Matthew called me to meet up with him on a Saturday afternoon at one of his newly adopted favorites on Magazine Street, the locally renowned Sake Café. It was a cold day in December, but he still rode to the restaurant on his bicycle, something he’d enjoyed for the entirety of his stay in New Orleans while filming Killer Joe. Together with Camila Alves and their two young children, the family stayed in uptown New Orleans, near Washington Avenue and Magazine Street.
Blending in with the community is sometimes impossible for an A-list actor working on location. Fans and onlookers can make the stay uncomfortable, keeping the actor from enjoying his time off. But Matthew endorses our long-held belief that Louisiana is something special, primarily because our community welcomes everyone.
As we sat at the bar, most of the staff knew Matthew well. We chatted about his work on Killer Joe, his new film, The Lincoln Lawyer, his passion project and company j.k. livin and great stories of his Louisiana experiences.
Q: How have you enjoyed staying in New Orleans?
A: [When I got here], I’m pulling in from the airport, for the first time realizing how tiny the city is: everything’s ten minutes away. I’ve never been down here, staying in this neighborhood. It’s a great neighborhood. We’ve done more walking and eating and taking the kids out on a Saturday night. It’s been excellent here. New Orleans has always had a real good identity. But it’s been really relaxing and refreshing to be down here. Just on the street a minute ago, a girl came up and she was pulling her kid in a wagon. They went by, the lady said, “Hi!” and she tells her kid to say, “Hi.” And then she says, “Thanks for being here!” You know what I mean? Easy as that. It’s very, very hospitable and relaxing down here.
Q: And you work regularly with John Chaney, who’s based in Zachary, Louisiana, right?
A: We’ve been working together for sixteen years. I usually make a drive to his place to see him and his family at least once a year.
But this five weeks [shooting Killer Joe]…my whole family has enjoyed it. The zoo is badass. The Audubon Zoo is the best zoo I’ve ever been to. The most interactive. For one, the animals are happier than any other zoo I’ve ever been to. They’re spry. Two, they’ve designed it in a way where you’re walking a path with a little two-log fence there, and there’s the zebras or whatever and you’re like, “What’s keeping them in?” But they’ve built a little mound to keep them away from you and you don’t see it. It’s just cool. That’s a great zoo. Tomorrow, I’m going back. Insectarium’s cool, the Aquarium’s cool, but that zoo is really cool.
And then we’ve spent time on this street a lot. It’s been great walking it. We’ve been here a few times to Sake Café. You know what my favorite restaurant is that we’ve been frequenting? Coquette. I forget the kid’s name…maybe Matt? A young chef, a young blonde guy. He’s doing some good stuff in there, man. All local stuff, they change the menu daily. We’ve eaten there probably six times. We can bring the kids there. They’ve got a nice wine list.
Q: How has working on Killer Joe been?
A: The film’s been excellent. We’re working with Bill Friedkin. He’s great, man! Wild, but super smart. Really focused. Two takes max. Get it and move on. A lot of young directors could learn some stuff from this guy. He sees it before he shoots it. So, he has that ability from the history of all the work he’s done, but he sees it, so he doesn’t need to cover everything. A lot of directors will shoot everything, and then take it to the editing room and try to find the picture in the editing room. He’s already going, “No, we don’t need that: it cuts right there. Got it.”
Q: How does that affect you as an actor?
A: I love it. Because you don’t go back and hang in the frickin’ trailer: you’re shooting film! The thing I dislike the most on a film is waiting around. Show up and then go hang in the trailer. What am I going to do in the trailer? I’m not gonna read something because I’ve got to stay in the zone of going back to work. With him, you rarely go back to the trailer.
Q: Killer Joe’s a dark comedy. What’s been challenging or different for you?
A: The story’s just twisted. It’s outrageous stuff, man. This is a play. This writer writes small segments, with people interrupting, so there’s a lot of back and forth, back and forth. And it’s a whole different rhythm than most scripts. So, to get in and find that rhythm when you’re looking at it on the page is kind of intimidating. We had our rehearsal time, though. I think one of my challenges was trying not to naturalize my characters speech. [The way he speaks is] kind of dodgy, but very frank and blunt and it was fun. The challenge for me was not trying to naturalize that.
