00:00:00: Hi guys, we're still at Kali Vivaari and I'm here to talk about the living pickpocket in New York with director Noah Sagan.

00:00:06: And actor will price them both here!

00:00:08: Hi guys how are you doing?

00:00:09: Hello so happy to be here.

00:00:11: How

00:00:11: has Kali vivaari been treating you so far?

00:00:14: It's incredibly beautiful.

00:00:15: We are here At The Hotel Poop.

00:00:18: i keep calling it Brigadoon Like feels like im in a fairy tale.

00:00:22: I was about put on the grand budapest In the room because its the inspiration Feels like a storybook or something.

00:00:27: You have presented this film enough.

00:00:29: a number of festivals had premiered at Sundance earlier this year in February.

00:00:33: How many festivals did you do so far with the film?

00:00:36: I took

00:00:36: it to Sundance, and then... You took her to the...

00:00:38: Brunnala after Sundance.

00:00:41: Then we had a little break And now were here With you!

00:00:43: So hope your not too exhausted from festival journey.

00:00:46: Let us talk about the genesis Of this film.

00:00:48: Noah When Did you start developing This story?

00:00:52: I started working on the concept when we were shooting The First Knives Out movie.

00:00:59: I was working on the first Benoit Blanc detective story with my friends, and i had this idea of putting like an analog character in a digital world because We Were Working On Knives-Out!

00:01:12: I think you know... I have.

00:01:12: these murder mysteries are also very kind of analog.

00:01:16: You Know it's Like Clockwork making A Murder Mystery Work.

00:01:18: So I Was Kind Of Working On This Concept And Then I Mentioned It To My Friend Ryan Johnson Who Is A Writer Director movies and my old friend.

00:01:26: And he said, you know... You should keep working on it because if this movie does okay maybe we'll start a little company will be able to make our own movies.

00:01:33: eight years later here We are

00:01:35: also one of these classical New York movies that in some ways feels very retro-styled like those films That came out in the seventies.

00:01:42: In the eighties often were crime dramas about and Also A lot About new york and its characters and Its atmosphere and not just about their dramatic plot where These Films an inspiration whether Maybe particular films where you say these inspired me to do this film?

00:01:57: Absolutely, I grew up in New York.

00:02:00: Many generations my family's been in New york so i think there was something about the new york.

00:02:05: i grew up and wanting to speak that as a kid looking at of course Abel Ferrara Elaine May.

00:02:13: A lot of these movies were made in the seventies and eighties That were more crime oriented but then even later movies like How Heartly or Nicole Halloff Center or just about drilling down into character and people, letting people be themselves.

00:02:28: Will

00:02:29: tell us how you jammed on Bart's story?

00:02:31: I sent in an audition to Noah.

00:02:33: when i hopped on a call we sort of talked through how Noah saw the character And How I Saw The Character.

00:02:39: It was pretty clear that We were aligned On A lot Of Things.

00:02:43: Then he gave me some films To watch.

00:02:45: Do You remember any of those?

00:02:46: Yeah it Was Leon The Professional Particularly Gary Oldman role Cause.

00:02:50: He Sort Like A Disruptor In This Story and Dylan in this movie, I think similarly is a disrupter.

00:02:56: And he has to come into the plot in a few key moments make sure that the story is propelled.

00:03:01: and then there was the Ray Liotta performance something wild by The Great Jonathan Demi.

00:03:05: those are two big ones latched on too because similarly they catapulted the plot sort of had my own ideas about it actually not dissimilar to Steve Buscemi's character in Fargo where He's sort of bumbling trying to get the reins on the plan.

00:03:20: knowing i talk chemistry with John, and it was very clear that we had a rapport.

00:03:24: We have the dynamic And I think Noah and I are from a taste standpoint fairly a lot.

00:03:28: John

00:03:28: is very Very emphatic.

00:03:30: even from when we looked at your first audition before we ever met he Was like oh That's that's the guy.

00:03:37: and then we learned about willan.

00:03:38: It had not been long since you had finished conservatory.

00:03:41: Yeah The idea You know john isn't very.

00:03:44: He really believes in.

00:03:45: yeah i don't want to say just the education of performance and acting but of studying, the act.

00:03:52: that was something he really like even before you knew him.

00:03:54: He felt like he could connect with you on and then after you guys met work together she was like yeah I remember you leaving in him walking out.

00:04:03: it's a guy!

00:04:03: And John himself is just student of things...he learned how to do some of the pickpocketing in film..and one of those actors not only is he one of the great actresses his generation but still learning and trying better himself as an actor.

