Fighting With My Family: Paige, Florence Pugh, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Stephen Merchant Interview

Hey everyone, this is Steve Weintraub with Collider and I am here with everyone from Fighting With My Family. Thank you guys so much for coming in today. Thank you for having us. Thank you very much. Great, great. I should say for people watching, it's 9.30 in the morning, it's very early for Sundance on a Monday morning. We can have more coffee though. Right, exactly. I want to start, before we get started, I want to give a huge thank you to Kia Telluride. They're our sponsor. The only reason we get to do this stuff is having a sponsor. Sundance is what we call expensive. And I'm just going to say thank you to Kia. Thanks Kia. Thank you. Is that a car company? Yeah, yesterday they were joking around that it was Ikea, but it's really Kia. Alright. Right. Thanks Ikea. No, just, you know, if Kia want to... Give me a car. Yeah, I don't know. It's up to them. I don't want to pressure them. You know what's funny? I think we can actually make that happen. Okay, great. Do they make cars for six foot seven people? You don't need a car. You have lots of cars. You're right. First of all, I want to start by saying how much I enjoyed this movie. You guys were all great. I think it's going to be like... Everyone here is going to love it. It premieres tonight, I believe. Everyone nods. I definitely want to know, right off the beginning, talk a little bit about how you got involved in the story and what was it about this that said, I want to make this? Well, I wasn't familiar with wrestling. I wasn't a wrestling fan. And the movie originated because a dear friend of mine, Dwayne The Rock Johnson... Guys, come on. I'm telling an important story here, but I'm telling the important origin story. Yeah, Dwayne The Rock Johnson, I appeared with him years ago in a film called Tooth Fairy. You're welcome. And he and I stayed in touch. He saw a documentary on British TV about Paige here and her real life crazy wrestling family and thought, this has got some meat on the bone and it could be an interesting movie. It was the story of Paige's entire family, everyone wrestles, mum, dad, three kids. And she and her brother, Zach, got the chance to audition for WWE, which I didn't realize, but for wrestlers, obviously, that's the holy grail. And so they went off to audition. Only Paige got signed. Her brother got left behind. And what unfolded after that was a very moving, uplifting, emotional, funny story, which we've made into a film with this wonderful cast. I'm definitely curious for the entire cast. Talk a little bit about when you hear about this project, did you get the script? Were you told a little bit? How did you get involved? And I'm curious, do you still get nervous? I'm going to stop there. I'm just going to stop there and let you go with that question. Do you get nervous? In general? No, no, it's going to be about the audition process. But I want to separate that and then I butchered it. Nick knows what I'm talking about. Yeah, I fucked it up bad. This is live, right? Yes, it's live. Thanks, Steve. I do get nervous. No, I mean, I've always wanted to do a film where I wrestle a bit. I have a wrestling film that I've written, so I mean, maybe next year, if you fancy directing that one. I think we're all free. For real? Yeah. I know Lena is. I was talking about Gavin's ending and that cash cow drying up. So yeah, I mean, it's nice to do a wrestling film. It's nice to get involved and it's a true story and, you know, you get to enjoy a bit of rough and tumble. I like a bit of rough and tumble, Steve, as you know. And this tipped all the boxes. And yeah, I get nervous. What question did you ask? Because that was an attitude. I really, I've lost. Do you know what? Next time, I'd have more microphones. Right. Listen, this is a very punk rock operation where we have five readers. I don't know. You're sponsored by Key and I hear they got tons of cash. Right. We only have five readers a month on Collider. And so it's a very limited budget. Oh, this is a waste of time then. Right. Next question. I guess what I'll go to the other question I had, which is that you obviously act a little bit and I'm curious about the audition process and when you are getting ready to cast and what those meetings are like, because you've been on the other end and you know what it's like to walk in the room and be scared about, you know, trying to land a role. Well, I never audition because people just come to me and I just say yay or nay. No, I'm very conscious of that. I try quite hard to, and I'm sure these actors will tell you that I fail, but I try to make them feel comfortable and relaxed because I know how stressful it is and I don't want this to be a job interview. It's just an opportunity for us to figure out, you know, if we're going to be able to do this together. And so I, yeah. But I mean, I feel like they should