Stiller, Taylor and Stephen Root joined their fellow “Dodgeball” cast members and special guests for the June 14, 2004 World Premiere of “Dodgeball.” Gracious even after putting in more time treading red carpets than most upscale doormen do, Stiller and Taylor addressed the on-set dodgeball accidents and how their work together in this movie affected their lives at home.
INTERVIEW WITH BEN STILLER AND CHRISTINE TAYLOR:
Did you get the chance to put the hurt on your husband while filming this movie?
CHRISTINE TAYLOR: I wish I did. No, he put the hurt on me. You know what? I wish I had the physical strength but no, I just made him feel sorry for me – and my face. He hit me several times. The times he was supposed to hit me, he missed. The times he was supposed to hit Vince [Vaughn], he hit me. Not a lot of great aim, but a lot of great strength.
Ben, your character has a really retro look. Will feathered hair make a comeback?
CHRISTINE TAYLOR: Oh yeah.
BEN STILLER: Yeah, all the way. Big feathers and frosted, mullet styles, and Fu Manchus.
Did you feel terrible about throwing balls at your wife?
BEN STILLER: (Smiling) No, the character hits her with the ball, but no, it’s all make believe, it’s all computer generated. There were no real balls used in the making of the film at all – of any type.
Do you know anyone like your character?
BEN STILLER: Thankfully no. You know, the influence is sort of like any late night infomercial person out there who has a voice level octave below normal.
After you hit Christine in the face with the dodgeball, how’d that conversation go at the dinner table?
BEN STILLER: It actually happened at the dinner table. You know, we took the court home with us at the end of the day. You know what? It was fine. After two weeks I got to sleep in the bedroom again and we’re in therapy now.
That’s a hurdle for any relationship.
It is a hurdle but sometimes getting the balls out can help.
INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN ROOT:
Which dodgeball team do you play on?
I’m one of the Average Joes. It’s hard to believe that I would play a nerd, but I am playing a nerd in this film. Actually my character Gordon comes up with the idea of playing in a dodgeball tournament in Las Vegas to get money to help save our gym. Basically the film wouldn’t exist without me.
What was your initial reaction when you read the script?
Whether or not I could survive the actual dodgeball training we did. We did like three weeks of playing dodgeball before we started. We did about one month of shooting. It was tough. It was real hard.
It’s a great script and a lot of great people involved – it was a lot of fun.
Did you suffer any injuries?
We were all iced up and hamstringed out by the end of it, but it was worth it.
Who has the best arm?
Chris Williams – Vanessa’s brother. He’s got an incredible arm, it’s really amazing. Hopefully you’ll see it in the film.
What’s next for you?
I’ve got a little bit in Will Ferrell’s “Anchorman” coming up in July. I play a drunken anchor guy. And I’m doing “King of the Hill,” we’re in season nine of that.
ADDITIONAL "DODGEBALL" RESOURCES:
"Dodgeball" Premiere Interviews: Justin Long / Writer/Director Rawson Marshall Thurber / Chris Williams & Joel David Moore / Premiere Guest Kimberly Brown ("Be Cool")
"Dodgeball" Photos, Credits, and Trailer
