“Bachelorette” stars Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher and Lizzy Caplan as Regan, Katie and Gena, a trio coming together for their friend Becky’s (Rebel Wilson) wedding. You’d think it’d be a simple process – rehearsal dinner, bachelorette party, wake up, get dressed, walk down the aisle – but thanks to some very poor decision making and a ton of cocaine, the ladies descend into pre-wedding madness, desperately trying to tame their high and fix the mistakes they made so Becky can have the wedding of her dreams.
Really, “Bachelorette” is one of those you’ve-got-to-see-it-to-believe-it type of things and, you know what? So is this roundtable interview. The ladies came to New York City to support the film’s September 7th release and while they had a slew of insightful thoughts on the nature of the material and the process of making “Bachelorette,” just like in the movie, the three actresses have an electric chemistry that sparks quite a bit of humor. Read on to get all of the details and a taste of their hilarious banter, and be sure to catch “Bachelorette” in theaters or on VOD today!
What made this movie irresistible for you?
Kirsten Dunst: After coming off “Melancholia” I really wanted to do a comedy. I hadn’t done one in a while and people don’t see you in that light unless you’re a comedic actress. I really wanted to be involved in that because I never want to be pigeonholed in any type of mood, [laughs] because I got a lot of scripts after “Melancholia” that were heady, weird, depressing. I’m like, I’m not gonna repeat this again. It’s boring for me and for everyone else, too. I got this script, Lizzy was attached to it, met Leslye and then I was like, this is hilarious and I would love to go completely opposite and be in this project.
Isla Fisher: When I’d read about drug abuse, alcoholism, addiction, anorexia, it just sounds like a lot of fun. No! I’m being sarcastic. That was a joke! I had already played a bipolar nymphomaniac so the idea of playing a coke whore seemed like another way to make my dad proud. Again, that was a joke. No, I really liked the material, I really liked the cast, the people that were attached and my husband was shooting “The Dictator” in New York and this was shooting in New York. A lot of the decisions that you make come down to logistics when you have a family, and these ticked all the boxes. And Katie is a classic comic character. She’s an over confident dumb dumb, but she’s innocent, too, which is sweet and she gets the opportunity to do a lot of great one-liners, which I love to improvise. It’s my favorite thing in a movie, so I knew I’d get that opportunity and Leslye was very collaborative with me on the character. It was kind of a no brainer.
Lizzy Caplan: I like to look for comedies that have a lot of heart and authentic heart, and I thought that this movie really really did. A movie like this is my favorite kind of film to make. Very collaborative, very funny, but with some real stuff going on, too.
Considering the title of the movie, how do you feel about shows like “The Bachelor?” Are you into those?
Caplan: Kiki loves it!
Dunst: I like those TV shows. They’re just so ridiculous; everyone vying for a rose. [Laughs] It’s so dramatic. It’s just amazing trash television that you can watch with your mom and grandma on a Monday night!
The movie is doing very well on iTunes. What do you think is fueling the interest in this movie before its theatrical release?
Fisher: I think people want to see movies the way they want to see them. I think that seeing them at home in your jammies is an appealing option and I can totally understand that. And why not? This movie, why I think there’s specific interest, is because I think that this is a rare comedy that has a lot of pathos and dramatic moments, and deals with issues that normally are in regular indie movies instead of indie comedy movies, and I like to think that it’s because Leslye Headland’s a wonderful female writer and there are three great female roles in a female centered comedy. There’s not enough of them getting made.
Caplan: I think we’re in this transitional time in the film industry where people’s home entertainment systems are getting more and more sophisticated, and they do prefer to watch their stuff at home. If you want to watch it the day that it came out on VOD instead of waiting a few weeks to see it in the theater, our movie is sort of about people who are obsessed with instant gratification, so I guess maybe that’s our audience.
Dunst: You watch the red band trailer and I feel like it appeals to young guys, young girls. I think us as a combo is a nice thing to see. I think it’s also shot in a way that feels very alive and I think people just respond to things they want to see. Just naturally, you watch a trailer, you’re like, I wanna see that or you don’t.
Fisher: And this movie doesn’t glamorize anything.
