Scarlett Johansson & June Squibb Full Interview With Kelly Clarkson

Scarlett Johansson & June Squibb Full Interview With Kelly Clarkson

like you’re one of those people that I already loved and then I saw this and I and I I was your directoral debut and I was like I wonder what it’s going to be like. You’re even better. Like you keep getting better. Thank you. Like I didn’t do it’s like you’re an onion just like taking the layers off like year by year for us. But you were actually you’re back at 30 Rock. You were just recently here hosting, right? Would you? Yes. Uh I was I was hosting. Did you like it? Do you like doing that? I love it was my favorite job. I loved it so much. You get to talk. It’s fun. Oh yeah. You get to talk and you It’s felt like I I mean all in an hour I would like have a conversation with one of my favorite Broadway stars and then I would like make my own kimchi and then I got an ear piercing and it was it was all before 11. All before 11. What a day’s work. Yeah, it was awesome. No, you did really well. And Jenna is like really my bff now. I can say that. I tell everybody she’s awesome. I also love she’s great at eye contact. You know when you talk with people and they don’t look at you like and sometimes people don’t do that because they get nervous. You’re saying that now I feel like I can’t look away from you. I just wanted eye contact. No, I’m just saying like she’s really good. I’ve noticed doing this job like some people are uncomfortable and so she’s really good at like keeping on and being very engaged. She’s so engaging. Yeah, she really is. And she’s just like unapologetically herself which is so fun. Yes, that’s how we’re bred. But I want to get to this because the movie is so good and honestly thank you. I needed it. It was. You get a good cry. You feel good. It restores your faith in humanity. There’s so many topics that are covered that are beautifully done. Like I I have you always wanted to direct. Is this something you’ve always been into? Yeah, I mean I did I definitely did want to direct when I was when I was probably I did a film when I was 12 called The Horse Whisperer and I worked with um Robert Redford and I remember watching him. Yeah. And I remember watching him and you never know. I remember wa watching him and he was commanding the set and breaking down a scene and working with our cinematographer and then simultaneously, you know, having these intimate conversations with all the actors and I thought that job looks really interesting. Like that seems like the best job. Um, and so I think I thought for a while I would act until I was an adult and then I would direct. And then I I just sort of, you know, as I got older, I became more interested in understanding my job as an actor better. And and actually I think, you know, having done it now for, you know, a long time. Yeah. Um, I finally feel like, oh, I had I had the confidence to be able to direct. And um, you’re great at it. Thanks. Thank you. I loved it. It was wonderful. I hope I have the opportunity to do it again. And um but I have an incred I had an amazing cast and an I know what made you what pulled you to this why this the script was very unusual and you know if you have a chance to see the film it’s a very it’s a it’s very original the idea and uh Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Originality. Originality. Yeah. And it’s crazy too because you find yourself you find yourself rooting for someone and then you’re like oh no. Oh, and then you’re rooting for them again. It’s like a very big debate in your soul. It is. I mean, the character, uh, June Script plays a character, uh, Eleanor, and she, uh, is, you know, she has experiences a deep loss and she moves back to New York after not living here for 40 years. And, um, you know, I should say she’s 90 94 years old and moves back to Manhattan and is navigating that. Um and then through a series of events that’s you know really I think driven by her loneliness and her grief um she ends up um telling a lie uh and through this lie um meets another character who’s who she becomes uh really good friends with and they end up which is unexpected. It’s very unexpected and they end up really helping one another through this this grief. Um but of course their friendship is based on this lie and you you know kind of she you the whole I think you start to invest in her getting out of it you know. Um but it’s about you know it’s a film about forgiveness and it’s about friendship and it’s really and it’s about grief and it’s really about love unity and the loss of that and finding community again. Oh it’s so good. Our next guest first stepped on a Broadway stage in 1959. Since then, she has killed it in movies like Thelma, About Schmidt, and Nebraska, for which she was nominated for an Oscar. At 95, she continues to take on challenging screen roles, proving it is never too late, people. Her new movie is Scarlet’s directorial debut. It’s called Eleanor the Great. I can say Eleanor. And it’s in theaters now. Everybody, please welcome June Squib. