American Dreamz stars Hugh Grant as a mix of American Idol's Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest, Dennis Quaid as a President who hasn't read a newspaper in four years, and Mandy Moore as a Southern girl who desperately wants to be the next big thing. The film also features a cast of talented supporting players including Shohreh Aghdashloo, Jennifer Coolidge, Marcia Gay Harden, and Chris Klein.
Shohreh Aghdashloo on the Man Behind American Dreamz: At the April 11, 2006 World Premiere of American Dreamz in Hollywood, Aghdashloo said she believes the comedy works because of writer/director Paul Weitz' vision. "It’s Paul Weitz, a dedicated responsible filmmaker whose films [have] always been a true depiction of their society. And again, Paul Weitz is talking about our society – our awareness in our society. Are we aware of what is going on? And of course with his own style, his own genre, the political satire. It’s amazing."
Aghdashloo said working with Weitz was a very positive, collaborative experience. "He would allow you a few words here and there. If he likes, it he will keep it. He’s an actor’s director. He doesn’t tell you what to do, what not to do. He will just support you all the way and tell you how he feels about what you’re doing. Therefore he’s not a tough boss. He’s a great, nice director to work with."
The Tone of American Dreamz: Jennifer Coolidge plays Mandy Moore's obsessive stage mother in American Dreamz. Coolidge, no stranger to Weitz' movies, says the film works because of the tone Weitz achieved with his script. "I think what’s really great about it is it sort of gets the whole world perspective and makes fun of it. I think Paul does it in a way where it doesn’t get too serious. It really is sort of a black comedy and it is a satire. I think Paul’s incredibly careful the way he does it. I think it’s hilarious that it’s about a befuddled President that doesn’t read, that is obsessed with a game show. That’s a really funny idea and how much of it is real is left up to us to decide."
The Writer/Director Combination: Jennifer Coolidge loves to work with writers who direct their own scripts. "They let you improv," explained Coolidge. "Paul lets you throw your own stuff in and he’s incredibly relaxed. You can do no wrong. He edits out all your moments that you want edited out. He’s very cool and really, I’ve done like four films with him and I can’t say enough. He’s also very un-Hollywood. He’s the most down to earth cool guy. He’s like a brother [to me]; he's very undamaged. Just has a lot but you’d never know it, an incredibly humble guy."
The American Idol Phenomenon: Aghdashloo believes the reason Americans are hooked on American Idol is because the show provides its viewers with a sense of power. Aghdashloo also believes it's because everything is so genuine. "We see real people applying for real jobs. We see real people trying to become stars and this is just great."
American Idol fan Jennifer Coolidge explained it like this: "There is something really cool about it. It is one of those really legitimate shows where you can’t really cheat. You know what I mean? You can’t cheat on that show, which is kind of cool. It’s one of those things where it’s like I don’t know if the best person always wins, but the best person does end up pretty high at the top, which is kind of cool. Of all the reality shows that are out, I have to say that American Idol is my favorite."
Who is Jennifer Coolidge rooting for to win the 2006 season of American Idol? Coolidge said, "I love Elliott and I love Paris, and I’m really sad about Mandisa. But if Elliott and Paris end up in the end, I’ll be very happy."
Next Up for Shohreh Aghdashloo - X-Men: The Last Stand: Aghdashloo's character is the catalyst to the events of the third X-Men movie. "I play Kavita Rao. She is a genetic scientist who has created this serum to change mutants into humans. And I was so sad thinking why she’s not creating a serum that would do otherwise – turn humans into mutants."
Aghdashloo wasn't in the first two X-Men movies so she can't compare director Brett Ratner's style to Bryan Singer, the director of the other movies, but she did have a good time working with Ratner on what's considered to be the last film of the X-Men series that will feature all the mutants. "He's fantastic. He is incredible to work with. He is a giant director in a young man body. An old soul in a young director’s body."
Shohreh Aghdashloo and Jennifer Coolidge Interview Video - Play the Video