Dunst:We look like a mess in the end of the movie.
Fisher: We’re bad people doing bad things and, frankly, it’s not glossed over.
Dunst: And I think that’s refreshing.
Caplan: People have really strong opinions about our movie and I think they’ve had really strong opinions even from the trailer, and they’re either really looking forward to it and are really into it and identify with these people or they hate it.
Fisher: And it represents the younger generation or self entitled Peter Pans that haven’t grown up and feel the world owes them something. Either side of the fence!
Isla, how do you feel about the issues your character is going through?
Fisher: It’s sensitive issues that have to be tackled sensitively. Everything in this movie from anorexia to bullying to suicide attempts to everything. In many ways it’s a sad representation of our society when a movie like this is so relatable to everyone. [Laughs]
Dunst: But then there’s movies like “The Hangover,” but it’s more abrasive because you see women doing it. I think that’s what is shocking to everyone. It’s okay for the boys, but not okay for the girls and that’s just a societal thing.
Caplan: On the surface we look fairly put together at the top of this movie and we seem to maybe be responsible members of society, but the darkness, you get it really quickly and I think that bothers people in the best way. Yeah, we do a lot of drugs and we do all this irresponsible stuff, but we don’t look like homeless people and our lives are falling apart. We actually look like your friends and your daughters, and I think that is alarming people.
Was there anything in the script that made you say, I can’t do it, it’s going too far?
Caplan: No way.
Fisher: There was in the script originally this scene with Katie and … [Laughs]
Dunst: Isla actually did something really interesting, which is, me saying the F word is funny because I’m all put together, Chanel bag. [Isla] didn’t swear in the film.
Fisher: I was very specific when I signed on to the movie about what I will and will not do. For me, it’s about the comedy. I want to make it funny. That’s my goal in a comedy movie and so I improvised and rewrote a lot of my stuff so that it was funny. The scene with Joe (Kyle Bornheimer) and Katie before was not funny originally with her not remembering his name; it was very sexual and that was something I didn’t feel suited my interpretation of her.
What do you think turns a comedy into a classic?
Caplan: It’s really hard because it’s like a movie that doesn’t work necessarily in the theaters and finds a life later.
Dunst: It’s a chemistry. Obviously we’re telling the same stories over and over again in film, but it’s how you tell it, the chemistry of people you put together is so important.
Caplan: If you knew the answer to what could make a classic comedy, you would be a very rich man. [Laughs]
Is it tough to find good female roles?
Dunst: It’s kind of your job as an actress to define what kind of things you want to do and the types of people you want to surround yourself with. It’s really your taste and what you want because everything’s out there. It’s just how you go about your own process and what’s true to who you are and what you want to put out in the world, too.
Can you tell us a little about working with Rebel Wilson?
Fisher: Rebel’s a successful Australian actress. She’s very well known back home. She was on a show called “Pizza” and everyone is a huge fan of hers and so it was just so exciting to get her for this. We’re incredibly blessed.
Dunst: [Laughs] A show named “Pizza” is so amazing.
Caplan: I want a band named Pizza.
What’s she like as a person because she’s kind of a chameleon on screen?
Fisher: Let me tell you something about Rebel. She’s an intellect. When you do a junket with her, she’s gonna reveal all this amazing stuff, but she’s an incredible girl. She’s hilarious and very bright and a brilliant writer. She’s created a TV show for herself that she’s shooting now.
Caplan: She’s one of those very special people that, no matter what comes out of her mouth, it’s funny.
What do you each like about your characters?
Fisher: I like that Katie’s always trying to have fun.
Caplan: Girls just wanna have fun.
Fisher: Cyndi Lauper got it right. Next!
Dunst: I liked that I got to play a role that was totally the opposite of what I played. And also, it’s fun not to have to be the sweet, cute girl. It’s fun to just let it rip and let it all hang out. That was what was fun about this movie for me. Rip, let it all hang out? [Laughs]
Caplan: My thing was that I liked how damaged she was. It made me sad for her. It made me want to take care of this girl and give her her due and show not only the hard edge side of her, but the softer, sadder bits of her as well.