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i kind of respect a guy that puts all that shit out there in public, but that handling of guzman was just wrong. don't know how the guy is as a director since I haven't seen any of his work, but that confrontation couldn't have gone any more wrong and regardless of context, it's the director's fault that it went south. you don't fuck around with the talent like that especially in front of cast/crew. might just be a lack of experience, whatever, but I guess this is the sort of nonsense that happens when film school grads with good shot ideas but little experience with actors get thrown into a big gig. Bad stuff.

The guys who have the most success in Hollywood are typically talented, hard-working, and nice. But it's a shame that the guys with a small amount of success are often huge bastards with a certain amount of talent but a huge amount of ego.

Wow....I certainly wouldn't want to piss Luis Guzman off...I've met him and he seems like the type of guy that wouldn't mind slapping you upside the face if he was called out on your blog.

I didn't like the film much, but I thought Guzman wasn't bad...considering his main role was showing off his genitals

If the tape is a fake and Guzman is in on it, and the whole thing is a genius bit of comedy, this McKittrick fellow is my new hero.

did we all see the same clip? I don't remember McKittrick giving Guzman a line reading. All I heard was the director nicely asking if they could do one take his way, and one Luis's way. He also pointed out that he does the same thing with the rest of his cast.

What's easier to believe? That this guy directing his first film (and one he knows isn't some important picture) goes on a power trip, underestimating the abilities of a name actor, or that this actor, who probably feels like an idiot having to do movies like Waiting after doing Boogie Nights and Traffic, acts like a diva around younger and less established filmmakers and fellow actors? I'm going to go with the latter.

Also, Guzman is not what I would call some kind of great actor. He's passable, but what kind of noteworthy work has he done? It's clear to me that the guy's bitter and just decided to take it out on whoever was around him. Talking about the directors he's worked with in front of the cast? That's so fucking unprofessional I can't even believe it. Maybe you say something like that to the guy in private, but that's just uncalled for.

Just because this film may be a piece of shit (and I haven't seen it so I couldn't tell you) doesn't mean that its director doesn't have the right to make his film. He wasn't some hired gun; McKittrick wrote the thing himself, for better or worse. And if you're hired to act in a film, you should follow the script, or what the writer/director would like you to say. I think that any aspiring filmmakers on here would expect the same respect and obedience from anyone they're working with.

You people point the finger at McKittrick airing out his dirty laundry in public, but he made it clear that Guzman was not letting it go. Bashing the guy in several different interviews was again, uncalled for. So rather than eat shit the guy stands up for himself. You don't think anyone in the business reading or hearing Guzman's words wouldn't come away with a negative impression of McKittrick anyway? Wouldn't you be skeptical about hiring him? At least this way he gets to tell his side of the story, wth proof.

lazarus, very odd way of looking at it. McKittrick is a clueless hack that somehow lucked into directing this thin-attempt at a feature film. He should be bowing to Guzman's interest in even being a part of such nonsense. To disagree with an actor in front of cast and crew is downright assinine, and my guess is that it will be a long time before this kid gets paid to go behind the camera again. If the whole thing's a joke to generate some controversy to sell tickets, then I bow to his marketing genius (if desperate..). But something tells me the only joke here is this guy calling himself a Hollywood director.

After watching the clip, which is presented completely in the context McKittrick has chosen for it, I agree that Guzman is acting like a bit of a prima donna. But after looking at his blog I think there's no doubt that McKittrick is a huge prick.
Maybe they're both assholes. But you'll see Guzman in at least five more movies before McK gets to direct another one.

Anyone that disses a pro like Luis Guzman like this and sells him down the river is a jerk in my book.

Guzman an asshole? He has only worked on what? Ten movies a year for ten years? With all the greats and still gets recast in their movies? Yeah, hes a real jerk. Maybe hes a pro who doesn't need some rookie non director telling him how to say lines?

