DANNY COLLINS Star Jennifer Garner On Al Pacino and Picking Projects Around Family Life
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Created: Wednesday, 18 March 2015 08:36
- Published: Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:59
- Written by Lupe R Haas
Jennifer Garner gives us insight into one of the most important cinematic figures - Al Pacino, her co-star in DANNY COLLINS. Ben Affleck’s wife and actress also reveals she won’t take a movie role unless it’s worth disrupting her family life.
In DANNY COLLINS, Pacino is aging rock star Danny Collins whose life is changed when he receives a long-lost letter from John Lennon. The letter changes his priorities, and he sets out to make amends with his estranged son Tom (Bobby Cannavale) and his family. Garner plays Tom’s supportive wife. The film also stars Christopher Plummer, Annette Bening and the CW's new "Supergirl" Melissa Benoist.
The first thing Jennifer Garner had to get over like many others, was being starstruck by Al Pacino, one of the most revered actors of all-time. Al Pacino is very aware of that, and according to Garner - he made sure that the cast of DANNY COLLINS got over their fantasies about Pacino the icon.
“Al spends a lot of energy making sure that everyone feels comfortable. Everyone feels good and every one is at ease. Its a lot of work being Al Pacino. Everybody puts their childhood fantasies or their impressions on him. He puts out so much love just so you can calm down.”
The publicity shy Al Pacino remains one of the most elusive figures in cinematic history, so obviously everyone wants to know what it’s like working with Pacino. Garner describes Pacino as a “vulnerable guy, really funny and disarming.” She wishes she had more scenes with Pacino in DANNY COLLINS. His co-star and good friend Bobby Cannavale and DANNY COLLINS director Dan Fogelman were also surprised by his good-natured humor after meeting him for the first time - a quality not often associated with the brooding 74-year-old.
Al Pacino hosted the rehearsals at his own home in Los Angeles for the cast and the director. The script was “rock solid” says Garner, but they improvised and cut lines during their collaborative sessions, which served to strengthen their character’s relationship.
Garner and Cannavale also recall Al Pacino obsessively singing Danny Collin’s signature song while on the set when the cameras weren’t rolling. Pacino often belted out “Hey baby doll” and the crew would often join in, according to Bobby Cannavale. Garner says the catchy tune even carried over to her next movie in Los Angeles. The same crew transitioned to the set of Jennifer Garner and Steve Carell’s next feature Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day where the crew would often break into the “Hey, Baby Doll” song along with Garner.
Pacino wasn’t the only reason Garner took on the role of “Samantha.” DANNY COLLINS script had a lot of heart says Garner, and that’s a major criteria when choosing film projects.
“I look for something I can’t say no to. I go for heart. Some scripts may have heart but they are saccharin.”
The mother of three children with Ben Affleck says she doesn’t take lead roles because her main role is that of a mother. The script has to be worth it for Garner to uproot her family. DANNY COLLINS had just that.
She admits good scripts are hard to come by for women so when they present themselves she’ll find a balance between working and her family.
It’s not just actresses who are unable to find quality projects. Al Pacino doesn’t often star in film projects since his first love is theater, but he says there aren’t enough worthy film projects. “Good scripts are hard to come by. They always were,” says the actor best known as the Godfather and Scarface. Pacino calls DANNY COLLINS “a traditional movie” because it tugs at your heart strings with strong characters and emotions. That was one of the main reasons he agreed to take the lead in DANNY COLLINS.
DANNY COLLINS first-time director and writer Dan Fogelman revealed it took a year of “dancing around with this eccentric man” before Pacino committed. Cannavale adds that you have to earn Pacino’s respect and Dan did just that.
Audiences will earn even more respect