00:04:20: So I was really great to watch him and learn from him.

00:04:29: It's also

00:04:49: pouring rain.

00:04:50: And it's pouring rain and its like late at night time, there are all these reasons why I'm like okay...and i remember John just going.

00:04:57: I want to do this!

00:04:58: Get it perfect because it is my joy.

00:05:00: Its the joy that I have but I was thinking about looking into two of you

00:05:05: in the

00:05:05: rain and being like This is what brings you guys.

00:05:08: Joy Is doing it You know?

00:05:11: And very simple thing.

00:05:12: But it was profound To see between those two actors Doing this.

00:05:17: And can't argue with that.

00:05:18: If an actor for a very selfless reason just wants to do something, I think it's like... It was

00:05:22: really the warm-warm my heart.

00:05:24: What's

00:05:24: your relation to New York?

00:05:25: Well i lived in new york For four years..I love New York Its' My favorite city!

00:05:29: I've been very lucky To be part of few movies that I would consider Like A modern New York movie That are The evolution Of the City In a lot of ways.

00:05:37: I did a film called Elinor the Great That Scarlett Johansson directed And its sort of in the vein of classic New York feeling movie.

00:05:43: and You know, Scarlet's a New Yorker and Noah is a new yorker.

00:05:47: And they both made these very New York movies.

00:05:49: I grew up loving so many movies that are set in New York.

00:05:52: i love going back and watching something like you Know Hennan or sisters?

00:05:55: And you see the old school downtown...you See The way the cities evolve..I think That what family VRDP did Is capture A city that feels Very modern but also Feels super timeless as well.

00:06:07: there Are shots In this film that look Like They could have been out of Film from the seventies But they've Also Feel Very Modern.

00:06:12: then I Think to be a part Part of a truly, like New York movie.

00:06:15: Like this one is very cool and it makes me feel I'm more the New Yorker than

00:06:20: you are.

00:06:20: We've talked about all The New Yorkers have talked out And we're extending you, so congratulations.

00:06:25: We shot this pre-nix when John...the biggest nix fan.

00:06:29: You

00:06:30: work with a number of big actors in this film.

00:06:32: We have Giancarlo Esposito, Steve Bascima, Of course John Totoro in the main role and Jamie Lee Curtis has this great cameo.

00:06:39: How was that?

00:06:40: how much did he actually interact?

00:06:41: Have

00:06:42: some small moments.

00:06:43: So Steve's, and Steve is one of those actors.

00:06:45: I feel like my first exposure to him was probably Monsters

00:06:48: Inc.,

00:06:48: but as it watched more movies... A big fan.

00:06:51: a lot these guys..I think i-i Was watching or just finished Breaking Bad when we were shooting this.

00:06:56: so its like.

00:06:57: These are all Actors that Are people I admire.

00:06:59: an amazing young actor.

00:07:00: When you have the opportunity to step up To The plate some Of these People That are not only great Actors But Like Really Hard Workers?

00:07:06: I Think That Is Special Opportunity Because All of These Guys They're True New York Actors.

00:07:11: Thats Different.

00:07:17: There is

00:07:19: definitely a style.

00:07:21: I think there's a style of actor from London, and school influence what he's going on in that city.

00:07:34: What's going with their theater scene?

00:07:36: And what's going you know are they're independent movies or their TV shows like whats being shot

00:07:41: one from acting to directing, would you say there's a specific directing style that fits actors?

00:07:47: It's much easier to write and direct movies than just act in them.

00:07:51: I traded the hardest job for like...the other hardest job!

00:07:56: A masochist is when it comes down too.

00:07:59: You have to love actors.

00:08:00: If your an actor its easy.

00:08:03: Every actor loves themselves.

00:08:05: So Its sort of an extension extended family, and I love them.

00:08:12: I think you feel out in the movie with John especially?

00:08:15: You're a fan!

00:08:16: But

00:08:16: could either good directors always love actors...I think good directors understand that you giving The Move to the actor In the way people who are screenwriters don't direct Are giving The Movie To A Director Offering THE MOVIE TO SOMEONE ELSE, eventually an audience.

00:08:32: How did it happen...?

00:08:33: I always just love working on movies.

00:08:39: And, i think being able to write was the beginning of realizing there were other ways than acting that could be involved with movies.

00:08:47: How did you get this great cast?

00:08:49: Did one actor draw The Other in?

00:08:51: We paid everyone millions and millions of dollars.

