Millers in Marriage star Patrick Wilson spoke to sondramedia’s Tyler Treese in regards to the household drama. Wilson spoke about working with director Edward Burns, taking part in an unlikeable character, and extra. The movie is out now in theaters and on digital beginning right this moment, February 21, 2025.
“A story of three middle-aged married {couples} coming to grips with common questions on marriage and constancy, skilled success and failure, and the problem of discovering a second act,” says the synopsis for Millers in Marriage.
Tyler Treese: Millers in Marriage is a really bold film by way of its construction. There are three completely different marriages which can be being examined. Sort of jogged my memory of Hannah and Her Sisters a bit, the Woody Allen film. What about this mission actually grabbed your curiosity?
Patrick Wilson: Ed Burns, we did a film collectively, God, in all probability 17-18 years in the past, one thing like that. He’s the sort of man that when he calls you even out of the blue, and it has in all probability been 15 years, it’s an easy dialog. Should you’re free, you’re gonna go work with him ’trigger it’s the sort of story, the sort of sincere, expert storytelling that he’s gonna do this he does time and time once more.
It’s humorous you deliver up Hannah and Her Sisters. He’s form of fallen into this, taking the reins of Woody Allen from New York marriage and relationship films, and likes to mirror sort of, I’m positive, the place he’s in life, each the great and the not-so-good. Whether or not it’s him or buddies that he’s round or buddies that he grew up with. You don’t see films like this lots, and I’ve been in search of relationship films that sort of mirror what folks of their late forties or fifties that we’re all sort of going by. You see it explored extra in TV, however you don’t see it explored in movie. So to actually have the time and the imaginative and prescient to place it on the display as one thing that was a simple sure.
You talked about that you simply labored with Ed earlier than. How was it simply seeing that evolution as a result of he’s had a really lengthy and profitable profession? What stood out about him as a director?
I imply, his ease, his talent, and his consolation. He’s each expert and never treasured. It’s not like he’s flying by issues going, “I don’t know. I don’t know.” You realize, man, transfer on. It’s “I obtained it. We’re good.” He places collectively a workforce of individuals and from the highest down.
I imply, Aaron Lubin is producing. All his DPs, all of the those who he’s labored with, that I labored with 100 years in the past. I imply, he’s obtained his group of individuals, and it’s a really, very fluid course of. So that you simply are available and you bought some concepts and he guides you just a few methods and also you’re sort of out and in. He helps you to discover. It helps you to swing a giant stick and reigns you in when he must.
He is aware of what he needs. Nevertheless it’s by no means pressured on you. It’s the most effective sort of directing the place you may sort of allow you to discover it. “What do you need to attempt? Go for it.” “Okay.” Perhaps information you this fashion. So there’s an ease and a consolation each as a human and as a filmmaker that makes it a very fulfilling course of, ?
Definitely, for individuals who have been round, it’s refreshing. So it’s each a pressure-free and precious-free atmosphere, which is all the time nice to do.
One side of Millers in Marriage that I discovered refreshing was that all the characters are very flawed people. They’re very human. Your character generally is a dick. So, what was the method of constructing that attribute stand out and never veering off into one-note territory? But additionally in actual life folks generally is a dick. So, how is it sort of discovering that stability?
That’s completely different for me. I’ve performed unhealthy guys, however normally, whenever you play like a nasty man, he’s so unhealthy on the web page that it’s virtually simpler to go, “You realize what? I can play ’em the opposite manner.” Since you’re gonna see that horrible facet regardless if it’s horrible by motion or it’s a assassin or one thing. However with this, he’s not an excellent man, or he’s definitely not an excellent man presently of his life. That’s what attracted me to it. Eddie had stated, “Who do you need to play?” And I stated, “I’d prefer to play Scott. I don’t get to play sort of the alcoholic a-hole very a lot.”
