stated:
About Motherhood and Fatherhood
CHARLIZE on Motherhood: “It’s the one thing I think we all share is just that we’re trying to get through everyday- whatever we choose to do- hopefully be the best for your kids. And it might be different in other countries, but I think as mothers, I think we’re always in some weird way every decision gets made based on our kids.”
RON on Fatherhood and not being considered a ‘babysitter’: “A. More dads will have to do it and B., they’ll have to get better at it. . . and then I think they have to get a little prouder about talking about it. I think a lot of dads, even if they are- primary caregivers and even if they’re great at it, they don’t want to- you know what I mean? They don’t want to brag, keep bragging about that during the football game, because it doesn’t go over well. So, there’s a bit of that, I think.”
How a Movie Works!
JASON on movies: “When a movie works really well, it makes you feel less alone. No matter what it is, no matter what you’re watching a movie about, the great ones make us feel less alone. That’s why we watch them as a group in, a movie theater.”
JASON on his actors in Tully: “The exciting thing about this group of actors is that there’s a true understanding of what’s happening on the page and you know, I’ve worked with actors who are very talented, but there is supreme understanding of humor in the drama and what’s behind everything that’s happening here and because of that they’re all interested in how to make moments feel more real.”
Women – We Hurt Differently Than Men
CHARLIZE on being asked about the line in Tully ‘Girls heal.’ ‘No, they don’t.” between Marlo and Tully: “We hurt differently than men and I think we carry pain differently to men. And you know, I love that line. I loved saying it. It felt so right for Marlo. But when I think about myself, I don’t necessarily know that I believe that wholeheartedly. I don’t know if what we experience isn’t just part of building who we are- and is that a bad thing?”
Tully Takeaway
CHARLIZE on what she hopes people will take away from Tully: I would have to say it’s what Jason just talked about — just to not feel alone. I know that making this film made me not feel alone. There’s — I think the honesty of the conversation that this movie starts is one that you just can’t deny, because it’s, it’s that truthful. And I think when you live and breathe in that place, then you realize you’re not alone. And I know for myself as a parent, there have been days where I really needed that. I just, I really needed to know that. You know? And I think every parent will tell you that.”
MARK on his takeaway of his part in the movie: “Yeah, I have two children. They’re ten and six. And I remember when I first read the script, it reminded me of a conversation I had with my wife, who I think in some ways was like the earlier version of Marlo that’s hinted at of, you know, fun-loving, able to throw parties and I think she really envisioned that she would be able to have it all and do it all. You know, that it was like — somehow the Gwyneth Paltrow lore was achievable and people would look at her and we always had this joke where we say, ‘how does she do it’? And everybody, everybody wants that question asked about them.
The character Craig is interesting to me because he, you know, at once is white, privileged male trying to tell a mom how to live her life — which is like — cut the man-splaining. Right? Right away it’s got a problem. But at the same time, the core of his message of being able to admit that you need some help — there’s no shame in that — is right. So I like that little complexity there.”
MYLA from ENZA’S BARGAINS: “In the movie, Marlo uses frozen pizza and the gross, watery frozen broccoli to get through dinner. What’s the best and/or worst time-saving crutch you guys have had to use in a situation like that?”
MACKENZIE: “I don’t have children, but I am disgusting. I melt butter and put Sriracha in it and then dip bread into that.”
JASON: “Recipe available.”
RON: “Veggie burgers from upstate.”
MACKENZIE “Oh, that’s so ‘GOOP’. Veggie burgers, really? That’s disgusting.”
RON: “They defrost really quickly.”
MACKENZIE: “Got it.”
MARK: “In my house we’ve tried to sell something we call ‘cheesy beef’ which is- when none of us is prepared and there’s frozen hamburger meat in the freezer- I throw it in a pan and as it cooks I start shaving the stuff off (mimics the shaving) and throw cheese and a bunch of a salt and they eat cheesy beef. I don’t know how long this is going to last, but right now it’s working.”
CHARLIZE: “I do just whatever is left over in the fridge. But I call it the “Mama Special”, which makes it sound really exotic and now I get asked, like, can we do Mama Special? And it’s just a big tray with- everything. Like, yes, everything that I could find in the fridge.”
RON: Isn’t it great how dumb they are sometimes? I don’t want that to change.
CHARLIZE: Yeah. And I sell it by saying, you can eat it in my bed. Which is the stupidest thing to do.
MARK: “I remember that being a super privilege.”
Where it all started…
JASON on the movie: “This is a movie that is about that moment when you become a parent and you feel like you need to close a chapter — on a portion of your life so that you can open up a space that your child can occupy it. And — and that was the first thing Diablo (Cody) ever said to me was when she said, I have this idea for a script.”
…..
*And what was my takeaway that I found needle craft worthy? In the immortal words of Charlize Theron (who appears to be aging backwards), “But I do believe in concealer, yes. A lot of it.”
Be sure to also check out our review, our moms night out during the junket, and we will soon share our favorite quotes from the movie!
Tully will be playing in theaters May 4, 2018.
A new comedy from Academy Award®-nominated director Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”) and Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (“Juno”). Marlo (Academy Award® winner Charlize Theron), a mother of three including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother (Mark Duplass). Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis).
Michele says
No I am not a Mom–unless you want to consider my furbaby my child (actually she considers me HER child and acts accordingly). But I can definitely see how this would hit home for all the Mom’s out there who think they are the only ones –This really sounds like a movie that I would enjoy watching and possibly feel less alone!
Angela Sellari says
What a great interview and I would be nervous too doing a press junket. This sounds like a great movie and I would like to watch it.
Elizabeth O says
This was a lovely interview and seemed a really relaxed atmosphere with some laughs too. The movie seems really interesting too definitely one to watch out for.