Q. You have been a successful writer for a long time, what led you to take the step to direct?

I began as a director. It’s hard to get a movie made and I decided as a director I wanted to do only the films that I wanted to do. I found a good balance in being a screenwriter and writing in my career. As a director I wanted to do what I was passionate about. At Working Title, they wanted me to write and direct a movie. When I wrote Bridget Jones and Wimbledon, it was not for me to direct. Now this is a personal story that I wanted to tell, so it felt very natural to do this next step. I have worked on many films, and I have the Italian poster for The Invisible Circus, it’s one of my favorites.

Q: How did you create a great mood on the set?

I understand the process and I think I’m at peace with myself about what the work is. I’m not intimidated anymore, and I like to create a place where anyone can do what they want. To create a safe place, a place where one feels safe to try different things and that it is safe to fail. We could try different things and I could be someone that could be trusted. When we got there, we had arrived at our destination.

Q. The idea of the daughter, Maya, to guess which one of her father’s partners is her mom is brilliant. There is no idea what will happen until the end.

That device is a great way to tell a story and it makes it a mystery love story. Often a complaint about romantic comedies is that you know at the beginning what the ending is, so unless it is incredibly funny, or the leads are so charismatic, there is a generic quality people resist.
With this, you don’t know along the way¬¬. It’s a romantic who-done-it that engages the viewer. The theme of pregnancy, is it really about who or when, or is it timing? It’s much more complicated than that.


Q. Do you have children?

Yes, two.

Q. Do you talk to your kids about sex?

I try to avoid it. (Laughs) Sometimes they talk about it to you. The way it’s shown in the movie is real. I remember when my daughter came home from school with “the book.” The same book that we used in the movie. The kids seem to know so much, yet they don’t know about it at all. They may know some words, yet they don’t know what those words really mean, it’s funny, and yet, it’s just so touching. Sometimes sophisticated, yet they are just kids. Most parents will recognize the discomfort. It’s within some of the normal dialogue with kids. People without kids might not think its ok, but when you have kids it’s the usual.

Q. How did you cast Abigail Breslin and Ryan Reynolds?

I knew when I wrote it that I wanted Kevin Kline to be in the movie, so I’m glad he has a part. Other than that I was excited to meet new actors and be open to new ideas. In Ryan Reynolds I saw a natural quality that was important for the lead. Like Jimmy Stewart had or Tom Hanks. Great comic timing. Something real. Something natural. Real men, endearing, likable and funny. Ryan has that quality.

With Abagail, we saw Little Miss Sunshine. Then we sent her the script. It was an opportunity for her to play a kid just like her, a New York kind of sassy kid, so it was a nice fit. She’s a very talented young lady.

Q. You created three quality roles for women, did you have any actress in mind for any of these roles?

I really didn’t, I found my April in Isla Fisher after I met her. She was a bit cynical and had a mushy romantic quality.

With Rachel Weisz, she has something regal and confident in her for the role of Summer.

Q: What about Elizabeth Banks?

She’s so instantly likable that it felt right for her to be in the role of Emily. She makes you feel comfortable right away. Sometimes it’s great, but sometimes it can be too comfortable in a relationship, which is what happens in the movie, and a spark can be missing, a great fit.

Q. Another great fit is the music.

I listen to music when I write. I write the soundtrack as I go. Lots of stuff from the 90s. Some songs came from my collection. Ryan is obsessed with music like I am. It was fun to figure out what music worked with what characters in the film.


Q. What are you currently working on?

I’m interested in beautiful Italy and my daughter wants to go to Venice, because it’s the most romantic city. Also, one of my favorite recent films is a tv movie, “The Best of Youth” and I’m a huge Nanni Moretti fan. What a character! He’s political and a great movie hero. Currently I’m not writing because of the strike, but I’m about to start another script with Working Title.