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Q&A with Darren Boyd
Hi Darren,
great performance, i really liked your cool reactions..., made me
smile...
congratulations...I would have changed team instead of Luce :).
What was your favorite sceene? And why did Coop fall for Luce?
thanx for your time, i wish you all the best...
erika from hungary
Hi Erica,
Thanks for the question and indeed your comments x
i think my favourite scene was the dinner scene with all four of us. It was
the first scene we shot and it was such a great atmosphere as it was the
beginning of something new, always a great buzz.
Also, Ol let us play with it quite a bit, in order to create the right
'familiar' atmosphere. It's always a treat when you don't have to be too
rigid with things and feel that there's room to play a little, I think this
can create wonderful spontaneous moments!
As far as why did Coop fall for Luce? I would have to say because she was
female and breathing. x
Thanks again Erica and good luck in all you do,
Darren Boyd
Hi Darren!
I'm from Portugal and I'm writing just to say that I loved this movie.
You were sooo great! But, actually, I'm also writing to ask you how was
working with Lena and Piper because I love them! Oh! Lena is so cute! At
least she shows that way... is she cute? And Piper?
Hope you answer me!
Keep Going! U're fantastic!
Ana
Hi Ana,
Working with Lena, Piper and all the actors and crew was great.
It was a smooth, very enjoyable production all round in fact and one that I
will remember fondly.
I'm grateful for your comments and so glad you enjoyed the movie x
Thanks again,
Darren Boyd
In his commentary on the DVD, Ol Parker remarks that you're having meat
on your plate during the dinner scene, even though you're a vegetarian.
Was it difficult to get something to eat while you made the movie? And
do you have any explanation why there aren't any characters in "mainstream" movies who don't eat meat? After all, the two female leads
in Imagine Me & You don't eat meat, either.
Johannes Schult (from Germany)
Hi Johannes,
I'm glad you noticed that, because when I heard the commentary I couldn't
help being surprised at that comment! I'm afraid I have to correct Mr.Parker
there, as I most definatley wasn't eating meat and nor would I under any
circumstances! I had spoken to the props dept before hand and the food on my
plate was a soy based meat substitute. Also, because of the repetetive
nature of filming (i.e when you're eating in a scene you can expect to have
to do it up to 11, 12 times) you don't want to fill your face! So I pretty
much stuck to the veggies anyway.
As far as eating in general on set, the caterers are always told before
shooting begins if there are vegetarian/vegan actors involved and will make
great meat/dairy free food daily! Some of my best meals are often on set!
(Actually that's not true, my wife is also vegan and she makes the most
amazing food I can describe!)
As far as mainstream movies - keep an eye out for 'fast food nation'
starring Greg Kinnear and Patricia Arquette, also 'Mclibel' - a documentary
made in 2004. (There's an independent film called ' How to live with a vegan
without killing them' made in 2004 which is fun!)
And of course 'An Inconvenient truth' is out soon....not neccessarily food
based, but essential viewing I think for anyone with a concience x
Thanks for your question Johannes, and take care
Darren Boyd
What projects do we have to look forward to that you have been working
on or will be doing?
Webmaster
I have just finished shooting 'The Jane show' For Shaftsbury productions,
which was shot in Toronto Canada, and will be going out on Global at the
end of April. I am also in the new (second) series of 'Regenesis', also
on Global (at the moment!) I have also just finished a pilot for channel
4 here in the UK, and am going to Cape Town, South Africa in May to shoot
an independant film called 'Spoon' for 10 weeks. I am also writing when
I get the chance and have a pilot in development for a new comedy show.
Hey i'm elspeth (ellie)
here's my question.....
What scene in the movie (that you were in) took the longest to film and
why?
Yeah it's kinda of rubbish!!!
