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Larry David on what works

September 21, 2009

David

As the co-creator of Seinfeld and the creator/star of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, comedian Larry David is best known for his work on television. But when we caught up with him in Los Angeles last month, it was to discuss his latest film project, the Woody Allen comedy Whatever Works. In the film, David plays a misanthropic Jewish New Yorker named Boris, who believes life is pointless and one should do whatever works to get through it. In anticipation of the film’s DVD and Blu-ray release on Oct. 27 from Sony, David talked about his character and the filmmaking process with Allen.

VB: Most of your work on Curb Your Enthusiasm is off the cuff and improvised. What was it like having pages and pages of dialog?

David: It was hard. I opened the script, and I saw the first page was full of Boris, and then I turned to page 50, and I saw Boris on page 50, and then I went to the last page, and I went, ‘Oy vey!’ It was kind of daunting to have to learn all that to tell you the truth. And as far as the improvising goes, that’s another aspect to it that I found daunting, because I am used to improvising and making up most of it as I go along. And it was challenging, and I don’t really care for challenges.

VB: Was it difficult to break the fourth wall and talk to the camera?

David: Talking into camera was actually not as hard as communicating with the other actors. Because of stand-up, it was easier for me not to talk to anyone but an audience. So I like that. I like talking into camera.

VB: How did you develop chemistry with co-star Evan Rachel Wood?

David: [Wood and I] were very comfortable with each other. I have immediate chemistry with pretty much everyone, whether it’s good or it’s bad. I can tell right off. I really can. It doesn’t take me long to get to know somebody. There’s a very visceral reaction very quickly. I know just by looking at people if I can say something nasty to them, how they’re going to react. If I can kid around with them, if they’re going to get it or not. I have a sixth sense like that.

VB: How did you embody the character of Boris?

David: I don’t really know. I just sort of memorized it and said it. I didn’t want to do Woody Allen. I know that’s a concern. People would say to me, ‘Are you going to be doing him?’ And I would think they were out of their minds when they would ask me that. No, I’m going to try not to do him. It never occurred to me to want to do him. And he doesn’t want me to do him. He didn’t call me up and go, ‘I want you to do me! Have you ever seen me? Do you think you can talk like me?’ No. It wasn’t really an issue for me at all. It wasn’t anything I thought about or even worried about.

VB: Was it intimidating to work with Woody Allen?

David: You don’t want to be the one to screw up his movie. He said to me once, ‘It wasn’t horrible.’ But he was very sweet.

VB: What are the differences and similarities between you and Boris?

David: We’re different in that I’m way more normal than he is. I enjoy life. I play golf. I like having sex. I have normal wants and needs. Boris is insane, really. He’s really on the edge. And like I was telling someone earlier, I don’t wear shorts, which is a huge difference. I’m a much better dresser. I think that’s the main difference. Similarities? We both have some disdain for the human race. We both come from similar roots. And we probably both had bar mitzvahs.

VB: “Whatever works” is Boris’ philosophy on life. How does that align with your own?

David: It’s actually in conflict with my own philosophy, which is whatever doesn’t work. That’s pretty much what I ascribe to. Anyone who finds me unattractive, that’s the one I want. Unappealing? Yes, that’s who I go for.

VB: Do you feel Boris is negative or realistic?

David: Both, I think. To be realistic is to be negative.

Posted by Cheryl Cheng on September 21, 2009 | Comments (0)