Currently starring in Sam Mendes 'Away We Go', John Krasinski talks to RTÉ.ie about his new role plus working on the American version of 'The Office'.
RTÉ.ie: When did you first hear about 'Away We Go' and what was your initial reaction to the screenplay?
John Krasinski: I read the script by David [Eggers] and Vendela [Vida] and I thought it was one of the best scripts I’d read in my life. I was already a big fan of Dave’s work, 'A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius' and his book of short stories, 'How We Are Hungry'.
So I read his script and it sounded like his fiction, and he and Vendela just seemed to know what it was they wanted to do with the story and where they wanted to take the characters. And I liked that there were no grand scenes – you jump off a boat, fall in the water and swim to the shore, whatever - that it was just steady and believable and even keeled.
But most of all what I loved about it was that it was about two people who were actually in love, not a guy who cheats on a girl, looses girl, has to get girl back. I love how it celebrates two people who aren’t fighting to get back to each other, but are taking on the world together. And lastly, I found it really inspiring to play a character with a child-like positivity about the world.
RTÉ.ie: How did you react when you heard Sam Mendes was going to direct the film?
JK: I thought, ‘That’s going to be a great movie.’ And then I got a call from Sam’s people and was told Sam wanted me to do it, which was very surreal. I’m sure people reading this are going to think: ‘That dude from 'The Office' got a call from Sam Mendes?!’ It’s what I thought at the time.
RTÉ.ie: You had already worked with Mendes briefly on 'Jarhead' at this stage.
JK: 'Jarhead': the best seven seconds of my life! Yes, I’d contributed my small role to Jarhead. And I think Sam’s followed my career since 'Jarhead' and on through 'The Office'. Also, he was auditioning 'Revolutionary Road' and I really wanted to play the part of the neighbour, not Michael Shannon’s character, he was untouchable, but the neighbour who ended up making out with Kate.
Which actually would have been awkward. Anyway, Sam said, ‘Sorry, you’re too young for the part. I can’t audition you’. So I wrote him an email and said, ‘You can say no, but you have to say it to my face.’ So I flew to New York when I was doing 'Leatherheads' with George [Clooney] and I auditioned and Sam said, ‘Sorry, you’re still too young.’ I said, ‘Great, that was the deal.’ But later Sam said it was that audition that had shown him I could really do something beyond 'The Office' and funny stuff, and that it was in his mind when he thought of casting me in 'Away We Go'. I think that’s really cool.
RTÉ.ie: Did you know the UK version of 'The Office' before you were cast in the American version?
JK: I was a huge fan of the UK version. When I auditioned for the US show there were seven of us going for the part – this was the call-back in New York - and the first six went in and did their auditions and then the casting director came out and said, ‘We’re taking a lunch break.’ I said, ‘Really? Just before my audition?’
So the whole office went out and 30 people come back with soups and salads. Then a guy sitting opposite me says, ‘Are you nervous?’ I say, ‘Oh, no. You either get the part or you don’t. What I am nervous about is that they don’t screw up the show, because it’s the best show that’s ever been on television. I have a feeling it’s going to be really tough to make it good, and that maybe Americans won’t go for it.’ And the guy says, ‘Hi! I’m Greg Daniels. I’m the executive producer.’ I almost threw up.
So when I finally went in for my audition everyone was laughing at me, not with me. But, you know, laughter is laughter, and I ended up getting the part.
RTÉ.ie: Having been cast in the film, what kind of preparation did you undertake?
JK: I drove across country from New York to LA when I got the part. There’s something incredibly romantic about just taking off, very Jack Kerouac. Although I knew where I was going - I was going to Hollywood to make a movie.
But driving across country, you get pushed in all kinds of directions going through all these little places. So that helped me get my head around making a road movie. Actually, I found it much more difficult to envisage myself as a new dad. I found the teaching patterns about how to be a parent so alien. Sam, Dave and Maya [Rudolph] understood it all, of course.
RTÉ.ie: 'Away We Go' may be a romantic comedy, but it’s not played for laughs. In comparison to your comedic role in 'The Office', did you find it difficult to play it straight?
JK: When someone like Sam is at the helm the dramatic things and the comedic things are almost the same, because it’s all about playing the moment. I know that sounds very actorly, but you try to play the reality of the situation your character is in and not the scene for laughs.
The moment you do that it becomes ridiculous and is therefore not that funny, I think. And I think that’s the key to dramatic work. Also, when people ask me which would I rather do, drama or comedy, I go by what Maya says, ‘I would rather do both, because I’ve got drama and comedy in my life.’
RTÉ.ie: How did making 'Away We Go' compare with working on 'The Office'?
JK: It’s actually incredibly fun to step into something new. Not to step away from 'The Office', of course. 'The Office' is not something you’d ever want to step away from. I beg the makers for my job back every year. But doing a movie is very refreshing. Not that I have the opportunity to choose what movies I do.
With 'Away We Go' I was lucky it was being made in the window of time I’m off from 'The Office', eight weeks over the summer. It’s not like I’m trying to be Johnny Depp: and now I’m going to work with Sam Mendes. But the hard part is it’s such a small window that you run up against the show on either side of making a movie, and very few movies will be completed in exactly their allotted time.
So I was very lucky that when we made 'Leatherheads' that George changed his shooting schedule for me. That’s kind of insane when you think about it. So it’s difficult to find a movie and its makers who will take you on for just that little bit of time between the shows. A lot of times I read great script for movies that I just won’t be able to do. Still, we’re all completely spoiled on 'The Office', because it’s the best writing out there.
RTÉ.ie: Would you agree that American TV is currently at something of an all-time high?
JK: HBO made TV worthwhile. It brought a real gravitas to programming, and then all the networks followed suit. They realised you can’t just keep making the same shows over and over. 'The Office' is a perfect example: it was really new in America. It was an edgier, darker show and it didn’t have a laugh track – that was revolutionary in the US.
For the first two seasons we were going to get cancelled. And then all of a sudden it became cool and people started watching it. Hopefully, it will help other shows that break the mould to be successful. Hopefully, it’ll encourage the networks to take more chances.
'Away We Go' is in cinemas now.
