The pair give their first joint interview on transforming for Ron Howard’s awards hopeful.
You’ve definitely seenGlenn Closecry before.
“In COVID, I cry at the drop of a hat.
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But, thinking of what Amy did in the film, it’s overwhelming!
Vance’s bumpy road to success, as outlined in his memoir of the same name.
(Gabriel Basso) into an Ivy League grad.
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“Ron had the reverence,” Adams recalls.
“He wanted to tell this story about people he recognizes.
Full story, c’mon!GLENN CLOSE:We were in the middle of Georgia!
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We stopped at a place called Goats on the Roof.
How can younotstop at a place called Goats on the Roof?
They had…goatson the roof!
Was it necessary to create that fun dynamic with each other to offset the weight of the script?
Because your characters certainly don’t have that in the film.CLOSE:Not consciously!
We walked through their stories and got to know the family dynamics.
[Close’s voice cracks] In COVID, I cry at the drop of a hat.
But thinking of what Amy did in the film, it’s overwhelming!
In the context of the characters, she let it fly in the scene, and it was heaven.
It elevated everybody around her.
The element of transformation not just emotionally, but physically must’ve played into that.
Virginia Johnson, our costumer, was another invaluable collaborator.
She did a lot of research.
They thought some strange woman had somehow wandered to the set with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth!
I was like, “Yeah, that’s Glenn!”
If I told you, you’d be like, “What?”
Like what?ADAMS: I had a slight nose prosthetic.
I also loved that wig!
CLOSE:[Gasps] That wig!
ADAMS:It was so hot though!
It was like 103 degrees while we were shooting.
You named the wig, right?ADAMS:I did!
I called her Beaver-ly.
I name most of my wigs some version of my characters' names.
“It’s time to put the Beaver on.”
CLOSE:I loved when you got out the hot curler and you’d do your bangs.
I loved your bangs.
Amy did her own bangs!
Did Glenn’s wig have a name?ADAMS:It was just Mamaw.TheMamaw.
I imagine part of that transformation was making sure this wasn’t a caricature.
Ron had the reverence.
He wanted to tell this story about people he recognizes.
We went to Middletown, Ohio.
What were your first meetings with the real family members like?
There was a dynamic of being open and generous.
That helped me see the complexities of the relationships and love that they have.
CLOSE:Talking with the real J.D.
He said, “I knew Mamaw when I was little.
One of my favorite parts of the performance isthatjoke about bicycles and Polish derrieres.
My favorite line is: “You’re as dumb as a bag of hair!”
ADAMS:Mamaw is so classic!
CLOSE:If anything, we kind of toned her down.
Wait,thisis toned down!?CLOSE:Definitely!
She tried to rile people up by saying outrageous things to them!
Something else that riles people up: People have wanted both of you to win youroverdue Oscars for years.
Is that frustrating working with that pressure?
There’s so much going on.
I love what I do and I love my work.
Each nomination has been at a different stage in my life.
It’s always been a wonderful acknowledgment, knowing how many performances there are in a year.
I don’t really get frustrated.
Maybe the only thing I get frustrated at is answering this question!
CLOSE:[Cackles]
ADAMS:That’s honest!
[Laughs] I’m just grateful to be a working actor.
It’s the last thing on my mind, especially as we speak today.
I remember vividly when I was nominated forThe World According to Garp, and it was so beyond me.
I didn’t get it, and I still don’t get it.
In this sometimes cruelly competitive industry, the fact that you wouldgetthe part…
I think a lot of times the nominations are all about the part.
I honestly feel, and people always laugh at me, that the real honor is in the nomination.
We want to sit at a table with all of our fellow nominees, just to have fun!
We should make it like a theme Oscars, like Toga Oscars!
That’d be fun.
And Beaver-ly can come, too!ADAMS:That would be my ’80s prom look!
