Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Linklater wrote the script for “Before Sunset” over a five month period but shot the film over a span of just 15 days. While “Before Sunrise” had breaks in the action, “Before Sunset” features long periods of the two characters talking to one another without any interruptions, a tough task for the two actors but one all felt was totally necessary in order to tell the story.
INTERVIEW WITH JULIE DELPY:
How was it to go back to this character after so many years?
It was lovely because what we get to explore in the first film, we didn’t get to explore some things that I still wanted to explore with this character. The luxury of being able to do that is amazing, but [there’s] a lot of work behind it. To be able to convince a company to give us money to do a sequel to something that is not a blockbuster is very hard to do.
Did you watch the first film to get back into character?
We knew the film pretty well. A lot of things had slipped our minds but we started writing the script in 2002 together. Two weeks before we shot the film, we watched “Before Sunrise.” We watched it together and had a great time doing that. We laughed and made fun of each other – what people do in watching themselves 10 years before. Then we said we really had to nail the second one because the first film is such a sweet, romantic film. And we had to do a different film so let’s not be afraid that they have grown, they have changed and it’s not so sweet and romantic, but it has taken another dimension that we need to explore and reach.
What were your writing contributions?
I’d say I wrote most of my dialogue, some of Ethan’s dialogue, and Rick [Linklater] wrote some of my and Ethan’s dialogue - and vice versa. We wrote the structure and story together. We came up with the concept together. We did bring a lot of writing to the script.
Does that mean there’s a lot of you in the character?
Well, isn’t everything people write autobiographical in some way? It’s definitely ideas I wanted to express that I wrote in another film that never got made. So you know what? I said, “Screw it. I’m going to write in this one.” Rick took bits of a piece I had written on modern society, that had nothing to do with the film, but he took an entire chunk and put it in the film.
How did you guys decide which character showed up for the reunion on December 16th?
Pretty quickly. She was the more romantic one in the first film it seems so it was more interesting to me that she was the one who didn’t show up. And she had grown to be a bit more cynical in the years. In a way, it’s like they shifted.
The takes are very long. Did you know every word or improvise?
We didn’t improvise a word. Everything was written and mapped out. Every gesture, every break in the dialogue, every moments where we look at each other – everything was written and rehearsed.
You sing three songs in this movie. Did you write them specifically for this film?
No, it was part of an album that came out in Europe and hopefully will come out here. I’m in discussion. It’s called “Julie Delpy.” I didn’t want to call it that but the label wanted my name on it. They thought it was easier to promote that way.
How has Ethan changed since the first film nine years ago?
I think he’s grown tremendously. I think he was a puppy in the first film – it really felt like that way. It’s true in your early 20s women have a certain maturity that I only realize now, and even as you get into your 30s. At the time, I thought he was a great person, but kind of sometimes immature a little bit. Now [he’s] totally not and our relationship is dynamic. Now we’re both immature.
Have you yourself changed in those nine years?
Actually, I was more grown up and serious then than I am now. And actually that’s part of growing up, becoming less serious about everything. I was so intense and I was suffering so much over anything and I was in pain constantly. Luckily I grew into having more a sense of humor. I think writing has been essential to me in feeling better.
PAGE 2: Delpy on Writing, "Frankenstein," and Countess Elizabeth Bathory
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Interview with Ethan Hawke
"Before Sunset" Photo Gallery
"Before Sunset" Credits, Trailer and Websites
