CLOONEY: We start March 1st. We're shooting a little bit in Paris, a little bit in Amsterdam, and then in Rome for a while. Yeah, it's a tough shoot - really awful (laughing). It's going to be fun; we're going to have a good time. Everybody came back. The first thing that happens is that everybody starts talking. They go, “Okay, we've had a big hit,” so immediately it became these big negotiations, which was really interesting. Then we all sat in a room and said, "Look. Let's do it for 5 percent less and then we can say we're there because we want to be there because that's truly why we're there." So, we all just said, “Okay let's do it that way.” We had a good time doing the last one and we make good money on the back-end so if it works, it works. If it doesn't, we get to make a movie together.
Julia Roberts is on board?
CLOONEY: Yeah, Julia's on board. The whole gang’s back.
Will it be another heist?
CLOONEY: Oh, it's another heist.
Involving the Vatican?
CLOONEY: I can't tell you that (laughing).
Who is number 12?
CLOONEY: Vincent Cassell.
You gave Julia twenty bucks last time?
CLOONEY: Yeah, she got $19 [this time]. I was good with my math.
Did you pick up any directorial tips from working with Joel and Ethan Coen?
CLOONEY: Did I steal from them? Yes, of course [they] had a big effect. They have things they do that other people don't do in general. They storyboard every single shot and every single scene and then they put them with your sides in the morning when you get them. What you find is because there's not much time for rehearsal, as an actor, you get them and you look in the back and you see these drawings of what they were thinking in their minds. For a first-time director, that's a big advantage because you don't have a whole lot of time and you want to instill this feeling of security with people.
Most of the people I've worked with lately are really good at keeping sets moving and fun. They don't do a lot of takes. They keep it alive, which I found to have a lot higher energy. I stole a lot of shots from them. I stole a shot from them and showed it to them and they told me where they stole the shot from (laughs). I can't tell you [which one].
Speaking of directing, what inspired you to make the DVD bonus features as good as they are on “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind?”
CLOONEY: Oh, I haven't seen it yet. It was fun. I wanted Tom Siegel involved because he's such a bright guy. It was such a flop in the theaters (laughing) that we thought we'd spend a little more time on the DVD and try to put some other things on it. We're all really proud of that film.
Are you going to direct again?
CLOONEY: Yeah, I think I am. I'm still going to do “Leatherheads” as soon as I get the script where we want to put it. I was going to do this live show about Edward R. Murrow taking on McCarthy but our time has gotten pushed because Steven [Soderbergh] and I are working on “K Street” right now up in D.C. We've been doing that for seven days a week, 18 hour days, and we're a little worn down from that.
What does it mean to you to have a retreat like you do in Italy?
CLOONEY: [It was] the best thing I've ever done in my life. Catherine came by this summer.
ZETA-JONES: It's fabulous there.
CLOONEY: It really is life-altering just by virtue of the fact that I come out of television and everything came later for me. I come from the world that if you stop working, you're unemployed forever, so the only real vacations I've taken have been work-related. This summer I was like, “You know what? I've got a house in Lake Como.” I spent three months there and did nothing. It was the best thing I've ever done in my life. I recommend it. Everybody get a villa in Italy. It was a great thing and I had the time of my life. Everybody in the world came and visited me.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
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