Writer/director Kevin Smith wasn't there (he was being kept busy doing hosting duties for a panel at the 2008 Comic Con) but the cast of Zack and Miri Make a Porno all got together for a mini-press conference to discuss the raunchy comedy. Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks play the lead roles of Zack and Miri, respectively, two friends who turn to porn for profit when they find themselves in need of fast cash. Rogen and Banks joined their co-stars Katie Morgan, Traci Lords, Jason Mewes, and Ricky Mabe for an R-rated conversation about the R-rated (or will it be NC-17?) comedy from Kevin Smith.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno Press Conference
Traci, what attracted you to this film?
Traci Lords: "Kevin Smith. He had this script, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, he sent it to my agent and I went, 'Wow, that title's kind of startling.' I read it and I laughed out loud and thought it was one of the most brilliant, funny things he'd ever done. I'm a fan of his and frankly if he had asked me to run craft service, I would have."
Can you describe in detail your character?
Traci Lords: "I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say, but I can tell you that I play the role of Bubbles and my skill is that I have control over every muscle in my [body]."
Jason Mewes: "I play a character, Lester. I would say I'm an amateur porn guy."
Why an amateur?
Jason Mewes: "Amateur because I'm not a porn star – aspiring."
Katie Morgan: "I play Stacey. I'm the well-meaning but slightly dim-witted stripper."
Ricky Mabe: "I play Barry, the over-eager, young adult theatre actor who ends up in a porno."
One of the controversies about this film is the NC-17 rating. Can you guys talk a little about how the MPAA seems to have a problem with sex but you can apparently blow somebody up?
Traci Lords: "Yay! Publicity! It's publicity. I think it's great for the film. I think it's great for Kevin. It's kind of funny, actually."
Katie Morgan: "It is. I don't think it's going to be a problem. I really have seen much, much dirtier movies."
Ricky Mabe: "I've seen them too."
Katie, you're really getting some mainstream success crossing over from the adult film industry. Can you talk about what that's been like?
Katie Morgan: "Well, this is my first mainstream press experience at all. It's going good. I'm still doing my HBO stuff. I've been with them for a few years. They've got me for a few more. I'm gonna keep going with that, and then with the movie. Who knows where I'll go from there!"
[The interview is joined by Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks]
Traci, you said you were a fan of Kevin Smith but when you actually work with him on a day-to-day basis, did your feelings change at all?
Traci Lords: "Yeah. Now I'm madly in love with him, completely and totally, and have a real issue with that because he's married. And so am I! And then there's the kids!"
Seth and Elizabeth, why do Zack and Miri make this porno?
Seth Rogen: "Probably for the same reason most people make porno - money, I assume. Yeah, it's strictly out of a financial situation. They kind of get the idea that porn makes a lot of money in this world and quick money, and that's where it all comes from."
Why do they need money fast?
Seth Rogen: "Because we live in Pittsburgh and it's the winter and we have no heat in our apartment."
What kind of a girl is Miri?
Elizabeth Banks: "She's a loser. Her name is Miriam Linkey. She was dubbed 'Stinky Linkey' back in the day and it totally stuck. Her best friend is this guy [indicating Seth] so she can't be doing that well."
Can you identify with her a little bit?
Elizabeth Banks: "I can! Surprising, I know."
In what respect?
Elizabeth Banks: "She's very simple and sweet and just sort of… You know, she's an orphan, she wants to find love, and she has a best friend. I mean, my best friend's the guy in my life. I don't know. I just thought she's very endearing. Everything about her I just adored."
Seth, as a writer, how did you adapt to Kevin Smith's writing?
Seth Rogen: "It was great. It wasn't much of an adaptation. He was really open for our kind of… I like to improv and kind of stay loose and he was real cool with that. At the same time the script was really funny and real easy to perform so it was a pleasure."
Elizabeth, you've worked with two iconic directors: Kevin Smith and Oliver Stone. How would you compare and contrast those two?
Elizabeth Banks: "I think they're both very specific American voices in film. I think they're both total visionaries. They're the perfect directors to work for in that they know what they want, they know how to communicate what they want, they're not precious about what they wrote, and you trust them totally that whatever they're pulling out of you is going to turn into a cool movie."
How is Stone's W coming?
Elizabeth Banks: "It's done. We wrapped on July 9th."
Is it going to be funny?
Elizabeth Banks: "There's some funny stuff in it, I guess. But we treated the material very seriously."
Are you getting any flack from people automatically assuming that you're going to be attacking the characters?
Elizabeth Banks: "I think people make that assumption because Oliver's involved and he's a controversial filmmaker. But, you know, we're not making a documentary. It's an artistic piece that's an interpretation of historical figures and I think that the guy was elected President twice and he comes from a political dynasty and to me that warrants a storytelling, so why not?"
Kevin Smith writes long passages of dialogue referring to all his favorite movies. What passages of dialogue are there in this film?
Seth Rogen: "There's a passage where I talk about Clerks for like about three pages. Yeah, there's big chunks here and there. There's some long scenes. But I'm trying to think. We make a lot of fun of a lot of movie titles. There's a nice little Sleeping With the Enemy moment that I enjoyed."