answer on that aspect. Yeah. And feel free to speak honestly. To wrestle in and you're in a motel room. I didn't see the point. I didn't get the point of that, personally. Jack? Yeah, I think it really, it actually helped that Steve's an actor and a really good actor as well. Thank you, mate. Because if ever we got stuck, Steve would just do it. He'd go, why don't you just do it like this? And I think some actors are a little bit precious about that sometimes. It's not that that's all how Steve would direct. Just sometimes he would go, actually, it's funny if you did this. And so you would just take his word for it and go, I'm not going to argue with that, especially when you can watch it. I think because he's such a good actor, it's a brilliant shortcut. That's twice you said that now. Have you seen Tooth Fairy? Yeah. Have you not seen Tooth Fairy? No, I haven't. So I think that's why I think that. I will also say that one of the best things about the audition process was that he just got Jack and I in a room and we just did all of the siblings' most important and difficult and hearty scenes, which meant that straight away it kind of tapped into whether or not I suppose we could actually be siblings. And that was really refreshing to kind of dive in in the deep end and actually get some of those scenes understood. And I really enjoyed that day. It was a good day. Well, you did a great job. Thank you very much. I think you landed the part. Apparently so. Yeah. Talk a little bit about, did you have to audition for this? I had lunch with Stephen. There it is. A late lunch. Right. And then I auditioned. We read some scenes. We did some scenes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because I've heard from a lot of actors where you have seen their work a lot, I've heard it's just a meeting. Well, it should have been just a meeting and Lena certainly has earned just a meeting. I don't like just meetings. I think they're a bit weird. I like to throw down an audition because then when you show up, if you've got the job via an audition, it's going to be a better job. I'm a little bit weird about, do you want to? I'm always like, no, I want to play the game of seeing who is the best thing for the role. I like that. And it's part of being an actor personally. Well, I appreciate you doing that because, you know, obviously if people have seen Lena before, it's not the obvious leap to think of her as a Norwich, you know, a Norwich working class wrestler, whereas, you know, it's obvious with Nick. I definitely want to know what it was like that first time you guys sat down and what those discussions were like and maybe what he told you about what he wanted to do. Well, it obviously started off with Dwayne bringing the whole movie idea up, which completely blew my mind. And then he ended up telling me that Stephen was going to be director and writer of it, which also blew my mind because I love your work. Thank you. No, it's fantastic. So I got to meet him in person. I think it was at WrestleMania and SummerSlam too. He came along and he was just very passionate about what he, like, he fell in love with the project, you know, and it's going to, you're going to see it once you watch the movie. It's fantastic. But yeah, it was like definitely interesting just seeing like this massive Goliath walk in the door. You're like, Jesus. Stephen Merchant. And bear in mind, she's met The Rock. I met The Rock, but it blew my mind when he met Stephen. Yeah. Well, I'm two inches taller than The Rock, so it's painful for him to admit that. But I'm definitely curious about the editing process and I, because ultimately that's the final rewrite. I'm curious what you learned in the editing room and maybe any early screenings that impacted the finished film. Well, I, as I said earlier, was not a wrestling fan and I became knowledgeable and a fan over the course of making the film. But I wanted to make a film that was for both the wrestling fan and for Paige's existing fans, but also for people like me who've never seen wrestling. And it was important that you enjoyed it, even if you have never watched wrestling. And but consequently, we had to try and explain in the body of the film certain key things you need to know about wrestling in order to fully understand the movie and the kind of emotional payoff of the film. And so a lot of the editing was just figuring out how much do people need to know in order to understand and enjoy the film? You know what I mean? And there was a lot of back and forth just in terms of, you know, information and explaining. And it was it was sort of surprisingly painstaking, you know, just trying to get that balance right. How long? What I think a lot of people don't realize is the shoot might only be like two months, but the editing process could be a year. Right. So could you talk how long did it take to shoot and how long did it take to edit? What was it? All together, right? In making