Every Auteur has his signature visual fetish. For Alfred Hitchcock it is women in pieces, for Martin Scorsese it is the omnipotent God’s-eye-view of the tracking shot and for Roman Polanski it is the domestic space made wild. So, when development began on an adaptation of Yasmina Reza’s award winning play, God of Carnage, it only made sense for Polanski to take the helm. Carnage, which stars Christoph Waltz, Kate Winselt, Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly, is a brutally funny and subtly disturbing film set entirely within the confines of a slightly bougie New York apartment, detailing the sublimated rage, self-righteousness and self-loathing that come to the surface when two sets of parents who come together to discuss a minor fistfight between their sons.

Recently, I sat down with Oscar nominee Reilly to discuss the film. During the conversation, which he described as one of the most awkward of his entire life, the actor discussed approaching comedy versus drama, how adults can be childish, the Stepbrothers rap album, Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, going to the confessional and more, including how he might not be in Sacha Baron Cohen’s upcoming, The Dictator. Hit the jump for the interview.

Author’s Note: This was one of the more strange interviews I have ever conducted. Before the camera started rolling, Reilly was relaxed and fun. I commented that I had a Stepbrothers desktop at the moment and he seemed to think that it was actually funny. But then the actual conversation began and things turned into a Tim and Eric sketch with Reilly claiming ignorance of high profile projects that are currently on his docket and shifting uncomfortably in his chair. I suppose if it can’t be a good interview, it might as well be a memorably weird one. Enjoy.

  • :00 – 1:20 Reilly discusses the lack of difference between acting in Stepbrothers and acting in Carnage.
  • 1:21 – 1:37 Reilly gives a very brief update on the Stepbrothers rap album. Says that some of it is written.
  • 1:38 – 2:21 Discussion of We Need to Talk About Kevin and its relation to Carnage.
  • 2:22 – 2:42 Reilly denies being in Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator and claims to not even know of the film’s existence, in spite of the fact that The Hollywood Reporter and dozens of other outlets announced that he is in the film.
  • 2:43 – 3:07 Reilly gives a brief update on Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie.
  • 3:08 – 3:42 I ask Reilly about his most awkward conversation. Answer: this one. Alternately, confession in Church.

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