Judy, has “Archer” been your chance to play a femme fatale?
Judy Greer: Ha! Definitely. I have had so much fun playing this role because she’s constantly changing and it’s so crazy. I’ll record an episode and then they’ll be like, “Wait ‘til next episode. You’re going to love what we do with your character.” And I remember I read it and it turned out that that was the one when we find out I’m a billionaire, remember? And you’re like, “What?” I always read my episode the morning that I record and I couldn’t believe it that time. Yes, it’s fun to be a femme fatale. It’s super fun to be a country music singer because I’ve always wished I was a rock star.
Jessica Walter: It’s also fun for her to be a billionairess.
Judy Greer: That’s fun, fun to have an ocelot.
Well, I would love to see you play a femme fatale in live action too.
Judy Greer: Me too! The one kind of movie I haven’t done yet is an action movie, some sort of La Femme Nikita situation. I don’t even care if it’s just a cool opening scene in a movie and then I died. It’d be really cool. I have a fantasy about dropping out of a helicopter in a full length mink coat into either an ocean of a yacht.
Are Tomorrowland and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes not action?
Judy Greer: I don’t have action roles in them, I will say that. But yes, they are action.
What do you get to play in Tomorrowland?
Judy Greer: Tomorrowland I am the mother of Britt Robertson.
Is it you and George Clooney as the dad?
Judy Greer: No, Clooney’s got a different role. Tim McGraw is the dad, he’s my husband.
So do the parents not go on the adventure with the kids?
Judy Greer: No.
What is it like working with Brad Bird?
Judy Greer: Oh, he’s a peach. Considering how big the budget of that movie is and how important it is, he’s super mellow and relaxed which is always, to me, very impressive when you’re working with a director who’s in charge of a lot of money and a lot of people, to just be calm and happy and to say “good morning” every morning.
In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, is this the first time you’ve done that kind of performance capture?
Judy Greer: Yeah, yeah. I play Andy Serkis’ wife, Cornelia.
Is that a character from the originals?
Judy Greer: In the original franchise it was Cornelius and it was a guy, so we’re always kind of winking at the original franchise.
Does she have any of the qualities Cornelius had?
Judy Greer: I haven’t seen the movie yet put together, but the way I read it and tried to play it was that she has a real calming effect on Caesar, sort of grounds Caesar. While he’s striving to keep the ape community together and autonomous, she has a really grounding effect on him.
They already announced a third one. Are you signed for that too?
Judy Greer: Not yet, but I hope so.
Jessica Walter: I’d just like to mention that many years ago I was in a movie called Going Ape. It was with Danny DeVito.
Judy Greer: Amazing.
Jessica Walter: It was with three orangutans. We didn’t play apes, but not one of my more successful jobs.
Judy Greer: Was it good for the orangutans?
Jessica Walter: You know something? They were great. Their names were Rusty, Tika and Poppy. I wonder how well they were taken care of. That made me nervous. They were in these little cages then they let them out to do the stuff. We rehearsed with them. I had action with them, but I never got to play an ape so that’s next. I could be the great grandmother of one of your characters.
I talked to Mitch Hurwitz at the “Arrested Development” soundtrack party. He’s trying to get everyone together for a TV movie.
Jessica Walter: Including my “Arrested” colleague, Judy.
Didn’t we say goodbye to these characters?
Judy Greer: We’re not done saying goodbye.
Do you have any clues about what’s in store for Lucille?
Jessica Walter: You know, I have no clue at all. Do you know what’s in store for the new “Arrested?” I have no idea. When Judy was talking about the kind of director that’s mellow and laid back and in charge of so many people, a lot of money at stake, I thought of Mitch Hurwitz. Talk about temperament, mellow, kind, patient.
Judy Greer: Happy all the time. Like he can have a million terrible things happening to him and you would never know it. He seems genuinely delighted by all of the actors.
Jessica Walter: He’s like a kid. When the scenes come to life, he’s like a little kid watching. He’s so thrilled.
Are you any closer to scheduling that?
Judy Greer: I haven’t heard anything.
Jessica Walter: I don’t know. I know I did a pilot and in the contract it says that if there’s “Arrested” they have let me go do it.
What’s the pilot?
Jessica Walter: The pilot is called “Jennifer Falls” which I thought was the name of a town but it’s not. It’s Jennifer played by Jaime Pressly falls, like falls from her big job and she’s forced to move back in with her mom, me.
Do they have a good relationship?
Jessica Walter: Not really, no. There’s a lot of conflict which is good. Conflict is good for comedy.