Ellie
Hi Ellie,
I think the longest scene I was involved in was probably (not surprisingly)
the wedding scene. Although I wasn't involved in all aspects of the scene
It was a big set up and took quite a while to shoot. Also, it was in a
marquee outdoors so if i remember correctly, weather played a part in
delaying filming at one point. (Always a factor when filming outdoors!)
A fun scene though, and it looks lovely eh?
Thanks Ellie,
Darren x
I've got a question for darren. could you ask him to list his ten
favourite things about the writer/director ol parker? and tell him to
spare no details.
ol
Hi Ol,
What a well thought out question,...only ten? Let's see...
1. He put me in his movie.
2. He has taste (see answer 1).
3. He loves his family.
4. He's driven.
5. He really has something to say.
6. He has genuine passion for the importance of story.
7. He's so laid back on set it's a dream!
8. He's incredibly generous with his time and attention as a director.
9. He's gonna put me in his next movie - He just doesn't know it yet.
10. Did I say how much he loves his family?
Love you man,
Darren x
I saw in your credits that you did "Watching Ellie" over
here in Hollywood. What did you think of the Hollywood atmosphere compared
to working in England? Do you think that it helped "IMAY" that
it was made away from that Hollywood atmosphere?
Webmaster
I definately think that the scale of things in Hollywood, naturally,
dwarfs most others, simply because the place has more money than it knows
what to do with and can therefore do pretty much what it wants, when it
wants! I think IMAY has a real heart at it's centre, and you'd have to
try pretty hard to miss that when making a film like this.
If Ol Parker was to make a sequel to IMAY would you do it? If so,
at the end of IMAY the audience sees Coop with a baby, what would you
like to see happen to Coop?
Webmaster
I would do anything Ol parker asked me to do!I think personally that
Coops story came to a nice conclusion at the end of IMAY. We saw change
in him throughout the film and I think that final shot
caps it off nicely - i.e - here's a guy who's 'seen the light'...
Coop was such a charming rogue...did you draw from anyone to play
him?
Webmaster
I actually didn't really draw on anyone for Coop, I just decided that
if I played him completely straight he might come across as rather unlikable
and I didn't want the audience to just see him as 'The sexist one'. I
always feel that no matter how a character initially appears, they always
have endearing qualities about them, and as an actor it's up to me to
find those elements of a person that make them complex and multi-dimensional.
Once I decided to make Coop as a 'lovable' (and therefore forgivable)
guy, it was just a case of feeling it out and physicalizing those thoughts.
Greetings Darren;
I wish I got to see more of you over here in the states! Anyhow, my question
is, how hard was it to call Lena Headey a sl*t to her face?!I'm guessing
that would be a pretty tough thing to do!
All the best,
Sarah
(Londoner by birth, but now a Floridian by some cruel twist of fate)
Hi Sarah,
Calling Lena a s@#t eh? Yeah, not nice. She's a lovely person and quite
a gentle soul, so We had to just remember everything in the context of
the story. At that point I think Cooper was upset on a few levels - I
think he felt a sense of betrayal too, and I think the fact that he'd
always had feelings for Rachael also started to sneak out at that point.
It's funny, when you're on a set and the atmosphere is what it is, you're
so focused you find yourself doing and saying all manner of things without
a second thought!
Thanks for writing in,
Darren x
Any similarities between you and Coop?
Webmaster
I think Cooper and I share the 'lightness of approach' to most things...
Other than that, he's quite a sexist git, so I'd have to say no!
The scene at the end where "Coop" confronts "Luce",
was your most dramatic scene in the film. Do you find it harder to do
the more dramatic versus the comedic scenes?
