TIME: ALFRED HITCHCOCK WAS FAMOUSLY DENIED PERMISSION TO SHOOT NORTH BY NORTHWEST IN THE U.N. WHAT POWERS OF PERSUASION DO YOU HAVE THAT HE DIDNT?
SYDNEY POLLACK: Im sure if Hitchcock were alive today, hed be shooting at the U.N. It was time, honestly, more than anything else. We came at a moment when they were interested in opening up, and we came with good credentials, two terrific actors whose politics were known to the U.N. They were comfortable that we werent going to make a picture where people were getting it on on the floor of the General Assembly.
I was desperate to get the buildingthe movie would have been a fiasco without itbut also desperate not to be a used-car salesman. I met with Kofi Annan and said, I wish I could tell you were going to make this great message movie for the U.N., but were not. Its a thriller. Its sympathetic to the U.N.s goals, but its not a preaching piece about politics.
PENN: We shouldnt dismiss the possibility that the U.N. came strictly because Nicole was in the picture, and they wanted to meet her.
POLLACK: We did hear a lot of that.
PENN: But whether or not Sydney was doing a dog-and-pony show at the U.N., I guarantee you he was relentless. It drives you crazy, but he gets what he wants.
NICOLE KIDMAN: Yes, and thats a good thing for a director. You prefer someone wholl tell you what he wants and get in your face rather than sit back and be on the cell phone between takes.
TIME: WHEN YOURE THROWN TOGETHER WITH ANOTHER ACTOR, IS IT POSSIBLE TO KNOW BEFOREHAND IF YOULL HAVE CHEMISTRY?
PENN: This is a myth of people who write about filmwho has chemistry together, who doesnt. Its just a function of timing and circumstance, nothing more.
KIDMAN: I knew that Sean was fascinating, and thats an important thing with me. If Im bored with the person Im working with, that will probably come across. I need to be fascinated. PENN: I want examples of the nonfascinating ones.
KIDMAN: No, no, no.
TIME: IS IT EASIER OR HARDER TO BE FASCINATED WHEN YOURE ACTING OPPOSITE YOUR SPOUSE?
KIDMAN: That could get me into some dangerous territory. When youre working with your spouse, with your husband, you bring so much baggage to a film. It can work, but not if the characters are meant to be yearning for each other and never get together. Then youre up against something insurmountable.
TIME: WHEN DID YOU TWO FIRST MEET?
PENN: I sent you that note first cause I thought you were so great in that movie Buck Henry wrote (To Die For).
KIDMAN: Thats right. You sent me a telegram, actually. But we met at a party. Whose party was it?
PENN: It was Princess Leias (Carrie Fishers) party, wasnt it?
KIDMAN: After To Die For, he sent me a lovely telegram, and to get that kind of encouragement early on in your career gives you much more confidence to do things that are unusual or a little bold or offbeat. The thing about Sean is that he has an incredibly generous spirit in terms of other peoples work, particularly actors.
TIME: YOU DEFENDED JUDE LAWS HONOR WHEN CHRIS ROCK MADE FUN OF HIM AT THE OSCARS ...
KIDMAN: Another perfect example.
TIME: DOES IT BOTHER YOU THAT YOU OFTEN COME ACROSS AS HUMORLESS IN PUBLIC?
PENN: No, I tell you what bothers me. I saw that part on television from my hotel room before I got there, and the problem was that this f__ing punk town that we work in, nobody in that f__ing place booed the dumb joke. Chris Rocks really funny and talented, and in a three-hour set youre allowed to make bad jokes, but the audience should respond. Instead, its just a bunch of schadenfreude-ists sitting there wanting Judes parts and looks.
TIME: BUT YOU DIDNT EXACTLY RESPOND WITH HUMOR.
PENN: I dont think you lack a sense of humor when you dont laugh at something thats not funny. The whole premise of the thing, it seems to meand Im gonna analyze it for a second because Im having funis almost like, Whats so funny about peace, love and understanding? Whats so funny about pursuing excellence? Why is it that on the show that aspires to celebrate excellence, a fantastic actor has to be used as a punch line? Everybody was uncomfortable with the thing, and (exhales in mock seriousness) I guess its my position, when I do come down here (to Los Angeles), to be completely devoid of humor. (All laugh) God knows, somebodys got to do it. But bottom line: I didnt think it was funny.
KIDMAN: Neither did I. I laughed at other things Chris Rock said. Just not that.
TIME: SEAN, YOU GOT TO GO TO SECRET-SERVICE SCHOOL TO PREP FOR YOUR ROLE. WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
POLLACK: Oh, he was like a kid.
PENN: It wasnt that they were teaching me so much as I was there to see what they get taught. Theyre very impressive guys. You never know how these things affect a performance. You just try to have it at your service when you need it, if things come up when youre shooting.
TIME: COULD YOU PROTECT THE PRESIDENT? WOULD YOU?
PENN: (Laughs) Uh, I would protect the Constitution.
TIME: DID YOU FEEL VINDICATED AFTER NO WMD WERE FOUND IN IRAQ?
PENN: Well, were talking about something that in the end is just really sad. So, no, not vindicated. It should just be pointed out that the information to avoid a war was thereand, by the way, thats because the U.N. people were exactly right. Anybody who was willing to pay attention could have seen it was very unlikely that weapons of mass destruction were still in that country.
TIME: YOU MADE TWO TRIPS TO IRAQ BEFORE THE WAR, AND WHEN YOU WERE IN YOUR 20s, YOU VACATIONED IN BELFAST IN THE MIDST OF THE TROUBLES. MIGHT IT BE SAID THAT YOU ENJOY CONFLICT?
PENN: No. It can be said that actors are interested in people, and you will find the warmest, strongest people in places going through conflict. Any war zoneBelfast, Baghdad, anywherethese are places that can get you over yourself pretty good. And I need a dose of that. Im probably drawn to it for that reason.
The full story will appear on TIME.com Sunday at 6pm EST.
# # #
Contact:
Ty Trippet
212-522-3640