the entire film, it was a long process, but you're actually shooting. What was it? Two months. And then, yeah, editing must have gone on for at least six, it feels like. Yeah. And it was just it was a very complicated thing. We had this giant fight at the end, which we shot at the Staples Center in Florence, went out there in front of 20,000 fans. So we had, you know, about, I don't know, 12 WWE cameras, three of our own. And we had these guys watching it at home. And we had all this footage we had to try and melt together into this big fight. With a commentator explaining what was going on, it was a really when you see the film, it looks kind of effortless when you've when you've seen kind of giant Marvel movies where you can you can see all the special effects. But this was a weirdly painstaking, tough film to edit for all of you guys, for the actors. I'm curious, you read the script, you're getting ready to film. What's the scene that you're most excited to do or scared shitless? Definitely the wrestling scene. That one was in the script. That's where the storyline is going towards. And then obviously doing it, we're doing it for real in front of a real audience, not a paid audience and in front of wrestling fans. And that even when I watch it, just it makes my skin hot. It's it was amazing, but terrifying. And we did it in the first week of shoot. So it was like, oh, yeah, yeah, for real at the Staples Center at the Staples Center. Were you like this? We have to shoot this in week one. Are you kidding me? A little bit. Yeah, yeah. Because usually by the time you do those mega scenes, you're kind of a little bit more in the know of your character. But we had that day. And even from when we got ready, when we started getting ready and we started wrestling and working out, there was always that date that we needed to have the main fight ready and prepared and and glossed and beautiful by the time that we started. And it was like on the fourth day of shoot. Yeah. Yeah. But then when it was done, I really had to I could like enjoy the rest of the story in the shoot because I didn't have that mega thing hanging over me. Yeah. Well, you did an amazing job. I was saying when we when I first watched film, I was in tears and just standing up cheering for Paige, which was amazing for me. And I think I just felt a little bit of pressure playing Paige's mom because she's amazing. And I'd watched the documentary years ago and fallen in love with them. And then this came up like 10 years later. And I was like, yeah, I love that family. They're bonkers. So the sort of pressure of doing a good job, I think, was all the way through for me. So I didn't enjoy a minute of it. No, I did. I'm joking. I think I was I wanted to wrestle. I really wanted to do the wrestling. And I think comedically, I think I'm often I underplay and I'm kind of naturalistic. But being a, you know, being Ricky and being a wrestler enables you to be really big comedically when you're interacting with the audience and, you know, like reacting to Zack Zodiac's entry entrance music, you know, as well, you know, you I think the key was, say, let the audience know everything you're thinking, you know what I mean? So it was good to be big, you know, comedically in that way. I don't know if I should point out that the new Kia Tellyrood 2019 station wagon is out now. It comes out in September, actually. It's out in September. Right. And I guess I was least nervous before the shoot about the wrestling stuff because because of watching a lot of wrestling beforehand and it looks so easy, like these guys make it look so easy. So I was least nervous about that. But then the very first time I tried it, I thought, oh, ----, there's a hell of a lot to think about rather than just running and charging each other and making loads of noise. Like, it's so technical. These guys, the amount of work they have to this is a very caring, I found, you know, it's all about looking after one another. And even though it yes, you're beating the ---- out of each other. But there's that weird unspoken thing where, you know, kill each other. You know, there were little techniques we were taught, which was just about being kind to one another visibly, you know, protecting each other. Yeah, it was nice. You beat the crap out of each other, yes. But we protect each other in the meantime. So like, yes, thunder on the face. But they're just too hot, you know, it's a dance, yeah, yeah, absolutely. It's such a fluid dance. And sorry. And yeah. And in order to you have to protect one another in each move that you do, no matter who's like winning in that move or who's losing, it's completely formed on trust. And that was like, I think the main thing that Jack and I learned in the first month of training was you can't do this fight unless you're both completely up to it and you're both completely 100 percent. And you both know what you're doing because it's so lethal if you don't. And