Interview: Robin Williams On License to Wed

By Steve Chupnick on July 2, 2007

He’s one of America’s greatest comedians - and actors. He’s played a doctor, a psychotic radio host, a president, and now a reverend. Robin Williams gets religious in his latest flick – the romantic comedy, License to Wed, which also stars Mandy Moore and The Office’s John Krasinski.

When Mandy and John get engaged, they go to Robin for marriage advice. He puts them through a test of wills, to say the least. Basically, he convinces them – or tries to convince them that they’re really perfect for each other.

Robin credits his background as a choir boy as getting into his inner-reverend. “Just going back to the old days when I was going to church – as a Protestant, which is Catholic-like, the idea of somebody who could really advise and has something to offer. That’s the whole thing of remembering what I grew up with; that was the beginning and once I got that, it was pretty easy. And being on, as much as you can be – without being a priest. I vaguely remember this one, but there was no one specific.”

With Robin’s comedy background, he was able to play around with the script. “With people like John and Mandy, there’s people who play opposite you and keep going.” About John, “I can’t give him advise; he’s doing a series that is very funny and he’s got great chops, plus he’s directed his own movie. The dude’s so far ahead of me in terms of what he’s accomplished, even now. Just learn from him; he’s got great physical timing; I had a great time of just reacting. With him, he gets most of his laughs on [The Office] from just reacting. He’s got the chops; there’s nothing I can say to him.”

As for Mandy, “She’s very sweet and funny in her own way because she looks so ‘wholesome,’ but she got ‘another thang.’ We were talking the other day about Mandy not making the papers as much because she’s not playing bumper cars with the Bentley. She’s got all the same chops and she’s doing all the same things and living her life quietly. I had a great time working with her because she’s funny; plus, she’s also got this ‘wholesome sensuality’ that a lot of girls have. She’s got a lot of things going on, and I had a great time being around her and working with her – and John.

And working with both John and Mandy, “They had most of their scenes together, so they had that dynamic that was believable – a young couple, in love, having sex, and still even being denied sex and still getting married and building love, which is kind of cool. For me, it was just fun just to watch their scenes because I wasn’t in them much. Knowing that the chemistry would be fun, especially with John cause I have most of my scenes with him.”

Director Ken Kwapis was pretty open to all of Robin’s improvisations. “Physical, anything, cause he’s worked with John, he’s done the series (The Office). He’s open for it, and I trusted him because he cast a lot of great people in some small parts. I could compare him to any of the other [directors]; he’s got a sense of humor. He’s different than Terry Gilliam, and he doesn’t use a lot of flying things; he’s as good as anyone.”

Source:Latino Review

• 

  Comments

• No comments yet!

Submit Your Comments

Title

Comment

Your Name

Your Email