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Questions and Answers With Adam Brody
By Christopher Rosa | Aug 8, 2013 | 10:00 AM
Adam Brody became a household name the playing adorkable Seth Cohen on the hit Fox television show "The O.C." in the early 2000s. Since then, Brody has continued to be quite the working man, appearing in "Jennifer's Body," "Scream 4" and this year's "Some Girls," among several others.
This week, Brody is invading your living room (as well as select theaters) with the VOD release of "Lovelace." He appears as 1970s porn star Harry Reems, acting opposite Amanda Seyfried (who plays the titular Linda) and Peter Sarsgaard (as her husband). Brody's character is necessary comic relief in the film, which centers around the tumultuous, abusive relationship between Lovelace and her husband Chuck Traynor. He will also be seen onscreen alongside Paula Patton in the rom-com "Baggage Claim," due out September 27.
We caught up with Brody in New York City ahead of the release of "Lovelace" and got him to dish on porn, life after "The O.C." and what makes him cry.
What was the most surprising part of "Lovelace" for you?
Well, I knew nothing about it really. I was coming onto it completely clean. I'm familiar with the documentary "Inside Deep Throat," but that doesn't really go into Linda's story. I think it barely touches on it, but it's not really what I remember so much as the censorship stuff that took place after the film. Obviously the shocking, brutal stuff in it is her relationship with her husband. But I didn't have even preconceived notions, so I can't say anything threw me.
What did you learn from the experience?
No new skills, but it was nice to inhabit a place and time—a very specific place and time in our history. It feels relevant today. Sex is always relevant, especially at this time and this specific intersection of sex and fame and the mainstreaming of pornography. That’s the backdrop and the main thing obviously is a story of abuse and victimization and that’s relevant too. Hopefully we've made some strides and it’s less rampant. Fortunately or not, my part was more just good fun and we have some of the sweeter, goofier stuff. It wasn't a harrowing experience for me.
In a tweet length or less, convince people why they should see "Lovelace."
Go see "Lovelace." Go see it for the hair.
In the film, you play Harry Reems, who passed away in March. Did you have the chance to meet him?
No, I didn't meet him. I got the part and was filming pretty quickly. Also, I didn't seek him out. I sought out all the footage I could on him, but I didn't know how he felt about the movie, I didn't know if he would have approved of me. If I was playing a bigger part as him, I would have tried to seek him out, but in a way I didn't want to shoot myself in the foot. It felt also like overkill to try and fly up to Colorado and see him for a couple of scenes. I didn't think he got to see it. He is portrayed in a positive light, so I’m sure he wouldn't dislike that. Me personally, as an actor, I’ll never know, but let’s just say he likes me. It’s a shame. He seemed like a nice guy, fun guy. From all the stuff I read and watched about him, I liked what I saw.
Did you watch "Deep Throat" or had you seen it prior to this project?
I had seen "Inside Deep Throat," but I hadn't seen the porno "Deep Throat."
Have you seen it now?
Yes.
What do you think?
It's as goofy as possible, that you can't believe. I was surprised. I watched that and then "The Devil in Miss Jones," which is the one they made right after with Harry. I should have known this — the bodies have gotten more extreme since then, but the sexual acts were pretty extreme then. There's nothing timid about it or old fashioned about what they're doing. That, I found kind of surprising, and perhaps I shouldn't have. I don't know why I thought everything was missionary pre-1970, but I weirdly did. It's obviously wrong, and there were Roman orgies. But ["Deep Throat"] was incredibly goofy. There's a lot of hair…everywhere. There’s nothing about it in hindsight that would make you think, "This is the one." I mean, it was a time and place, and I guess the first of its kind. But you don't see it now and go, "Oh, 'Citizen Kane,' right?" The porno to end all pornos.
You had a lot of screen time with Amanda Seyfried. What’s something about her that people would be surprised to know?
Hmm…surprised to know, that I can tell you? She’s a wonderful person. She's as nice and friendly as can be. Her dog is here [at the "Lovelace" press junket], which I was surprised to see. I love her dog. [Amanda’s] just fearless. I don’t think this role fazed her at all. She got into it. If she believes in something, she’ll go for it.
"Lovelace" cast, Getty Images Getty Images
How difficult was making the transition from television to film after "The O.C.?"
It's barely two different mediums. Half of movies today, "Lovelace" included, are released VOD same day and you're watching them in the same place. Television shows are coming out thirteen at a time on Netflix. It's not all that different. You're doing a scene and you're blocking it and filming it and the process isn't that different. The only major difference is with television, especially on a network show like "The O.C.," is the scheduling and the length of it.
