On a Friday afternoon, director Mark Pellington, Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried, Thomas Sadoski, and up-and-coming star, Ann’Jewel Lee, took their seats at the front of the conference room at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills—with a guest appearance from Amanda Seyfried’s adorable dog, Finn. Even in just the few minutes leading up to the press conference’s start, it was easy to recognize how the cast’s on-screen chemistry translated into a real-life relationship of respect and admiration for one another. Amidst all the joking and compliments, the cast and Pellington discuss the biggest risks they’ve taken, their life stories, and a feminist perspective on gender roles.

For our review of “The Last Word,” click here.

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Shirley’s character says a lot about challenging yourself to take risks in life. How about yourselves? Are you risk takers? What is the biggest risk you’ve taken?

Amanda Seyfried: I used to not consider myself a risk taker at all. I’m a very fearful person. I wasted some time being fearful… One day I had an artistic opportunity that scared the living daylights out of me. Instead of saying no, I said yes. And the course of my entire life has gone on a different path. I will never be the same person that I was before that. I have gotten more than I can even say out of that—that one risk that I took. I don’t look at things as risks anymore, I look at them as opportunities. And it’s like, “Fail spectacularly.” If we’re too afraid to fail, we’re not going to get anywhere and that’s another thing I love about this movie.

Shirley MacLaine: The biggest risk I always take is going in front of a live audience. I agree with [Amanda], there is nothing riskier to do. You have to really be open to your own authenticity and you find that out pretty quick. In terms of a life or death risk…don’t have an answer, can’t think of it. Went to Broadway when I was 16: didn’t consider it a risk, thought it was probably what I should do. Therefore, I don’t define it as a risk. I still don’t consider anything I do a risk. Jumping out of an airplane, I wouldn’t do, therefore, I’m not going to risk it.

Ann’Jewel Lee: So far, the biggest risk that I’ve ever taken—well, I’m still living my life so…

(Laughter)

Are you a risk taker?

Ann’Jewel Lee: Yes, I consider myself a risk taker.

Thomas Sadoski: You’re brave. All of us who work with you know that you’re brave. Do I consider myself a risk taker? I don’t know. It’s dependent on the person, what are your standards. What seems risky to me may not seem risky to you. What seems to be a completely normal thing for me, like hopping up on stage in front of a live audience in New York—I did at the very beginning of my career—might be terrifying for a lot of people in this room. I don’t know, like Shirley said I do what feels the most honest. In terms of the biggest risk I have taken in my life I don’t know that I’ve actually done it.

“I will never be the same person that I was before that.” – Amanda Seyfried

If you guys could write your own life story, what would you title it as?

Mark Pellington: Life story? “I’m going to keep going until they tell me to stop.”

Shirley MacLaine: I would write, “So far I like this lifetime the best.”

Ann’Jewel Lee: I’m still living so—

Thomas Sadoski: “Get back to me in 80 years.”

(Laughter)

Ann’Jewel Lee: So I think I’m going to go with: “Activating Myself with Ann’Jewel?” I don’t know.

Thomas Sadoski: It’s a self-help book already. I like it. Me? “Not bad kid, not bad.”

Amanda Seyfried: “I promise I’m not stupid,” haha.

(Laughter)

Amanda Seyfried: Because I’m not stupid. But I’ve been going around my life thinking I was not as intelligent, and you know what, intelligence is [subjective]. You can be intelligent all different ways and I am intelligent in a lot of ways. And I’m still trying to empower myself with that. So that’s what my book would be called.

Mark Pellington: You are so much like Ann Sherman. For someone so talented and beautiful, she really had a hard time believing she was talented. But that humility is what makes you great.

Because of the mentor/mentee nature of this story, Shirley, was there somebody of another generation that, when you first came to Hollywood, really took you under their wing or gave you valuable advice that you were able to draw on in your career?

Shirley MacLaine: The first person that comes to mind is Joan Crawford and I didn’t listen to a thing she said. Really! She um…wrong. Ok, wait a minute another person…oh! I was in love with Alan Ladd. And I went to a party at Romanoff’s. I’m 5’7, in heels I’m 5’9 or 5’10. They said, “Shirley, your favorite actor—come meet him!” I turn around, he was there and I went: “Oh…” He’s about 4 foot 9. All my admiration disappeared into dust.

“Aging people are underserved in this culture. Big time.” – Shirley MacLaine

Mark and I were speaking earlier about the movie from a feminist perspective and I thought it was interesting that women of a certain age tend to be labeled, much like your character had to have a mental disorder. Why do you think that is?

Shirley MacLaine: Me?

Anyone. I thought it was interesting, I don’t think a man who’s strong is seen the same way—where there’s a desire to label them.

Shirley MacLaine: I don’t think people in this culture know what to do with women. Women know what to do with women, but therefore I think they still feel more secure with a label, and then they can ascertain whether the woman fits it or not. Labeling is not fair. Women have not been treated or dealt with fairly, therefore the labeling.

Watching this movie got me thinking about how we treat the elderly. I wanted to get your perspective on Hollywood ageism, what is your take on the whole thing?

Shirley MacLaine: Aging people are underserved in this culture. Big time. And I want to stay healthy, so I can serve that community and be a voice. Yes, I want to be the Queen of AARP, and I want to say what they feel. It’s awful that they seem to be made invisible. Maybe that’s one reason why I did this great movie that [writer Stuart Fink] brought to me. I didn’t want to be invisible any longer. That’s what I want to do with it.