Q: What else have you enjoyed about returning to Louisiana?
A: One, that Coquette’s really good. I’ve been to two Saints games, went to a Hornets game the other night. Again, everything’s ten minutes away. Met [Jeremy] Shockey the other day, he came around. It reminds me of Austin a lot. Austin’s really got an identity and this area right here reminds me of South Austin a lot. “Hey, it’s eight o’clock on a Friday night. Kids, you wanna come? Oh, gelato! Oh, there’s some music. Oh, let’s get something to eat.” You know? It’s all a walk away. We’ve been out of the house walking more here than we’ve done at home in Malibu in a long time and we’ve really enjoyed it. And again, the people…like that lady who walked past me and said thanks for being here. Someone might say, “Hey, can I get a picture with you?” Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes no, I’m sitting here talking with a friend at the moment. [But the answer is always,] “Cool, thanks man, good to see you.” Do you know how relaxing that is for a person in my position? No ulterior motives. It’s always been hospitable down here, partially because it has such an identity. It’s different than say, Los Angeles, where no one’s from there, so its identities are sort of shotgun spread. And it’s an industry town, so everyone is not here to eat, they are here to see who’s coming to eat. Not most people are living the story, they are there to see the story. Here you get real characters, people that are going somewhere. In New York City, people are going somewhere. They are going someplace to do what they want to do. It’s relaxing that way and it’s cool.
Here’s a great little story. My lady, Camila, was going down to get Christmas cards at this little card shop down towards Whole Foods. She’s a designer. She starts working with the lady on ‘em, figuring it all out, happened to know the girl, they were having a Christmas party, my lady and her mother make purses. She asks if she can piggyback on the party [and the answer is] “Yes!” She’s sold thirteen purses! It’s just that communal sort of thing.
We’ve had some great walks with the kids at night. We’ve had some great nights at Commander’s Palace, where they know we’re right up the street and they say, “Come by any time, we’ll give you whatever, even if it’s just dessert.” We’d go on by and drink wine, look around and, “Hey, there go the kids across the dining room!”
When I was here for Failure to Launch down here, I was on my own. When I work it’s usually work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep. And I didn’t go out that much. But now, in this area with the family, it’s been great.
Q: We’ve had such great success attracting the film industry to Louisiana and I’ve wondered why they paparazzi have not come down here yet, but it’s been great that they haven’t. That is such a negative part of the entertainment business.
A: I’m wondering why they are not, too. It’s the same way in Austin. Number one, that sort of intruding on people is just not in your frequency down here. It’s not in your DNA. It’s actually bad manners. You know what I mean? And it’s that way in Texas, too. Now, there’s gonna be people who are like, “I’m gonna make some money.” But if the public’s like, “What the hell are you doing, man?” And it makes them feel too uncomfortable, then it just won’t happen. It’s part of the society in L.A. where they are just everywhere.
When I got here, there was a guy who was following me the first day we went out. Once you spot them, you say, “OK, this guy isn’t really going anywhere, he’s watching us.” So I went up to him and I said, “Look, I’m here for five weeks and I’m here with my family. We ain’t gonna have you sitting outside the house. That just isn’t gonna work for five weeks. I’m not gonna worry about coming on the porch. I just ain’t gonna worry about that, so what do you want?” He says, “I just need a shot of you and the family.” I said, “Look, we’re going to the zoo. Don’t come in the zoo. But we’re going in the zoo. We’re going to leave and we’re going to come back out of the zoo and walk back to the parking lot. It’s legal for you to take that picture. I don’t want you to take it, but if you gotta get it, get the shot of the family and then get on.” We haven’t seen him in four weeks.
Q: Do you think he was a local?
A: No, I went up and talked to him and he was not local. He was sent here by three big agencies.
Q: This is the first time I’ve heard a story like this.
Well, it’s not hard for them. They know a movie’s going where, and they know a movie’s coming when. It’s easy to find somebody.
Q: I guess at some point, you’ve got to say, “Well, it comes with the job.”