00:08:54: Well we payed them most.

00:08:57: That's also true!

00:08:59: We had very low budget.

00:09:00: Nobody got paid a lot.

00:09:01: how do we get actors Got to point where it felt like producers?

00:09:05: The script was in a good place, and we sent it to John.

00:09:08: We sent it.

00:09:09: the most New York icon we could think of!

00:09:12: And that's all you do is... You send the script then say well I hope?

00:09:15: Then you think to yourself.

00:09:16: Well of course John Tatero will be saying no and talk with ten other people or twenty others.

00:09:20: Maybe he'll never get me.

00:09:21: He'd been doing this long enough.

00:09:23: since you have big hopes and low expectations Who

00:09:24: else from the cast would do the right thing?

00:09:26: Yeah exactly.

00:09:27: And John read the script Right away.

00:09:29: It got him on a good day maybe because he didn't know much to do.

00:09:33: So he said let us have lunch.

00:09:34: and it was funny because I think he assumed that i lived in New York, which is a good assumption to make.

00:09:40: And so you say let's have lunch

00:09:41: tomorrow.".

00:09:42: And I called Ryan the producer most of my friend who I trust very much and they said John DeTurle wrote this script.

00:09:48: He wants to Have Lunch Tomorrow.

00:09:50: As im talking to him I can hear him typing Well your booked on flight for tomorrow!

00:09:54: I just booked you here at your hotel.

00:09:56: You better get to the airport man and do this.

00:09:59: It was like there was no thinking.

00:10:00: I went to new york.

00:10:02: You know, someone like John who is so prolific and also beloved.

00:10:06: He's just working with his neighbors.

00:10:07: he's working Steve's neighbor Jean Carlo.

00:10:10: they've known each other for years.

00:10:11: I mean these are just relationships and friendships And

00:10:14: colleague We already talked about the films that inspired this film But did you also wrote both of you?

00:10:19: Like research a little bit.

00:10:20: criminals spare and those characters living on the fringes Of society liked them once in the film or would say it's mostly a fictional world

00:10:31: evolved in New York, because Dylan is definitely like a descendant of sort-of more classic maybe mob mafia crime situation.

00:10:42: I mean one of the biggest things that actually John enlightened me about is pickpocketing.

00:10:46: now happens through QR codes on menus where people replace the QR code and steal your information which is interesting Because In my hotel room here i scanned the Room Service menu And then My phone flagged it as potentially hazardous website, it might be impersonating the room service menu.

00:11:04: I didn't go to The Room Service Menu because... Now you're

00:11:06: really hungry?

00:11:07: But now i'm sure it

00:11:08: is!

00:11:09: I am really hungry.

00:11:10: but then I was sort of wondering if maybe someone had gone into the room before me and replaced the Room Service QR code And like what a brilliant- That's the

00:11:19: sequel?!

00:11:19: I know that IS THE SEQUEL!

00:11:20: Oh

00:11:20: my gosh!

00:11:21: John.. What was he gonna call

00:11:23: Apollo?

00:11:23: Apollo Robbins who has won very few professional open pickpockets sleight hand.

00:11:29: There's a lot of overlap with magicians, of course.

00:11:32: Performance art and that sort of thing because being an actual criminal you don't want anyone to know who you are!

00:11:37: And so Apollo Robbins we employed to help John learn some of the physical acts of his job.

00:11:46: Now that you did this project together each of you like do have something new lined

00:11:51: up?

00:11:51: In the film industry if you can find someone that you feel aligned with or fun with That is the coolest.

00:11:57: when actors continue work Directors, I want to work with Noah on a lot of more movies.

00:12:01: Ultimately

00:12:02: do you have other projects that you've lined up like in the future?

00:12:04: In general

00:12:05: No he's only going to

00:12:06: work Signed for life!

00:12:09: I have-I have a film called Artificial That is directed by Luca Guadagnino.

00:12:12: thats coming out in the fall Speaking

00:12:14: of directors hiring The same actor.

00:12:16: Yeah yeah

00:12:18: yeah I was in After the Hunt With Luca and I'm an artificial.

00:12:21: And y'know Thats the thing Luca does.

00:12:22: He brings back actors.

00:12:24: Im about To go start A second season Of The Chair Company.

00:12:26: I did a movie on Apatow Directed called Poetic License, which is going to get released.

00:12:31: And then some stuff that's bubbling.

00:12:43: We'll be

00:12:58: adventurous to see us, so thank you guys for this interview.

00:13:00: Thank

00:13:01: You!