But the day to day is so similar, and I just haven't felt like it’s been such a conscious transition or jarring in the least. It's just like my schedule freed up, and I wasn't all of a sudden doing this thing ["The O.C."] nine months a year and I've had some free time to a. sit on my ass, but b. to sort of mix it up in a really fun way. I've been happy with the variety of the stuff I've gotten to do recently, roles and genres. I'm a fan of different genres of movies. There's something I like in all genres, so it's been nice.
In your next film, "Baggage Claim," you play opposite Paula Patton. What is something about her that we don't know?
I love that you want to know everyone's secrets! She has no dogs with her. She's also lovely. I think the movie, and you can tell from the trailer, she's like a good physical comedian. You wouldn't necessarily think that because she’s so beautiful and could be very regal. But she's also so game to just get hit in the nuts or whatever.
Do you ever Google yourself?
Sure. In certain capacities, yeah.
What did you buy with your first Hollywood paycheck?
Oh God! I'm such a jerk! I bought too nice of a car. I was 23. I had no business driving what I was driving!
What is your favorite city?
I would have to say Los Angeles.
The Cinema Society And MCM with Grey Goose Host A Screening Of Radius TWC's "Lovelace" Getty Images
What movie makes you cry?
God! What did I see the other day that sort of teared me up? I saw a couple of documentaries, actually. I didn't bawl in either, but I got a little wet. I saw "Black Fish" the other day, about Sea World's killer whales.
That sounds awful.
You will hate Sea World! You will never go, which is good honestly. It makes you go, just "****** that place." And then I watched the Magic Johnson ESPN documentary, where he announces that he has HIV and then the fallout from what happened after that. That's also so emotional. It was really inspirational. He just handled it pretty heroically.
Is there a movie that you regret watching with your parents?
No. I can't think of one. Now, everything is fine. Back then, did I see anything too weirdly sexy? No.
What are you currently geeking out over?
FaceTime is pretty fun (laughs). I just started doing that.
If you could cast yourself in a movie that’s already been made, what would it be?
This is fun! There are so many Johnny Depp roles in the '90s I would be into. I would do "Ed Wood" or "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" or "Dead Man." Those all sound good to me.
Using your first pet’s name and the street you grew up on, what would your porn name be?
I have the best one ever: Mister Magnifico. It’s great.
Would you mind taking a selfie for us?
Sure.
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Questions and Answers With Adam Brody | NextMovie
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Adam Brody: Porn has made us more peaceful
The "O.C." heartthrob talks about researching his porn star role in "Lovelace," and whether the film is feminist
BY DANIEL D'ADDARIO
In an era defined by nostalgia, Adam Brody is one kind of superstar.
Brody was the pinup boy of the Bush era as the breakout star of “The O.C.,” the Orange County-set nighttime soap that featured a fast-talking, indie-rock-loving nerd at its center. Brody has yet to find a role as defining as Urban Outfitters-clad Seth Cohen, though he’s worked consistently since “The O.C.” concluded its four-season run in 2007, including roles in franchise fare like “Scream 4″ and independent quirk-fests like “Damsels in Distress” and “Jennifer’s Body.”
But the 33-year-old star, best known for playing a young teen, is taking a big step with “Lovelace,” in which he plays porn star Harry Reems, a real-life performer who died earlier this year. Brody’s film is concerned at once with “Deep Throat” star Linda Lovelace’s rise to fame and with her degradation at the hands of unworthy men, but Brody plays one of the good guys, a supportive costar who makes the whole thing seem like fun even when he’s, well, performing opposite Lovelace in “Deep Throat.” It’s a long way from Orange County. Brody spoke to Salon about breaking out of the teen-star box as well as his views on porn — yes, he watches — and whether it’s feminist or degrading.
I’m wondering whether this role is intended to aggressively differentiate from your persona as it existed on “The O.C.” — this is so radically different from how you first rose to fame. Do you consider stuff like that?
I mean, I certainly enjoy variety and I don’t want to get typecast, not even so much for anyone else’s perception as much as for what’s interesting to do, you know? It can get boring to do the same thing. But this wasn’t some aggressive, premeditated move to shake off any teen residue, or whatever. This was just a great part with a great group of people that came my way pretty randomly, and I didn’t even have to think about it, so, I mean, I was just lucky to get the job.
Yeah, the whole essence of being a working actor is always being excited to get the next job.
Yeah, it’s a no-brainer, and like I said, it wasn’t premeditated, it wasn’t something I sought out, it just kinda fell into my lap … that’s a double entendre …
Yes, that’s an apt choice of words. I’m wondering if you think this movie is sex-positive, because it is funny and raunchy at times, but at the same time Linda goes through horrible stuff.