that is, yeah, as you said, that's a really nice touch to beating the ---- out of one another. There was also like a day where you had like 20, 25 wrestlers in and we were shooting a scene before and they were all scattered around this ring. They just hanging about like, you know, bats just hanging off the wall, just given sort of approving and disapproving nods, which which just made it even more terrifying. Didn't really help at all. Yeah. Sorry about that. I didn't realize he was so delicate. Actors are going to do. I'm very curious, when did you see the film for the first time and was did you see anything? And, you know, you give a look. Was there any like note given like, this is great, but. Yeah. So I just returned from because I was out with neck injury. Right. So I just returned back to the performance center where everyone is training to become a superstar. So it was like rehabilitation. And Steven came in and it was just Steven. And he goes, OK, I have the movie for you. And this was like October 2017. It was it was then. So he brought it in and he set it up and like this nice, like private room. And then he was like, but I can't sit with you. So I'm just going to let you watch this by yourself, because I feel like I'm going to keep looking at you and see if you actually like the movie or not. I'm like, imagine I'm just like crying my eyes out. And he's just like, but do you like it? But no. So he left the room and then I text him after the movie and I'm just like, can you please just come in here? Because I don't want to go outside right now. Like I was crying my eyes out. Like I couldn't I couldn't watch it the first time because it was so good and it was just so surreal. And it was just it was incredible. It was an amazing movie. Everyone just like hit out of the park. It was like it was beautiful. And then I watched it again just a few months ago and I thought it was terrible. I mentioned a lot of notes. And I thought it was actually pretty good. He said that to me earlier and I was like, oh, really? It's actually pretty good. Thank you. Listen, I get myself in trouble all the time. I was messing with him. Yeah, exactly. But I watched it again and this time I could really like take it in and see it. And it was just like, wow, it's like even better the first time I watched it. And then I don't see Steven poking his head over the window. Right. I am. What was it like for you when she's watching it? Because you've obviously put years into this movie. So are you sitting there like chewing on fingers? Are you like, no, we nailed this? No, I was nervous because I showed it to her family as well independently. And, you know, it's ultimately, I think, an inspiring and an uplifting story. But it is also a story that has pain in it and it has real emotion. And, you know, she and her brother and her family went through ups and downs during the course of her experience. And so, you know, although I think we have a kind of triumphant sort of rocky ending, you know, there's a lot of emotion there along the way. And so to sort of reflect that back to real people and to sort of take them back through some difficult times, I felt both a responsibility and a sort of nervousness about that. But also, you know, I didn't want to sort of sugarcoat it, you know, because I wanted it to be as authentic as it could be to their experiences, because that's sort of what I responded to when I heard about the story, you know. So but they seem very pleased. I mean, Ricky, who Nick plays in the film, was very disappointed that it was Nick playing it. He wanted Ray Winston. Is that true? Well, Ray wasn't available. James Corden couldn't do it. The fat guy off the office doesn't do it. Dad just doesn't know. He's like very old school. He likes Laurel and Hardy. Like, he likes that kind of thing. And he does love Ray Winston. So he was unfamiliar with Nick Frost, I suppose. And I was like, he's an amazing actor, Dad. Like, you have to watch his stuff. He's incredible. And Dad's like, no, no, not happy about this. Right. So then he finally watched it. And then he was like, wow, he's really good, isn't he? Yes, Dad, he's fantastic. I'm going to get Ray to call. That would make his day. Ray's coming to the premiere tonight. Yeah, so I can go home. Yeah. Ray's got a false beard. Talk a little bit about your process, though, on set and what you've learned through your career in terms of maybe how it's changed, like the way you like to work. Well, the thing that my the thing I constantly forget to do is compliment my actors. I yeah, I am. I always feel that if I've not said that was terrible, then it means I'm incredibly happy. And do you actually tell people that was terrible? No, no. But I think but no, of course not. No, no, no. I do it much more delicately and subtly. I get I sort of I'm more insidious. There's nothing subtle about you. Why don't we have one more? Well, let's go again. That usually means that was ----. But