Anybody disrespected has a right to defend themselves. If the movie tanks Rob looks bad if it doesn't he's cool. I suggest everyone check out the podcast of his q and a with creative screenwriting. This is a labor of love for this guy and Luis is raining on the parade. IMO they both violated by talking junk. If this movie does numbers they'll both work after this no big deal.

I can't wait to see the Guzman outtakes from Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (also by a first-time director)

Actors are sometimes royal assholes on set.
First time directors can be naive.
And?
The real juice from WAITING won't ever be told on some blog. This web stuff gives studios nightmares??!?!
Oh please.... 'indecent exposures' give them real sleepless nights and not some lightweight onset shenannigans being revealed.

Did anybody else see the documentary "Overnight?" Perfect example of a first-time director driven more by ego than talent. The sort of self-delusion that just makes you cringe.

McKittrick kind of has the same attitude, it seems.

Folks, he wasn't giving Guzman a line reading. Guzman didn't want to say THE LINE. There's a difference. He wasn't showing Guzman how to do it, or how to act.

Also, there are tons of character actors that have been in just as many films as Guzman, but you don't hear their names all the time because they're not funny-talking little guys that you laugh at. Most of them go to work like fucking professionals and just do what they're paid to do. Guzman is not a movie star. He is not an academy award winner or nominee, and never will be. He will not get a star on the Walk of Fame. He's a lucky guy who got his break providing comic relief, that's it.

And all of you think a guy who WROTE AND DIRECTED HIS OWN FEATURE based on some of his own experiences is deserving of less respect? You people are a bunch of star fuckers with bad taste. It might be cool to chant "GUUUZMAN!" on Ain't It Cool News, but I was hoping for a little more objectivity here. Although McKittrick might be an asshole himself, he was not the wrongdoer in this incident, as far as I can tell. What I'm seeing is a guy who's trying to be calm and compromising dealing with someone (who thinks he's way more talented, accomplished and important than he actually is) getting loud and threatening for no reason. I doubt people are lined up throwing Guzman quality work, and he may wind up suffeing as much as McKittrick does with this publicity.

One last thing: while it may have been some kind of minor "score" to get Guzman for the film, it certainly doesnt need him. He's not gonna be the one who gets people to see the film. It could easily be sold without him? You think all the young people on the fence will see it because he's in it? Or that the Mexican demographic is suddenly going to be interested in seeing a film about a bunch of young white restaurant workers? I don't think so.

No one in Hollywood, and I mean NO ONE can be bigger assholes than actors. You have to be psychologically damaged to want to be an actor in the first place.
McKittrick, as the writer, was simply trying to protect his work. Guzman was trying to show that he had more power than the director. Actors do that all the time.
Guess which one of them is shorter? Can you say "napoleonic"?

Rob, (ie poster of the previous 2 comments) no one is saying you're a bad person or a horrible director. But clearly, seeing the guzman video and reading your blog, you have issues dealing with people. This is something that you can work through, but it requires acknowledgement and effort on your part to fix it. Being a good director comes with experience and hard work. Don't be afraid to put your ego aside and let your hired talent DO what they're paid to do.

Err, Guzman is an ugly hispanic guy hired to play ugly Hispanic guys whenever the need arises. Why is everyone treating him like he's Paul Giamatti or something? The guy is entertaining at what he does, but he's one-note.

Why is he doing this? Seems really self destructive. It is his fault. It's not likes hes Francis Ford Coppola and can get away with an act like this.

Ask him to ask Tony Kaye how good it is to bash your actors and money men.

How anyone can watch that video and not regard Guzman as a huge fucking asshole mystifies me. McKittrick may be an unexceptional filmmaker, but judging from that video, he was at least treating his actor with respect. Can't say Guzman was doing the same for his director.

The poster "martin" needs to grow a fuckin' brain.

I think the video is misleading because, as Poland said, we're not seeing what happened just before this moment that led Guzman to behave the way he is.
And even if Guzman was totally wrong and McK was totally right in that situation, posting the video is still a petty, childish thing to do. Get over it already.

