My own behind-the-scenes experience with the cast and director of The Odd Life of Timothy Green: Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, CJ Adams, and Peter Hedges.
Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the press junket for Disney’s The Odd Life of Timothy Green. There, I was able to sit in on four very interesting roundtable sessions, where each contributor to the film provided their own unique take, not just on their own roles but also the themes and messages that sprout from the story. It’s rare that you get to speak with four incredible talents in Hollywood who are as talented as they are pleasant to converse with. In particular, Peter Hedges really blew my socks off with his passion and emotion. Whatever your thoughts are on The Odd Life of Timothy Green, it’s impossible to deny that its director is genuine, sincere and heartfelt upon meeting him. I don’t believe I’ve ever witnessed a director so affectionately wrapped up in the work they’ve helped create, making Peter Hedges a rare gift in Hollywood when it comes to finding a director who gives every fiber of their being to a project. I’ll speak more about Peter Hedges and the roundtable session myself and other members of the press partook with him a bit later, but right now I’ll begin the roundtable coverage in sequential order, starting with Joel Edgerton who plays Jim Green…
No one in my group — members of the press were divided into four groups in four different rooms — knew the lineup order of our roundtables, so every new celebrity face was a surprise to us. Unfortunately for me and my “junketeer” buddy, Tristen Gacoscos from Gofobo.com, we were some of the last members of the press to find our way into the room, meaning we sat in the last row of seats, all the way at the back. The room was actually set up more like a mini press conference than a roundtable, so those in the first row had a far better opportunity to jump in and ask the talent questions than us in the back. First up was Joel Edgerton, who provided very well-thought out, detailed answers to every question asked. He took a very introspective approach to the conversation on The Odd Life of Timothy Green, and gave us all a lot of food for thought. What I found most enlightening was how Joel reminded us that even though in his other movies he took on very physical roles, he’s always played a family man, whether it be in Warrior or Animal Kingdom. Although he wasn’t beating people up in this film, Joel’s character Jim was still always “fighting” in some way for his family at all costs. Edgerton is an incredibly articulate individual, who responds to projects based on those involved and if the “ambition,” as he puts it, meets “the budget.” By that statement, I think we should all be very excited about his upcoming film The Great Gatsby, which as we all know cost a fortune to make. Here is the entire audio of our roundtable for you all to hear, and I hope you enjoy (please be aware, there are potential spoilers of the film discussed in each audio recording, so click with this in mind):
Joel Edgerton Roundtable:
Next up was Jennifer Garner, and let me tell you…this woman is so poised yet incredibly personable and sweet. I’ve been a fan of Jennifer Garner since first seeing her on the Party of Five spinoff, Time of Your Life (thanks, mom and dad). After Alias, Juno and many more well-known films, Garner has proven to be one of the few actresses in Hollywood who can tackle so many different types of roles, be they physical, dramatic, comedic, or slightly villainous (see: 2007′s Juno). Since she’s been attending to her favorite role in life, being a mom, we haven’t seen a lot of films from her in awhile. Jennifer even commented to us that she hadn’t participated in a press junket for a long time, as she seemed both excited and overwhelmed seeing all of our cell phones be placed in front of her for recording purposes. What I loved most about Jennifer was how candid she was. She always brought the questions back to the movie she was there to promote, and I loved the way she respectfully declined to discuss some questions surrounding her children. Many of her answers were indicative of what a great mom she truly is, and how she preserves a child’s innocence and privacy, especially being the huge star that she and Ben Affleck are. Below, you’ll find the audio of our roundtable with the beautiful and talented Jennifer Garner.
Jennifer Garner Roundtable:
Third to speak with us was CJ Adams, who as you know plays the title role of “Timothy Green.” I think a great many of us had the impression that CJ Adams would be nervous speaking to such a large audience. Not that we are scary or anything, just that there were a great many of us in the room wanting to talk to him all at once, and since he’s new in the business it could be a very overwhelming experience speaking to a bunch of journalists. However, he held his own and was quick on his feet with his responses. He also didn’t sound rehearsed, and drew a lot of laughs from us with some of his answers. It was great to hear how CJ wanted to use acting as a means to possibly help people out through charitable work, as that is his life’s goal. There’s little else I can say except you’ll have to hear CJ to really get a sense of just how suited he is to the role of “Timothy Green.” Have a listen…
CJ Adams Roundtable:
I am so very proud to discuss the surreal experience of talking with director Peter Hedges. This man is a walking heartbeat. As soon as he walks into the room, he exudes a very inviting, emotionally-open aura. Hedges shook hands with everyone in the room, and he even let those in the back — like myself and a few others — get a chance to finally ask our questions, since like I mentioned earlier it was very difficult based on where we were sitting. Hedges has a deep love for the stories he tells, for families and life itself. I love his outlook on the world, and Hollywood should be lucky they have a guy like Peter Hedges, who is so ready to open up his heart, directing feature films. Peter Hedges answered all of our questions with unfiltered, raw emotion. I never thought in a million years I’d get my own “Barbara Walters” moment, but low and behold Peter started tearing up after a question I asked him. He was beyond serious about The Odd Life of Timothy Green — he has a deep personal attachment to the project, to the cast and to the story of “Timothy Green” himself like no director I’ve ever seen have toward one of their films. Peter even asked to extend the time talking with the press for another ten minutes — that is how important this junket was to him. I’m sure I’ll be doing a lot more junkets in the future, but I wonder if an emotional experience like the one we all had talking with Peter Hedges will ever be mirrored again. Like I stated prior, Peter Hedges’ two middle names are “passion” and “emotion.” His sincerity only elevated my appreciation for The Odd Life of Timothy Green. Play close attention to the question I ask at the end, and how Peter responds to it.
Peter Hedges Roundtable:
That is a wrap for my coverage of The Odd Life of Timothy Green roundtable sessions. I do hope you all enjoyed and learned something about the film you hadn’t already known. Remember, it’s currently in theaters so please do yourself a favor and check it out right away. If mine and Joey’s reviews haven’t convinced you to go see this heartwarming family fable, then perhaps a trailer will. Check it out:
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Tags: CJ Adams, Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, Peter Hedges, The Odd Life of Timothy Green
1 Comment(s)
Excellent writing Joseph Braverman
Connie Stjames(Quote) (Reply)