The Guilt Trip brings together Seth Rogen, who is one of the funniest actors working in movies today, and Barbara Streisand, who is a bonafide screen and stage icon. In the movie they play Joyce and Andy Brewster, a mother and son who ended up driving together across America to help Andy sell a cleaning product and to reunite Joyce with a long lost love. It’s awfully similar to numerous road movies that we’ve seen in the past, but it has a genuine sweetness that will appeal to moviegoers of all kinds (especially Streisand fans).
Recently, at the film’s LA press day, stars Barbara Streisand and Seth Rogen, along with director Anne Feltcher, took the time to talk with journalists about balancing the comedy and drama in the film, the approach they took to the characters, why the script attracted them to the film and more.
Check it out below.
We Got This Covered: Barbara and Seth, what was it like meeting each other for the first time?
Barbara Streisand: Well, it turns out Seth sussed me out.
Seth Rogen: I did.
Barbara Streisand: So he called people from the Focker movies, right?
Seth Rogen: Yeah, I think I was actually working with John Schwartzman who was the cinematographer on Meet the Fockers around the time this came up and I think I asked him what he thought of Barbra. And he said she was great. And I know Jay Roach a little, so I think I might have asked him and I think he said she was awesome, too.
Barbara Streisand: Ben Stiller you called.
Seth Rogen: Ben Stiller I think I might have run into and asked, but, yeah, everyone, she checked out. This Barbra Streisand lady checked out. So I thought I’d give her a shot (laughs).
Anne Fletcher: They had such a great chemistry and just a great ability to improvise with each other that was so easy to do. You just say one word even if it was like Thanksgiving and they just go into a five minute improv that was so genius. Her dad and I would be behind the monitor laughing our heads off.
We Got This Covered: Barbara you have such an amazing career and we were wondering if you could tell us what gives you satisfaction or the greatest satisfaction as an artist and what does it mean for you to be part of a project like this?
Barbara Streisand: I prefer things that are private so I love recording and I love making films as a filmmaker because it uses every bit of what you have experienced or know, you know, whether it’s graphics, composition, decorating, psychology, storytelling, whatever it is. It’s very, it’s a wonderful thing.
We Got This Covered: Barbara, what gave you the greatest artistic satisfaction in making The Guilt Trip?
Barbara Streisand: Well, I was dealing with, you know, very talented people. I had loved Anne’s movie, The Proposal.
We Got This Covered: Barbara and Seth, this movie has a great balance of comedy and drama in it. What was the hardest part for you, the dramatic moments or the comedy?
Barbara Streisand: Eating steak (laughs). For a person who doesn’t like steak, that is the hardest thing. But really, they’re (comedy and drama) both the same.
Anne Fletcher: Especially when you have two actors who have great ability to do both. Not everybody has the ability to be really funny and understand comedy and how to portray it and be real with it, which both of them do in tenfold, as well as the ability to be a straight actor. They’re both incredible.
We Got This Covered: Barbara, what is the secret to your success and what have you done right?
Barbara Streisand: I don’t make that many movies and I don’t make that many appearances so…
Seth Rogen: Leave them wanting more.
Barbara Streisand: That’s it. Less is more. And maybe that keeps a little mystery or something. I don’t know. I like to stay home a lot. I like to do other things, too. You know what I mean? Like decorate, build.
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