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] You look stunning. Well, thank you. Yes. I love the hair. I love the little number here. I’m down. It’s like we called each other. You are your bright color. Welcome back to the show. Thank you. Great job. This film is so good. And I heard something interesting after seeing it actually. Is it true that the part was written for you? Yes. That is I mean, what kind of kickass move is that? Is you Somebody writes a role for you. That’s so cool. Oh, she she wrote it in college and uh when they read it in class, people were saying, “Well, who do you what actress do you want to play Ellaner?” And she said, “June Squib.” And they all laughed at her. They thought, “Well, that will never happen, of course.” And so, here I am doing it. So, she It’s amazing. I I think that’s amazing because whenever I write songs, I always have imagery going on in my head as well, and I do picture people sometimes. So, it’s amazing that you inspired part of that. You know what I’m saying? That’s an incredible thing. You’re very powerful. Did this film remind you of your grandma? Yeah, I mean it. I was very close with my grandma. I um spent, you know, a lot she her apartment was like a safe haven for me. I used to see her, you know, every weekend uh growing up and, you know, through my teenage years. And we tal you know, we I think something that really struck me about the script too is that, you know, my grandma I used to talk about everything. you know, we talked about boys, sex, uh, our family drama, you know, current affairs. Like, she was, you know, we we had such a deep relationship and we’re still I don’t think every grandparent’s that open. That’s awesome. Yeah, she was. I mean, that is not a grandma of the South. Well, it was my Jewish New York grandma, you know. Uh, but, you know, yeah, she we were just we had such a like deep human connection. And I think in this script as well, you see Elanor, as June was saying, in all of her many all of her many facets and um unapologetically so. And it’s just very profound, I think, to see people represented in, you know, older people represented in their Yeah. fully formed way, you know, not just a stereotype. And also because there’s many more people that are living way longer than used to be. That’s there’s more people to to have those roles and to play those roles. to tell that experience cuz that’s incredible. I think that’s why now people are more interested in age and I mean you see so much more and and people are working later you know and the leading ladies are now 60. Yeah. And that never happened before. And it’s important because all those different stages if you just think even in my life like I was so different in my 20s from my 30s to my 40s now it’s just it it’s we’re ever changing and I think all those experiences that we’re having are so important for everybody else to not only feel less alone maybe but also as kind of a te teacher in some sense when you’re not even trying to teach. Um this movie is really resonating with everyone. I loved it. I literally did nothing but cry all the reasons why I was crying. There were so many emotions going on. Why do you think that people are connecting with it so much? I think it’s humor. I mean, she is is wonderful because you see a very nasty woman sometimes and we all have, you know, moments when we’re that I don’t know what you’re afraid to. Oh, but it it it just gives you such a sense of also there is life ahead, you know. Yeah. I mean, all the different things that Eleanor went through. Yeah. I love too the moment um I don’t want to give anything away, but there is a moment that I have literally had with my friends where we look back at pictures and we’re like, “Oh my god, I thought I was so like gross then or you know like unckempt or like whatever like I didn’t have together and I was like and I did and I should have celebrated that then.” you know, and it’s one of those moments that I think is really rings true for a lot of people too and is probably going to resonate that really enjoy the gift of being able to live and all of those moments no matter what you feel, what stage you’re at like I don’t know like have pride in that and and really I guess congratulate yourself on that because not everybody gets that opportunity, you know, in all those years and you don’t really celebrate yourself as much as I think you should sometimes. Did you ever consider acting in it? only for June’s role but was written for somebody else. Um that uh I think that would be hard to act in something that you were direct. I know I talked to Chubatel Edge of four who’s amazing in the film and he uh is also a director as well and he is developing something now that he’s I think planning on acting in and I said how do you I don’t know what you how you do that you I mean I’ve worked with other actors that were you know both in front of and behind the camera and I have to say as an actor acting opposite my director I found it to be particularly nerve-wracking because you know one minute you’re doing a scene with them and then when their coverage is on you and the camera’s behind them all of a sudden You hear them, they’re in the scene and then they’ll go, “What do you do?” Like that and you’ll think and you’re like, “Oh, I’m I’m doing something wrong. Wait, we’re not in the Are we still in the scene? Oh, we’re not. You’re directing me now.” Yeah. You