A: Well, it’s legal for them to do it in public. Don’t pop off to my lady. Don’t chastise my kids. Don’t chase us around. You wanna take a shot in public? You can take a shot in public, but get it in focus, will you? And then get it, and get on outta here! They don’t always listen, but y’know…
Q: One thing I definitely want to chat about is Just Keep Livin’. I love it! Congratulations on all of the success you’ve built around it.
A: Yeah, man! Well, it came from when my dad passed away and just learning how to deal with his death. It kind of came to me – I didn’t find it, it came to me- and that’s what you do, you keep the spirit alive and that’s where it started. And then I just started using it, kind of as a mantra and a compass for myself. How to navigate, how to make decisions with my own life and that fine, fun line between hedonism and delayed gratification! You know? Right there between responsibility and fate. You know what I’m talking about? And then I just started to brand it on whatever I could. My foundation, we’ve got an after school curriculum with kids. We’re gettin’ some exercise gear. We’ve got brands, we’ve got productions, we’ve got record companies.
Q: How’s your record company? I love your first find, Mischka. His music’s great. How’s he doing?
A: He’s doing good! He’s about to play with Uncle Kracker and then Kenny Chesney and Zack Brown are heading off to do stadium tours next year. He’s not opening for them, but he’s going to do some stuff in Vegas for them. Kenny’s management team just took him on.
So, record company. I don’t know if I want to take on more bands. I don’t really want to hire the infrastructure to have a big rolling record label company. I don’t know enough about where the business is going; no one knows where the business is going right now.
Q: What are future goals you want to accomplish with that?
A: One of the things that’s really getting some traction is the foundation and these after school programs in Title 1 schools where it’s giving them a safe place for these kids to go. A lot of them are in gangs and they are getting out of that and coming to get some exercise and nutrition and stuff. That’s starting to really work, meaning we’re in four schools now. We’re looking in to working with a charter school down here. I’d love to see that be all over in ten years, in many different spots across America. It’s working, the fundraisers are working. Everything we’re putting out, we’re getting back with fundraising, so the capital is there to keep putting it out there to pay the teachers. And the classes are growing. The kids are going, the kids are graduating and they are coming back! So that’s startin’ to stick. You can smell it and it’s starting to stick.
Q: Where are the current schools you’re partnering with?
A: There’s two in L.A., we just opened a third in L.A. and there’s one in Texas. We’re looking at a place here, we’re looking at a place in D.C. and we’re looking at a place in Florida.
Q: I know you’re a football fan. A buddy of mine is like, “When you talk to Matthew, you gotta bust him on how LSU’s in a better bowl.”
A: Well, hell yeah they are, [Texas] didn’t even make a bowl! Number one, tell your buddy, remind your buddy what state most of your players are from! My state! You guys love Houston and Beaumont. Well, not most of them but a lot of them! Although, Louisiana per capita has more players than any other state in the NFL. Not the most, but per capita. LSU. I went to a game last year. I went into the locker room before the game with Les Miles and those players. They tried to get me to wear that LSU shirt and I had on a Texas shirt. I said, “No, guys. I walk out this door and I’m getting my picture taken, and I’ll never hear the end of it if I’m caught in an LSU shirt.” I said, “At least I’m not wearing your opponent’s jersey.”
Q: So you wouldn’t do it, huh?
A: No, no, no. I’ve got my team. I like LSU, though. I like y’all against Texas A&M! You guys have had a very interesting year. First you want to fire Les and now he’s up for coach of the year. But y’all always do that. Y’all always do that, man!
He’s done some questionable actions in a couple of games, but everything came out on the winning side. If you get the “W” then you’ve got a job, and he’s been there and SEC’s the toughest conference: I agree with that. I like LSU. I always root for LSU. But y’all are seldom playing Texas so it’s easy for me to root for y’all. I’m always rootin’ for y’all. LSU’s easy to root for though, too. It’s always fun to watch. And the Saints are lookin’ good again, man. You’re offense looks real good right now.
Let’s talk about this, right here! The Superdome. How fun is it when all of the sudden [BRRRM, BRRRM, BRRRM, BRRRM] C’mon, Saints fans get crunk! [BRRRM, BRRRM, BRRRM, BRRRM] WHOOO! I mean everybody in that place! I’m mean…
Q: [Laughing] Is that your first time experiencing a game in the Dome?