And also you’re proper, he’s it. Some persons are simply dicks… I imply, they simply are. And that’s him proper now. So it was slightly, I can’t say it was tremendous comfy, , as a result of we’d do three and 4 takes, and a few could be very refined, and a few may actually lay into candy Gretchen Mol, who was nice within the film, however I saved going, “God, I’m simply horrible to you.”
However that’s how my character matches into the story, ? So you may’t be afraid of that. You possibly can’t apologize for that. You simply sort of must dive in. So I can’t say it was enjoyable, nevertheless it’s definitely rewarding. ‘Trigger then you may see how he’s gotta be sort of a ballast. You gotta be some extent to Benjamin Bratt’s character and the way Ben is available in. So, everyone sort of matches into the puzzle. So that you’ve gotta actually just be sure you go full throttle on yours to make the others work, if that is sensible.
You talked about Gretchen, she’s nice within the movie, and I needed to ask about that chemistry. As a result of It’s a particular sort of chemistry. It’s not such as you’re bubbly collectively. That is very a lot a strained relationship. So, are you able to converse to search out that chemistry the place you’re at one another’s throats a bit? How is it discovering that?
Yeah. Nicely, she’s so good. There’s a security in that, when somebody will get alongside. Additionally, I feel whenever you go into an Ed Burns film, proper? Ed will get folks collectively, should you get together with him, which 99% of the folks on the planet will, everyone’s sort of circling him. He’s actually the north star for us or the solar, like no matter metaphor you need to use. So his power dictates how all of us are on set. He’s really easy and cozy that you simply need to be straightforward and cozy.
It really means that you can, whenever you’ve obtained a scene the place you’re actually at anyone’s throat, to go full throttle as a result of there’s by no means a discomfort when you yell, “Minimize!” you’re actually good buddies and all having a good time collectively.
So that really helps. I feel it could be exhausting to be actually imply and impolite in a set that’s actually tense. ’trigger You sort of don’t know the place it ends. However these units are tremendous enjoyable and rewarding, and also you’re additionally coping with folks which were… You take a look at the forged, I imply, there’s tons of and tons of and tons of of films between all of us. So, you may cope with a bunch of execs.
So we are available there to work and have an excellent time. And when you’ve that security, then you may really let unfastened. And if it’s let unfastened in an offended and violent manner, then virtually that’s lots simpler when it’s a snug set, if that is sensible.
It’s the twentieth anniversary for Exhausting Sweet. I assumed that was a very nice film. I actually loved it. How do you sort of look again on that movie? You and Elliot Web page simply had so many nice scenes in that.
Yeah, yeah. You realize, there was a time throughout Covid when folks had been doing all these script read-throughs. Like Zoom reads of films, and we obtained approached to do one, after which it fizzled.
I all the time keep in mind that. As a result of I don’t assume I’ve checked out a body of that film and positively thought of it apart from followers or one thing saying, “Hey, I like that.” However , normally my go-to as quickly as somebody says, “I like that film,” and I’m going, “Nicely, that claims quite a bit about you.”
However yeah, we shot the film in what, 18-19 days? I imply, it was actually like this loopy train. I’m tremendous pleased with the film nonetheless. I feel the film holds up even within the tech panorama. You realize, a number of films from that period simply sort of dissipate with an iPhone [laughs. And that holds up. You know, and I’m super proud of all our performances and yeah, I love that movie. I can’t believe it’s been 20 years. That’s crazy.
I really enjoyed your directorial debut, which was Insidious: The Red Door.
Thank you.
That’s a horror movie, but the family drama aspect was also very surprisingly strong. I remember really enjoying that part of it, which is sort of what we see in Millers in Marriage as well. But are you looking to do more directing going forward?
Yeah, yeah. I’m looking at a couple things. I’ve been fortunate to have a few things thrown my way, but haven’t really found the right film yet. Then there’s a couple that are certainly outside of that genre that I’m pushing uphill for me to direct and shepherd from just inception, I guess. So that’s exciting to do. So, yeah, I spend most of my day thinking about what I’m gonna direct next [laughs]. It’s a real story.
Due to Patrick Wilson for taking the time to speak about Millers in Marriage.
