Writer/Actor Neal McDonough & Director Jon Avnet talk to The Inside Reel about character and connection in regards to their new film from Angel Studios: "The Last Rodeo."
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00:00You got to focus, Joe.
00:16I'm in my seat.
00:17I only ask once.
00:19That went well.
00:20Yeah, very.
00:21Be patient with her.
00:22She loves you fiercely.
00:25Can Joe Wainwright keep up?
00:27I'm fine.
00:27Of course you are.
00:28That's a genuine, true legend right there.
00:31Lord, I'm out of for a short time.
00:33Here we go.
00:35Come on, Joe.
00:36Get in.
00:36Get in.
00:37Get in.
00:38A story like this, it's about overcoming adversity, but it's also about looking at the self, looking inward as well as outward.
00:47Can you talk about both, obviously, in the writing of it, Neil, too, is capturing that, finding it in your soul, but in how you play him.
00:57Because he can be very stoic, but he can be very emotive.
01:01Can you talk about that?
01:02And then I'll talk to John about directing and creating that structure.
01:06Well, I think the whole drive of the film, the thought process, is kind of, what are you prepared to do to protect and help your family?
01:12And I think those kind of ideas have been lost a lot in Hollywood in the last several years.
01:17Everything's either massive tentpole explosion films or kind of dark fare that it's hard to bring the whole family to go and watch.
01:26I think the script that I originally wrote that I handed to John, I said, John, now make it your own.
01:31And boy, did he.
01:32You know, when you look at the bull riding sequences in this film, that's John's design and how we look at it.
01:41And if you're a bull riding fan, you're going to go crazy for this movie because the bull riding sequences are just, it feels like you're in a PBR event, which is so amazing.
01:49And I'll let John talk about it more.
01:50But it's the relationships with the characters that I think, the fractured relationship between me and my daughter.
01:56Well, what am I prepared to do for my grandson?
01:58All these things that I wrote to start with, but handed it off to the maestro.
02:03And then he ran with it.
02:04And he ran with it so beautifully.
02:06Thank you, John.
02:14Do you remember everything that you put all of us through the last time you wrote?
02:20You will not get on that bull.
02:23Well, then what are we going to do about Cody?
02:25I'm going to be okay, Mom.
02:27$750,000 for first place.
02:30You got a better idea.
02:31I'm all ears.
02:32Yeah, Chuck, can you talk about like the bones of the script, what it had, what you saw in it, obviously, and collaborating with Neil.
02:40But then, yeah, creating that visual style because it has this kinetic energy as well.
02:45Yeah, it's a real pain to collaborate with Neil.
02:47I have to say that.
02:49We just, I don't know.
02:50I just keep working on them over and over again.
02:52I can't shake the habit.
02:53It's a sickness.
02:54Yeah, it's a problem.
02:55But Neil and Derek had written something that I thought was really interesting.
02:59And there was a conceit in there that Neil and Derek had created that really appealed to me.
03:04And then the biggest thing, curiously enough, was Neil owned this story.
03:11And I thought as an actor, this was an opportunity for someone I've worked with over the years, who's been in so many films and TV shows, to actually be a leading man.
03:22And to find those elements in himself, in that character, because this character is damaged, right?
03:30He has suffered a loss and he has sort of built almost a cocoon for himself because he just can't shake it.
03:38And in doing that, he's hurt the people around him.
03:41And he has an enormous stoicism.
03:44So when this event happens in his life that he has to ride, and he has to ride for a reason, it catalyzes a whole bunch of stuff.
03:52And in Neil's face, like the great Western actors, the leading men, you see the pain, you see the sorrow, you see the hurt, and you also see the love, and as you said, the vulnerability and the emotion.
04:07So I thought this was going to be a singular performance, and Neil just exceeded my wildest hopes and dreams.
04:14He just was there.
04:15And by the way, he's there on camera speaking, and he's there off camera playing off of Sally, like in the scene there.
04:22And so what you needed was a reconciliation that was earned.
04:27And I felt his character and the incredible way he played it, particularly in the silences, was just very singular.
04:37So I'm very excited to be on that ride with Neil.
04:41We've got some incredible news.
04:43The rodeo legend is going to compete for the first time in years.
04:48Give me the green light.
04:50Joe Green, mate.
04:50Lord, I'm ready for a soul time.
04:53Three-time world champ.
04:54Y'all sing my name and be out.
04:56Rides again.
04:57This is going to be big.
04:59And Neil, having worked with John, you know, obviously there's a shorthand, but you know this character probably inside and out, I take it there.
05:06Because you don't make something that you write and then play the character unless it's something you really connect to.
05:12Could you talk about sort of inhabiting?
05:15Because you do it from, even from that first shot, the shot on your eyes with the bull.
05:20I mean, there's such a connection.
05:22It's a primal thing.
05:22Again, there was a John Avnett design shot, which was, I mean, you know, I can go on and talk about the character.
05:29I can talk about how it came.
05:30And the whole idea came to me with this one thought.
05:34What would happen to me if anything ever happened to Reve, my wife?
05:37And then I started writing the story.
05:39But you can write a story.
05:41You can write a great script.
05:42But that doesn't necessarily translate to it being a great film.
05:45I've been blessed to work with some of the greatest filmmakers that have ever lived.
05:52That's just an awesome thing to be able to even say.
05:55But there's one guy that I've worked with that believed in me and got me the job in Boomtown.
06:00And then, you know, pulled me out of the ashes when I was going through all my horrible things in life.
06:04When I was penniless and I couldn't get a job after being fired from that one show.
06:08Who pulled me out of the ashes?
06:09John Avnett for Justified.
06:11And then we just crushed it on Justified in 88 minutes.
06:14And all the things that he's been there for me as a mentor, but just always been there for me as a friend.
06:21So when they say, who do you want to direct the film?
06:22There was only one choice.
06:24And John, to me, is the greatest director I've ever worked with for so many reasons.
06:29But the one in particular is that he protects his actors.
06:33He has this faith in us and allows us to play with the material within the confines of how he designs it.
06:40And by doing so, it just makes it such a relaxing state on set, which generally never happens.
06:47Most directors are so frenetic and so crazy.
06:49John's like, everyone chill.
06:51We've rehearsed this.
06:52Let's have a great day.
06:53And our days ended at 10 hours instead of 15 or 18 hours every day.
06:56Because John knows exactly what he wants.
06:59He knows how to get it.
07:00And he gives us time to breathe into the character and also breathe into the situation of being in a film.
07:09This ain't the senior circuit.
07:11Good luck.
07:11You're going to need it.
07:12Joe Wainwright competing at over 50 years younger.
07:16I'm grandfathered in, right?
07:18You're right about that granddad part.
07:21His grandson's sick.
07:24And he's got to earn money.
07:26That's why he's evil.