A: It’s been awhile. I’ve been to the Dome before, but this new…I’m talkin’ about everybody, if they’re holding a plate of food or a cocktail drink, I mean they ‘bout practically drop it and get, I’m talkin’ four-legged dancin’! Ooooh man! Even the players on the kickoff team!
Q: It has become like an anthem!
A: It is your anthem! I mean you’re always going to have, “Who Dat? Who Dat? Who Dat say dey gon’ beat dem Saints?!” But that song, I’m talking about hits a full nerve and that whole place…I was at the Seahawks game and I was at the Rams game. At the Seahawks game y’all were a little more pumped, the crowd and everything. But aww, man that hit a nerve! It’s a hoot watching it. A hoot! I took my son the other day. And he liked the game but what he really liked was when that came on, watchin’ everybody.
Q: That’s good stuff. You’re going to have to try really hard to come down here every few years.
A: I would love to come work down here [again]. The easiest way to get down here for me is jobs and what y’all are doing makes it easier to do jobs down here and look, what can I do, man? I go back [to L.A.] and just speak highly of it. Talk about crews, talk about locations, talk about ease of work. When it comes down to dollars is where they make the decision, but if it’s not substantial dollars, people in my position can go, “Oh, you’re thinking about New Orleans or this other place? Hey, this is where you want to go.”
Q: It’s great to hear support like that coming from someone like you.
A: We shot New Orleans for Dallas in Killer Joe. Easy. I’m from Texas so I’d love to shoot in our home state, but we don’t have the tax breaks right now. But I have quite enjoyed it here, man. It’s a great place to be. It’s very easy for me to get creatively in mind and turned on and remain there the entire time. Part of it is, when I was off work, it’s a very creative place to walk around, engage people. You’re just meetin’ characters everywhere. You are meeting people who are who they are, not trying to be something different. That’s the real strength to it, a place with identity. That’s also, as an artist, to engage in that, it’s not exhausting. There’s color and smells and tastes that everywhere you’re going, “Ah, look, originality.” So, you don’t feel that you hop out of work and you jump into the mendacity. So, it’s good.
Q: I’m sure it’s a good feeling when you end a hard week of work and you know you have a good living environment to relax.
A: I’ve gotten out more here with my family than I have with my last ten films put together, easy.
Q: What are a few of the things you’ve got coming up?
A: We’ve got an animated show called The Rooster Tales, based on my older brother Rooster. When I do The Grackle, we’ll do that down here. The Grackle is a bar room brawler for hire. He’s just the folk hero of the French Quarter. The story is that the bad guys from across the tracks are coming in trying to take it over, but not on the Grackle’s watch, baby! He’s the friend to every underdog!
Q: Well, Matthew, I want honestly thank you for being so proactive about making this interview happen.
A: I didn’t know if I was gonna have time, and then I was like, y’know what, I’ve just had too good of a time. I’d like to share that and I’d gotten your card from set [at Second Line Stages].
You’ve got a real good opportunity. Do it y’all’s style. Do it your way. Don’t go lowbrow and become, “Oh, we wanna find the disease instead of the cure.” You know what I mean? That can sell quick, and then it just won’t last. The style y’all’ve got and the hospitality y’all have, the professionalism. It’s specific. It’s not just an open column. Keep digging in it deep, man, to give it the reason to give it the feeling of legitimacy. Because you’re the posture. You’re the magazine. You’re the guy at the front door. You’re there for the people who ain’t come here yet to read it and go, “Huh.” They ain’t here yet. They don’t have the experience of coming here with my family for a month. You’re the greeter. There’s so much you’ve got to tell the truth on. It’s beautiful. It’s not all easy. It’s not sugarcoated. It’s not like this place isn’t hard. It ain’t like it hasn’t had its disasters, you know what I mean? But it’s what gives it its color. You’ve got a good opportunity with your magazine. I saw it’s been out for a year. You have so many original things that can give it a real weight, yet still be pro-local.
{ 1 trackback }