One of the keys to getting a great interview is building a rapport with the subject. It's one of those things you can't force, and it often doesn't happen at all. That's why this interview with Bill Hader is so great. Danny McBride, who's co-starred with Hader multiple times, is the man asking the questions for Interview Magazine.
The two actors work through the narrative of Hader's life, starting with growing up and playing football in Oklahoma, a predictably awkward situation.
Hader: "In Tulsa, it was sports or nothing. My dad sent me to fucking football camp. Can you imagine me at football camp, Danny?"
McBride: "You would've really rocked the house."
Hader: "I was terrified. I was like, 'Hey, you guys want to watch Rosemary's Baby or something?'"
They also talk about Hader's career arc from his initial move to Los Angeles to his decision to leave Saturday Night Live and go all in on movies. The highlight is when the actors talk about the difference between comedy and drama. Even though Hader is the subject of the interview, McBride and his giant personality take over and deliver the best quote:
"I did a few days on Franco's As I Lay Dying, and the vibe on the set was very heavy and serious. The only thing I can equate it to is tripping with a bunch of your friends. I would look around and none of the actors were talking to each other. They were all just pacing around in their own heads, in character. They kind of put me in a zone where I didn't want to talk to anybody if it would take them out of their deal or something. So then you find yourself imitating what they're doing, like, 'I guess this looks like I'm working on my character if I just stand here by this tree and feel the bark.'"
Take the time to read the interview in full. It's full of gems from a couple of improv kings.
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[via Interview]
