Adam Sandler graduated to film after appearing in wacky US sketch show Saturday Night Live. "The Wedding Singer" remains one of his most succesful film comedies, but his recent collaboration with director Paul Thomas Anderson for romantic drama "Punch-Drunk Love" earned him the best reviews. Rageaholic comedy "Anger Management" finds him back on familiar ground.
Marisa [Tomei] tells us you stole all her jokes and made them your own! Is that true?
What happened is that Marisa would say her lines during rehearsal and then I would put this little pill in her drink. She would fall asleep in her trailer and then I'd say what I wanted to say... her stuff, my stuff, some of Nicholson's stuff, and then I'd go home!
Guess that made you look good as producer of the film, right?
Producer! Manipulator! Everything!
What surprised you about working with Jack Nicholson?
I don't know. I didn't have many expectations. I loved his movies and I knew in his movies he could be lots of different personalities and express lots of different emotions, so I wasn't sure what it was going to be like hanging out with him. What I got from him, though, was a real funny guy, an incredibly smart guy, very sweet to his family, just very personable. I enjoyed hanging out with him.
Did you improvise much or stick with the script?
We worked very hard on that script with Jack. We just made sure we liked every line in the movie. Then when we got on the set and we're rehearsing the scene and it's working, you try and come up with things on the fly, sure.
How about balancing your two characters?
I wasn't worried about that because Nicholson himself is a movie maker, and in order to make this movie right, it had to be give and take - and that was the way we wrote the script. I know that when I watch the movie, I stay focused on him. I'm fascinated every time he walks in the room.
What scene made you laugh the most?
I laughed my ass off at every take where Nicholson takes his plate of eggs and throws it against the wall! I enjoyed hearing him scream: "I said over easy!" I don't know why that made me laugh but I couldn't hold in my laughter.
And another great moment is when you two are singing songs from "West Side Story" in the car on the bridge in the middle of all the traffic...
That was nice, singing "I Feel Pretty". Nicholson could hold a tune and I was happy to jam with him!
What about Peter Segal as a director?
I think he's just a nice man. I like the way he shoots movies and I like the look of them. I'm pretty insane. I have a lot of different thoughts and he can tolerate me pretty good and stay in a nice mood. And he keeps the set fun. I just like him as a person.
What are you most proud of with this film?
Mostly relieved. When I started it and Jack said he would do it with us, the thing I wanted to do least was to let him down. We didn't let him down. He likes the picture and I'm psyched!
