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With director John Lee Hancock’s The Founder opening this weekend in theaters, a few days ago I sat down with John Carroll Lynch who plays one of the McDonald brothers, for an exclusive video interview. During our wide-ranging conversation we talked about why the story hasn’t been told until now, shooting in 34 days, preparing to play a real person and what he learned in his research, working with Nick Offerman, what happens people recognize (or think they recognize) him, and more. In addition, he talked about his directorial debut Lucky which is about the spiritual journey of a 90 year old atheist that stars Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Ed Begley Jr., Beth Grant, Tom Skerritt and Ron Livingston.
If you’re not familiar with The Founder, written by Robert Siegel (Big Fan, The Wrestler) the film tells the true story of how Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers’ speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. He then maneuvered himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire. The film also stars Linda Cardellini, Laura Dern, BJ Novak, and John Caroll Lynch.
Watch what John Carroll Lynch had to say in the video above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by the trailer and some images.
John Carroll Lynch:
- Why it’s surprising that the story hasn’t been told until now.
- How he got involved in the project.
- On shooting in 34 days.
- Preparing to play a real person and what he learned in his research.
- Working with Nick Offerman.
- Towing the line between fact and fiction.
- Similarities between the finished script and the finished film.
- Accurately playing someone who has Type I Diabetes.
- What happens people recognize (or think they recognize) him.
- Similarities among great directors he’s worked with.
- When and why he decided to get into acting.
- Talks about his directorial debut called Lucky which is about the spiritual journey of a 90 year old atheist. Stars Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Ed Begley Jr., Beth Grant, Tom Skerritt and Ron Livingston.
