Unlike the majority of the interconnected tales in the 2011 romantic comedy New Year's Eve, the storyline involving Zac Efron and Michelle Pfeiffer has nothing to do with romance and everything to do with following your dreams. Zac Efron plays a bike messenger who, after months of delivering items to Michelle Pfeiffer's desk, becomes the key player in helping her break out of her shell and fulfill her bucket list of dreams.
Because her character, Ingrid, has this need to check off a bunch of items basically in just one night, Pfeiffer had to dance, fly in a harness, and drive a motorcycle. And of all their scenes and stunts, Pfeiffer says the motorcycle was the biggest challenge.
"Riding the motorcycle, but not because I actually drove it," explained Pfeiffer at the LA press day for the Warner Bros/New Line Cinema release. "I think it was the elements that were a bit challenging. The weather was one. The paparazzi were also out in full force, in the scene, in the shot. Garry [Marshall] was constantly talking Zac and I off of a ledge."
"But, on the plus side, it was basically just us snuggling very close," interjected Efron.
Laughing, Pfeiffer admitted, "Yeah, that was nice."
Efron and Pfeiffer already knew each other going into filming as they'd worked together in the 2007 musical comedy, Hairspray, and Efron says he's had a crush on her since the first day they met. "Back then, I was very, very young and very bashful and, around her, I tended to put my foot in my mouth a lot," revealed Efron. "I didn’t really know what to say to her and everything just came out wrong. It was like, ‘Do you want to rehearse the scenes?’ I didn’t know what to do. I was very shy. But then I got to talk on the phone with her about this part. She said, 'I think we should take this to the next level. We should really push it. Let’s get a kiss in there.' I was like, 'I am in! I’m in this movie! Put me in! Sign me up! Let’s do it!'"
"It turned out to be awesome. It was lovely working with her. Every single second with her was amazing."
"Well, I’m the envy of every girl across the planet, I think," said Pfeiffer. "I got a kiss in there with Zac Efron, which was pretty clever of me, at the ripe old age of 53. I was sitting here thinking, 'Okay, there must be something negative or awkward about working with Zac,' and there was nothing. I had signed on to do the picture and a pretty impressive cast was assembling, but [the role of] Paul was not cast yet. And then I heard that Zac was possibly doing it. He called me and I was in the middle of a class, and I screamed and yelled in the middle of this environment. It was just a blast. We had so much fun. He’s so collaborative and so talented. I loved his Paul and that goofy haircut he showed up in. We didn’t really talk that much before until we showed up. I think he was a little disappointed when he opened my trailer door and there sat Ingrid. His little face just kind of fell, and I felt really bad. But, I think probably the sweetest thing about him was that he never let on, and he still won’t admit how disappointed he was."
Efron, ever the gentleman, begs to differ. "She looked stunning, absolutely stunning."
Pfeiffer's character is an introverted, over-worked assistant to a bigwig at a record company which meant she had to hold herself differently and her wardrobe was fairly drab and functional. Asked what it was like to play such a non-glamorous part, Pfeiffer replied, "I've actually done that a lot. I really like it. It’s what I love. It’s one of the things I love most about acting is just disappearing in the role, as much as I can. I think that’s one of the things that intrigued me about it and just to try to figure out, 'Who is this woman who’s lived in New York City all of these years and never been to any of these places?' That’s kind of where it led me."
It wasn't until the press conference that Pfeiffer realized she's actually a lot like Ingrid. "When I read this part, I said, 'Who is this person?' I think I talked to Garry and went, 'Garry, come on, this woman has been living in New York for 30 years and she’s never been to any of these places?' I realized I’m actually very much like her, but that happens quite a bit actually. I don’t realize how much I am like the characters until years later. Actually, I came to that conclusion during this press junket. We were sitting there together, talking, and he’s Paul and I’m Ingrid. I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, who knew?' I didn’t. I tend to be a little more of a hermit."
"How am I like my character? At the beginning, he’s a bit douchey I think, a little self-absorbed and narcissistic," replied Efron. "I don’t know. I’m digging a hole here. I guess I’m a narcissist. It was really fun. What happens in our relationship is just that we fall in love and he realizes that there’s much more than just a party."
The film's all about what we do and how we choose to celebrate New Year's Eve, and Pfeiffer isn't all that different from most individuals when it comes time to ring in the new year. "I never make it to midnight. I celebrate New Year’s at 9 pm, West Coast time. I watch the ball drop in my jammies with some champagne and maybe some pie, whatever happens to be around. I stopped setting those unrealistic expectations for New Year’s Eve many years ago."
That will change this year if Efron has any say in the matter. "We’re going to change that because you’re coming out with me this year," said Efron.
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New Year's Eve hits theaters on December 9, 2011.
