TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN A BAG OVER YOUR HEAD!

Prost Amerika Speaks to Baghead’s Jay and Mark Duplass Mark and Jay Duplass Born in Louisiana and based in Texas for several years, the Duplass brothers now call Los Angeles home. Recently they were in Seattle to answer questions from the audience after their latest collaboration Baghead appeared at the Seattle International Film Festival where Prost Amerika caught up with them. Baghead stars Ross Partridge, Steve Zissis, Great Gerwig and Elise Muller as four desperate actors who decide to write a film play themselves so that they can get parts. They retreat to a cabin in the woods where a terror is about to be unleashed on them. Baghead opens on August 8th, 2008.

Prost Amerika: It’s not the theme of the film, but it’s a bit that I like; when Matt [Ross Partridge] and Chad [Steve Zissis] are talking, [Chad says] ‘Dude, you’ve got game. You’ve got all the girls, give me a chance.’ Now despite my looks, I’ve been there. I’ve been in both positions, so you know I’ve got to ask: Have you been in either position, and was the other one to blame, by any chance?

Mark: That’s interesting. It’s weird that that moment… Although a lot of stuff in our movies comes from us, that wasn’t really something I ever experienced.

Jay: I’ve definitely experienced it. [laughs]

Prost Amerika: What about Steve Zissis? [Steve's character harbors a crush on Greta Gerwig’s Michelle.]

Jay: Steve has definitely experienced that, but you know, Steve understands his size and where he’s at in his life. He’s incredibly self-aware, and he’s just a funny guy. Steve is actually amazing with women, because of the way he…

Prost Amerika: He’s so charming?

Jay: He’s so charming, and he’s a pretty charismatic guy. That actually came at that moment, and it came from them knowing what the situation was, but that specific dialogue came from them.

Prost Amerika: Speaking of Greta. Was that her idea, putting barrettes in Steve’s hair?

Mark: That was her idea. We didn’t even talk about it; she just did it.

Prost Amerika: I like his facial expression in that scene. Even the audience was making cringing noises. I think they were coming more from the men. The two men seem to have more of a bond than the two women. Now, we’re not told that they’re greater friends in real life, so we wouldn’t assume that. I’m wondering if you picked up on the idea that men just get on better with guys than women do together, because they’re more competitive, and they don’t like to talk about being competitive, whether it’s unwritten or not.

Mark: The idea was that Matt and Chad were close friends in their past, but we liked the idea that Catherine [Elise Muller] was the older version of Michelle, that she was Michelle...years ago, so it’s in the nature of their relationship.

Jay: It isn't a commentary on friends. In general, we base our characters on people we know and things we’ve seen them go through, and we steal and pick things from here and there. Those were just two dynamics we thought were particularly enjoyable.

Prost Amerika: Lastly, on the subject of girlfriends; here’s the problem with a girl that adores him, but wants to be his friend. Have you ever experienced that, someone who wants to see you as a sex object, but just likes you too much?

Jay: Constantly. [laughs]

June 11, 2008