anyway, but so I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank everyone for their terrific work, which because, you know, we're it's we're very busy. It was a it was a it was a tight, fast shoot. You know, it wasn't a big budget movie. And I haven't got a lot of time to massage these people's egos. You know, I mean, who's who's massaging my ego? No one every day. But no, in all seriousness, I think over time, I think I've learned that you have to sort of trust the actors and you also have to listen to the actors. I think the more I perform myself, the more I realize that it doesn't matter if you've written it and if you've carefully planned it, when the actors start acting and living in that space and doing that stuff, saying those words or moving in certain ways, they know when something's not feeling right or not feeling authentic or. And so you have to trust that when they say this, something's not right here. It's not because they're being a diva. It's because they're onto something, you know, and sort of listening to that and hearing that is is the greatest thing I've learned, I think. I was going to say, I mean, most people aren't a diva, but there's one guy who might be. Yeah, so give me my care. One of the things, though, and this is when you're making this is based, obviously, on your story. And these are all real events, but you're also making a movie. So you have to balance that line of like fact versus fiction. And you sort of talk about, you know, making sure that you know what you're willing to embellish on or is it everything that actually happened? No, it is actually very accurate. I love it. Like, obviously, some things have to be dramatized for obviously movie purposes, but I would say like a really, really big portion of it is extremely accurate. So you'll you'll see you have to go watch it. Is there one bit in particular that sticks out like the way that happened that you wish it had happened like that? Oh, was there a UFO in real life? It was there was indeed a UFO. No. Well, like the the the very end scene, she delivers this amazing promo at the end. And it is my words, but it's in like separate occasions, like different promos that I did throughout my career. And they kind of combined them all together to make this one incredible promo. And I'm like, well, damn, I wish I did deliver that at the end. That was fantastic. Like it gave me goosebumps. At the end of your fight, it was so and that's actually something that's so amazing when watching your fight. You can see how like excited, but tired and and how thrilling it is. And you are so emotional. And that little speech that you do backstage where you're just saying how it all is worth it, how it all all of it makes sense now. That is what exactly what you try to achieve. You may not remember. You give an interview as soon as you've come up where you talk about I've been on this long journey and I've left my family behind. Oh, my God. And you say it's so perfect. Like considering what you've just done and it's not rehearsed. It's not something that you've got ready. It's just coming completely from here. And it's like at that point that you go, oh, my God. Yeah, you go through so much to get there and you lose so much to get there. And so, yeah, it's it is your words. Yeah. The thing with WWE is that you're once you win a championship, the first thing they do is they shove a camera in your face and you literally are just like you're not prepared for anything. You're just like, oh, OK. And so like you can't help but speak from the heart there. And I remember that interview, a sweaty mess. All these girls are running up to me like, yeah, and it's like my first day on the main roster, you know, and I was just like I was just so overwhelmed and I was just so happy. I was like, man, we finally did it. This little girl from Norwich finally did it. And yeah, I just I can't wait for you guys to see that end scene, though, because she just delivers it so perfectly. It's really beautiful. It made people cry that don't usually cry. Well, I pretty much one take as well. Was it not like one take? Flo did that speech in front of 20,000 people in one take, I think. Wasn't it? Yeah. You do only do a retake. It was any wrestling. No, we did. We retook the wrestling and then we had I think it was one monologue, right? That's that's your one that was just and you were full of the same. It felt like you were full of the same emotion. Yeah. And we had we had a great time doing it. It was so exciting. And for those like eight minutes of the fight, I truly understood what it meant to want to get back in there. And you are a superhuman for those eight minutes. And you can do anything. And it makes so much sense once you're in there. I want to say congrats on the movie. Thank you sincerely so much for coming in. Thank you, Kia Telluride, for being an awesome sponsor. Have fun at the premiere tonight. Thanks so much. Thank you. I love you, Kia.