Catherine O’Hara and Jane Lynch have been friends for years, they’re part of the original “Brat Pack,” starring in classic Christopher Guest films such as Best in Show and For Your Consideration, and they’re reunited once again for “A.C.O.D.” O’Hara plays Carter’s selfish (and slightly horny) mother Melissa, and Lynch plays Dr. Judith, Carter’s wacky therapist. As to be expected, they fit the roles perfectly. Catherine and Jane walk into the interview with the biggest smiles on their faces; they command the room so much so that the men stand up to shake their hands, a nice gesture that both ladies appreciate. We begin:
YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER, JANE?
JANE LYNCH: Tell me…
[LAUGHTER]
JL: Again and again, please.
YOU’RE THE TYPE OF CHARACTER THAT CAN GET AN EMOTION, WHETHER IT’S ANGER OR LAUGHTER, AND YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS…
JL: Oh that’s great, I’ll have to watch myself next time.
WHERE DO YOU GO TO GET SOMEONE LIKE THAT?
JL: I think it’s the oblivious, blind ambition that people have sometimes and it doesn’t even really matter how you may hurt somebody else, and [my character] just saw an opportunity and jumped on it. Basically, [my character] said, ‘I’m gonna use you to resurrect my career.’
CATHERINE, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER, HOW’D YOU GET OFF ON [PLAYING MELISSA]?
CATHERINE O’HARA: Oh, I got off all right….
[LAUGHTER]
JL: Yeah, she and Richard Jenkins got off…
CO: Haha, well the last thing a parent should be is selfish, but we’re only human and this mother is just so selfish. The fact that Carter’s parents have bad-mouthed each other for all these years and tried to turn their children against each other is just so beyond immature. But you know, people behaving badly is kinda fun, especially when they so don’t think they’re behaving badly.
HOW DID YOU REACT IN THE SCRIPT WHEN YOU [AND RICHARD JENKIN’S CHARACTER HUGH] FINALLY GOT BACK TOGETHER? AND THEN CARTER’S LIKE, ‘WE’VE GOT TO STOP THIS!’?
CO: It was kind of sad that [Carter] was so repulsed by us, that’s not very flattering…
[LAUGHTER]
JL: Yeah, they’re awful people
CO: Aww, come on!
WELL THERE IS THIS SAYING, ‘THE GREATER THE ANGER, THE MORE POWERFUL THE LOVE.’
CO: Oh yeah, well you have to care to get mad. So [our characters] really care about each other, because we’re still after 20 years…‘Ahhh!’
IN A ROOM FULL OF CRITICS, HEARING THEM LAUGH OUT LOUD IS A REALLY GOOD SIGN…
JL: Oh that’s great!
CO: Oh good!
DID YOU SENSE THAT AT THE FIRST ROUNDTABLE READING THIS WAS GOING TO BE A SUCCESSFUL FILM?
CO: Oh yeah, when I read it for the first time…
JL: Yeah, me too.
CO: Yeah, it’s got great stuff in it. It’s real because it comes from Stu Zicherman [director] and Ben Karlin’s [writer] real lives! It’s all based on real pain…
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE REACTING TO THIS FILM, ARE YOU GUYS PREPARED NOW TO HEAR PEOPLE’S STORIES [OF DIVORCE]? YOU’RE GOING TO BE REAL-LIFE SHRINKS NOW.
CO: I’ll just tell them to get out of my face.
[LAUGHTER]
JL: I think this is the first generation of adult children of divorce who are now adults. Now since divorce has become this viably acceptable option, we now have, as my character says, ‘the most un-parented generation in history.’ [Marriage is] a social meme that doesn’t work for everybody; It didn’t really work for my parents, although they were of a generation where that’s what you did, you stay together no matter what. Now, we have this option where you can come in and leave if it doesn’t work.
CO: You shouldn’t be made to feel like you have to get married. Really, you shouldn’t get married unless you’re ready to, and you love yourself already.