On one hand, I think it definitely doesn’t deglamorize sex — they’re using it to sell it, you know. If you see the movie, it deglamorizes it a lot more, but if you just look at the trailer and you’re just looking at the posters, it’s like, this is a sexy movie and sex does sell and it’s exciting and it’s tantalizing and it’s provoking, and, you know, you can argue the same with pornography. But I think the movie as a whole kind of rides that line in between. It definitely doesn’t demonize pornography or sex, and at the same time I don’t think it glamorizes it either. I don’t think you leave going — I mean, this is for mature audiences, but if an impressionable 15-year-old did see it, I don’t think they’d leave wanting to get into porn. And at the same time, I don’t think they’d leave going, “Porn is evil,” not to say they took a safe stance either and didn’t want to say anything.
I don’t think there is a definitive answer, you know? I think about those questions anyway. First of all, everyone has sex, we’re all the product — the result — of sex, so that’s not going anywhere. I think pornography as a whole has probably perpetrated more good than bad; I mean it’s probably pacified us. If you think about these devoutly religious, strict cultures, there’s a lot of violence in those cultures. At the same time, for the performers, it seems like it’s — even now — a hard life for, I would say, the majority, although I can’t say for certain; and I’m sure there are plenty of healthy people from healthy enough backgrounds.
I mean, I think Harry Reems was a healthy enough guy going into it, from what I know; it wasn’t like he was abused. I think there are some socially, mentally healthy performers, but at the same time, it’s hard living in a probably drug-fueled culture, I’m sure. And I think there’s a fair bit of violence within the industry, but within that, outside of it, and in terms of that perpetrating that or not, I can’t say it does.
It seems as though it’s something you’ve studied or are at least able to speak about with some authority. What research did you do about the industry then or about your character?
I didn’t do that much research about the industry; I mean there wasn’t all that much about Harry. I watched “Deep Throat,” I watched another movie he was in, I rewatched “Inside Deep Throat” — that’s a great documentary — and I found one long-form interview he did, actually a couple, in the ’80s. And then I read this autobiography, which seems a little ghost-written, from the ’70s, and it’s just all positive and before he hit on hard times and doesn’t really deal with any of the fallout of “Deep Throat.” That was basically propaganda, but it was fine — I still have it — it’s called “Here Comes Harry Reems.”
So yeah, I did a little bit, but in terms of the industry as a whole; I know a little bit about what it was like then just because of the documentary and the context in which this movie is set, and I know a bit about it now, because I’m a healthy, red-blooded man.
What do you think about “Deep Throat”? Do you think it’s funny, do you think it’s sexy?
Are you talking about the sexual act?
I’m talking about the film. You can tell me what you think about the sexual acts.
Um, um. The movie, do I think it’s sexy? I don’t think it’s sexy. It’s incredibly goofy, it’s very raunchy, I mean, as porn is, as you would expect it to be, but raunchy in another way too — in a goofy-raunchy way where they’re smoking and eating while they’re having sex. It’s like they’re filming a sitcom, and I know porn’s like that now, too, but I don’t know … it’s also very hairy. It’s incredibly hairy. You know it was of its time and place, but you don’t see it now and think like, “Wow, this is the greatest porno ever made.” It was just the first of its kind, it had an intriguing star as the lead, but it’s not really a masterpiece.
Do you watch porn outside of preparing for “Lovelace”?
Uh, I won’t get into too many specifics of my personal habits, but, yes, I’m familiar with pornography.
I guess you could say it’s changed a lot over time.
Yeah, I don’t think most people do it from start to finish in a movie theater like they used to. But, yeah … [trails off]
Tell me a little bit about whether this movie … we talked about sex positivity, but do you think it’s feminist to portray Amanda Seyfried as a little bit sexy, but also kind of violated? Do you think it’s not feminist? Do you think it’s neutral?
I think it definitely has a feminist side more than — I mean, some might argue the validity of her story, but this is her story, and if she is to be believed that she was abused, and this is a person from somewhat of a broken home, or at least she did not have support there at all, and was a young girl, and then married very young to an incredibly manipulative, abusive guy, and it’s hard to not see that person as a victim. It’s hard to go, “Well, you were 22, you should have known better,” you know?
And I think the thing about this movie that’s so nice is, you’d be hard-pressed to see it and leave going, “Oh yeah, she’s just a sexual one-trick pony.” And that’s feminist in the sense, from a male point of view, or at least: On one hand you just objectify the woman and the act — it’s sex and it’s this — and then you see the movie and it’s a lot harder to be aroused. You leave caring about this individual and this person’s struggles and feeling for her and the fact that she really wasn’t into it and is not happy with her legacy. She barely did porn, and yet is the most famous porn star and that’s ironic and sad, and so from that respect, I do think it’s got a feminist angle, certainly.
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2013 - Salon.com
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Thanks so much for sharing