know, I don’t know if that’s Have you ever It is cuz they want You feel, oh, they’re watching me. They’re trying to do the scene, but it’s very confusing. I think I It seems like a lot of work, too, is all I heard. I have to ask because you’ve been in the industry for a minute. Have you been directed by women a lot? Is it a different experience to be directed by a female? No, if they’re good. I just know good and bad. Okay, good answer. Good answer. I just know when I hate it and I’m down. Yeah. What was it like working with Scarlet? She’s a great director. She really is. And and I keep saying she she knew exactly what I was going to do as an actress. And that is such a relaxing thing. I mean, I was never felt pushed or, you know, she was trying to get me to do something. She was just with me the whole time. It was wonderful. Yeah. It feels like a partnership. That’s great. My favorite part about her as a director is the space that you allow for the for us as an audience to sit with an experience that just happened like from a scene. You don’t like I feel like this world like right now we’re always like it’s so quick. Everything’s so fast-paced and maybe for some films that’s important, but it was so important that you just let this scene sit and you got to sit it was like a silent movie at certain parts because you’re watching the actor. You you’re seeing physically the emotion that they’re going through and no words were needed and you made space for that and it’s to have that kind of faith in who you’re working with and you understand that because you were an actor and that you know what I’m saying? It’s it was so beautiful and it was so important and I think that is one of the best parts of the film is the space that you allow. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. I mean we we honestly the actors are so I I mean everybody is so incredible and we you know Ellen Nuvar who is our DP is you can see these beautiful portraits of their face and you know it’s so I I always you know I feel like even when I was editing it it was like unless you feel you know it’s an instinctive thing of like when to cut away from something because sometimes you just want to stay in the moment and that’s o okay it’s okay to give the audience the time to process what they’re experiencing to um you know as an audience member myself I have that sometimes where I’m like wait I want I I want to see more I want to see closer I want to see what’s happening in that person’s eyes and you know things can be edited so you know it could be so yeah quickly that you sort of lose you know you lose that emotional resonance I think you lose the weight of the scene um we mentioned the theme um of deception earlier is is decept ception always a bad thing and I don’t want to give anything away but it no no no sometimes it’s necessary sometimes I know it’s a conversation it’s like is it merciful at times you know and but I it’s it’s weird to know if because I think I’ve had this conversation with people and it’s like sometimes it’s black and white for people they’re like no deception is never good and then others are like it depends on the situation and sometimes you meet people that are like I don’t want to know like if this thing is going on don’t tell me or whatever which lie. Yeah. So, I think sometimes people don’t want to, you know, they don’t always want to hear the truth or know the truth or maybe they are more comfortable kind of living in their own truth the blue pill. Don’t want to know the truth. The truth versus reality. We talk about that too in the film, but it’s, you know, it’s definitely um, you know, it’s a it’s a it’s an interesting question, I think. And we talked about sometimes like, well, have you ever, you know, we get a lot of now it’s like, have you ever lied? you know, are you a are you a good liar? And I’m like, I mean, I’ve lied to get a part for sure. Like a lot. Just so you know, I’ve been doing this show for seven seasons. All of you lie to get a part. And there’s not one actor that sat here and gone, “Yes, I can ride a horse. Yes, I can swim. I’m a great swimmer, actually.” Like, it’s like, it’s so funny talking to actors because it’s like, you got to get the part and to get that chance. And you’re like, “I know I can learn it. I know I can do it.” But it’s like, is it bad or is it a way of of living sometimes? I don’t know. It’s an interesting question and that’s what I loved about the film most of all is there’s so many messages in there but it’s thoughtprovoking. So at the end of it you’re like I’m sitting here with my team backstage talking about all the you know decisions of like what would you do and I find that interesting that you make a film and there’s a story being told that makes you talk to your own community and like where do you land in this you know environment or what do you think? I I love I love that. But you’re turning is it 96 in November? Yes. Yes. Okay. What do you do for that birthday? Like what what are you doing for your birthday in 96? I don’t before I’m going to be in New York for one thing and I’ll be working. June’s about to Okay. I love that you’re burying the lead here. She’s about to star in a Broadway play. Oh my gosh. Yeah. So, you’ll be