Webmaster
I don't really feel there's much difference between the comedic and dramatic
elements of a performance. By that I mean you are always looking to play
the truth of a moment - nothing more. There are certainly some slightly
different modes of approach perhaps, but it's always about the truth and
the moment.
hi darren,
you did a great job playing cooper in the movie, but i was wondering if
you found him a bit hypocritical for being angry with luce. if so, how
did you manage to still make him a lovable character? also, do you think
that this incident with heck and rachel caused the change in cooper's
character by the end of the movie?
thanks,
angela from toronto, canada
Hey Angela,
Thanks for a great question. I think that Cooper was indeed affected by
events in the story. Hypocritical? Maybe...I think that sometimes we don't
always know our true feelings until they are challenged in some way. I
think that we can become victims of our own mask wearing at times. By
that I mean someone like Cooper has very successfully carved out an image
for himself that he has to maintain around friends etc. Sometimes I fear
we can become a little too successful at 'presenting' ourselves in a certain
way, and that
we can therefore become victims of that self imposed role. I think when
Cooper is exposed to real hurt, particularly as it's someone he cares
for, he cannot help but get angry - maybe because it doesn't fit in with
his lighthearted idea of what love might be? Maybe it's because he loves
Rachael and knows that he's missed his chance of having that very thing
he pretends to dismiss. He may play the role of 'cad' but i personally
think that cooper has a deeply romantic soul that just doesn't know how
to emerge! And I think
he sees all he secretly wants in Rachael (and Heck)...When he witnesses
it's potential destruction therefore he can only take it personally.I
think as an actor, once I choose to really tap into those layers, a real
person emerges, and I hope that contributes to making him a more 'loveable
character' as you put it.
Hope that answers your question, and thanks again for writing in,
Darren Boyd x
Had you worked with any of your costars or Ol before this movie?
Webmaster
I hadn't worked with any of those guys before IMAY, although one of my
good
friends had worked with Anthony in 'Rocky Horror' a few years back!
Any behind the scenes practical jokes?
Webmaster
Wish I could remember any good jokes. There was the usual ad-libbing between
takes, but no big goofy jokes that I can remember!
What did you think of Piper's British accent? Did you all try to help
her with it?
Webmaster
I think Pipers accent was spot on. (You know she came to London early,
at her own expense, to work further with a dialect coach? - that's how
professional she is. Very cool.)
hey darren!
i just wanna say that you were pretty damn funny in IM&Y!anways,i
was wondering,since you worked with them and all,what lena headey,piper
perabo and matthew goode were like. juicy answers would be nice! :D
- Jen from Canada
Hi Jen,
Thanks for the compliment! It was fun trying to making Cooper slightly
ambiguous with his sincerity regarding his opinions about women and relationships
etc, and therefore something of a 'lovable rogue' as it were...As far
as the others... Well, what can I say?! They were all lovely! I know that's
not exactly gossip riddled, but unfortunately there is none to offer really...I
think it's testament to Ol and the casting directors, and their ability
to sense chemistry in all the right places. They need a cast who will
bounce off each other on screen in character, and I think that if that
works then there will naturally be a similar chemistry off screen. You
also have a group of people who obviously responded very enthusiastically
to Ols script and so were sharing a common sense of wanting to do it good
service.
Hope that answers your question!
Darren x
my question for darren is what do you think you'd do if you were ever
put in a real-life situation like piper/matt in the movie?
brittany
wilkes-barre PA
Hi Brittany,
Deep question! Hmm...
Well, I am a true believer in personal fate, and that the path we all
walk is the one that we create for ourselves every day. And while we're
gettin' all heavy, I also believe that acceptance is the key to life.
- Or at least one of them !
So to answer your question - If I found myself in a similar situation?
I would force myself to accept it first, and ask myself what - if any
- part I played in it. I think it's always surprising when we really tune
in to the role we play in our own lives, and when we stop looking at life
as a series of events that 'happens to us'.
Lastly, I think I would try to imagine life beyond the immediate 'here
and now' and put my energy there, because whatever the outcome, tomorrow
is always on it's way, right?
Thanks Brittany,
Darren x
What one word would you use to describe your costars...
Webmaster
Mathew - Classy
Piper - Dedicated
Lena - Ubercool
Anthony - Rockstar
Celia - Sexpot
Boo - Moviestar
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