Ben Falcone, co-writer, co-producer, co-star and director of The Boss – and Mr Melissa McCarthy, of course – took the time recently to chat to me about his latest comedic work with the missus, following on from their last multi-tasking collaboration Tammy.
So Ben: Tammy was released late in 2014, so was The Boss made very quickly after it?
Yes, it really was. Melissa went and did a movie, St Vincent, a lovely movie with Bill Murray, and then I went and I cut together Tammy, and it wasn’t much longer after that one was released that we were off and running and negotiating with The Boss.
You co-wrote the movie with Melissa and your old pal Steve Mallory, you co-produced with Melissa and Will Ferrell and others, you directed solo and you co-star as Marty the lawyer who gets whacked in the throat, right?
Yes, Melissa loves to do movies where she hits me somehow!
Is it a challenge working so closely with someone with whom you’re so close?
No, it really isn’t! Honestly it’s a joy as she’s a great lady… You know that on the set the days can be long and there can be a lot of pressure as everyone, the cast, the crew, everyone wants to be doing the best job they can, and I find that if people are stressed on the set then it’s usually coming from a good place. I try to work as a director so that the set is running very smoothly but also in a very loose and nurturing way, and Melissa’s really great with that, and she and I just say, “You know, we’re all here to have a good time – and life’s too short.” We’re both just so delighted and elated to be able to do movies together that we don’t want to waste a moment worrying or arguing because who needs it?
How was Kristen Bell cast as Melissa’s main comic foil?
I’ve been a big fan of hers for so long and she came in and said she wanted to do a ‘chemistry read’ with Melissa, and right away it was clear that she and Melissa just got together so well. We think she’s going to get a part in every movie we do from now on… She was so nice and so real and she’s such a gem.
And there are great people in support too: Kristen Schaal, Tyler Labine, Kathy Bates and, of course, Peter Dinklage.
Kristen is just such a delight, and she brought so much to such a small role in such a short time… And Peter really is one of the best actors out there, and he was wonderful to work with… We really wanted to fill the movie up with as much good acting as we could.
And finally Ben: now that The Boss is finished, what do you do now? More acting without Melissa – or writing/directing/producing work with her?
I definitely want to do more acting, and I have another movie in the works with Melissa that requires my immediate attention, and after that I think we might take a week off with the family, which would be nice… I’m not supposed to talk about what that movie might be, but I can tell you it’ll be another comedy, yeah!
I Wake Up Screening 