here. I’ll be in New York. You want to come to my birthday party? I do. I want to come to your play as well. Oh, good. Okay. But I I before usually I have 30 people for dinner at a restaurant or sometimes in my apartment, you know, toilet. That’s a hell of an apartment. It is. It is. It’s a great great party apartment. Yeah. That’s awesome. Yeah. I I usually do a dinner for the birthday. You had a huge birthday party last year. Oh, yes. It was Thelma and somebody wanted to give a Thelma party and they said, “Well, June’s birthday.” And 200 people showed up. and this gorgeous house and this lovely lady who is a writer, a film writer and the food did not stop. It was wonderful. My kind of party. And I just sat there and everybody came in and I just sat there the queen and said hello to everybody. If you would like to speak to me, you must come. I love that’s my kind of vibe. Welcome back y’all. We’ve got Scarlett Johansson and Jim Stewart with us. Their new movie is called Eleanor the Great. It is incredible. It’s in theaters now. And in the film, June’s character moves to New York in her 90s. Uh June has also lived a life of adventurous moments. So, it is time to go through some of those moments with a game called It’s Never Too Late, It’s Never Too June. It’s too late. Perfect. That was perfect. Our super random supercomput will generate a situation that June has or has not experienced, meaning the truth or a lie. Um, for all those that didn’t get that, uh, then Scarlet and I will guess if June’s done it or not before we reveal the truth. So, here we go. So, I’m gonna hit the button. Here we go. It’s totally connected to a computer. Has June ever played the bassoon for an audience? I’m going to say maybe. I’m going to say it’s so random that you have. Yeah. It’s so weird. Yeah. Is it true? Is it true? No. I’ve never played the machine, but but but I played a plastic trumpet. I had a lot of pets when I was growing up and as each one died, I buried them in the backyard and I had a plastic trumpet and I played taps every time I buried them. I love the experience that your neighbors had with that. Another one bit the dust. It’s like you’re out there playing. That’s hilarious and sad. I’m sorry for your loss. Okay, here we go. Here’s another one. [Music] Okay. Has June ever gotten in a fight on the subway? I surely do hope so. Yes, June has. I don’t think so. I’m going to say no. I really need it to be true, June. Yes. What? I was I guess I was in my 40s here in New York and I still look pretty good and I I was walking down the subway stairs and I felt a pinch on my butt. Oh. And I turned around and there were teenage boys who thought this was the funniest thing they could ever do was to pinch this lady’s butt. And then I started cursing at them. And I used every foul word I knew. And I knew a lot. And they ran. They absolutely ran out to get away from me. Damn straight, Jim. You like that? I love you even more. Next one. [Music] Okay. Has June ever been arrested or put in jail? Well, now that you told me that story, I’m like, probably. I don’t know. There’s something about you that I feel like you’re the person that gets out of the ticket. I don’t know. I don’t know. I feel like you’re super sweet. Have you ever been in jail? No. No, I’ve never been to jail. These You guys have just met every time. No. I was doing a tour of Gypsy and we were playing Los Angeles and there was a group that I used to go out with every night and I decided this night I wouldn’t go out with them. And I was sound asleep in bed and I got a phone call and they said, “June, we’re in jail. You have to come and get us out.” And I was like, “How am I going to get you out of jail?” I didn’t know how to do that. And so I said, “I don’t think I know how to do that.” And I went back to bed. You’re You’re their one call. Now, what happens in the South is if you call anyone, they go, “I guess it’s your time to learn a lesson.” That’s what That’s amazing. I love that you were like, “No, I’m going to go back to bed. Here we go next.” Has June ever dated a coworker? Yes. Oh, I frown. Absolutely. I frown upon it, but probably. Definitely. Yes, I have. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I I love stage managers. Oh, really? I really do. [Applause] All right, Brendan. It’s never too late, my man. It’s never too late. But when I was in the theater, every chance I got, I went out with my stage manager. I love it. you like a man of power. I know [Music] so much.

Scarlett Johansson dishes on stepping behind the camera for her directorial debut “Eleanor The Great,” and Kelly thinks the Oscar-nominated actor just keeps getting better! Kelly also talks with 95-year-old star June Squibb about the power of seeing older people represented on the big screen, and the trio play a hilarious game about June’s adventures IRL!

0:00 – Scarlett Johansson’s Directorial Debut
2:10 – The Horse Whisperer Inspiration
4:19 – Meet June Squibb: Hollywood Legend
6:20 – Grandma’s Influence and Family
9:05 – June’s Forgiveness and Self-Celebration
11:27 – The Power of Space in Film
13:06 – Deception: Is it Merciful?
15:00 – June’s 96th Birthday Plans
16:47 – “It’s Never Too Late” Game

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