I don't think he posted it because he was still angry about it so much as he was angry that Guzman was doing interviews where he badmouthed the director for his conduct. I agree that running such a blog is most likely not a smart move and the guy's probably a bit of a douche, but Guzman comes out looking like a used tampon as well. Someone who has a little too much ego given his job and the roles he plays as officially the ugliest man in Hollywood and probably half the country.

If that video is your defense of this asshole director than please stop. Luis Guzman is a God. I'm sure any other director or actor has ever been this rude to him. This is appalling.

After watching that again and reading his blog again I must say that I am glad Luis gave him shit.

Pastepotpete, your diss of Guzman as an 'ugly hispanic guy' would seem to be undercut by your 'why is everyone treating him like he's Paul Giamatti' remark. Last I checked, Giamatti was an ugly white guy.

The guy is posting the video to get some buzz for his poorly reviewed movie.

If I've worked with Paul Thomas Anderson, Steven Soderbergh, Brian DePalma, and Sidney Lumet I wouldn't take any crap from some first timer of some half ass comedy either. Would you?

I'm not a fan of Guzman, personally. He seems like another one of those character actors who hasn't really done anything to warrant all his praise (hi Phillip Seymour Hoffman!).

And I'm not defending this director but if Guzman wasn't reciting the script as the director wanted then he had a right to do that. Stupid restaurant movie or Important Soderberg movie, an actor should follow then requests of his director.

But for the director to put a video out there and to insult everyone including the studio... well, that was idiotic. Really really idiotic.

How about you see Capote before you go disrespecting Phillip Seymour Hoffman?

"Luis Guzman is a God". Yeah, right? Where, in Mexico? I'm going to take that with a grain of salt, "Sanchez". Just because the guy appears in a bunch of cool movies doesn't make him talented. You know who else was in Boogie Nights and Traffic and has worked for a shitload of talented directors? Don Cheadle. He IS a god, and has earned a reputation for being not only a great actor, but a professional. Could you imagine seeing an outtake with him acting like a petulant child? I couldn't.

Once again, nowhere in that clip do you see McKittrick trying to tell Guzman how to do his job. HE IS TRYING TO GET HIM TO SAY ONE OF HIS LINES. That's pretty standard. And he doesn't lose his cool until Guzman starts swearing and threatening him.

What kind of idiot do you have to be to support that kind of behavior? That shit would be uncalled for if it was Robert DeNiro. But it's not even someone close to that good. Guzman is marginally talented, and isn't an authority on jackshit except for getting overpaid.

Actually it does make him talented being in a ton of movies. Because if he wasn't I'm sure all those directors wouldn't HIRE him.

An interesting discussion.

Two points from me: 1. I never said McKittrick's blog would give a studio nightmares. There is a reason why there hasn't been an on set book on a studio movie since Bonfire of the Vanities... and even with limited access, Sharon Waxman pissed the hell out of David O. Russell last year.

My point was that studios lose control in situations like this and it extends their fear of the web and even though it is not connected, it has an effect on theit web relationships.

2. You can say it over and over Lazurus, but we don't know what the context of McKittrick's request was... not just at that moment, but over the course of the film. We also don't know whether this issue was aired ongoingly by McKittrick in studio chats or whatever. Guzman could well have been completely wrong. But what we got was something out of context taken from a promotional shoot on set that was certainly not meant to be used against any of the actors in the film. I don't know what guzman's contracts look like, but the people who will pay for McKittrick's "honesty" are Lions Gate folks, who will at best be forced to eat excrement and at worst could be sued.

I appreciate your defense of the filmmaker. But context is no small thing. And you have no better sense of it - unless you are closer to the production than you are letting on - than any of the rest of us.

"lazarus", my name is Sanchez. It doesn't need air quotes. Unlike yours I assume. It's okay to say it without using those. Thanks.

And Luis Guzman is a God. I'm sorry you don't think so but thats your opinion. I can live with it even if you are wrong.

And you must know next to nothing about actors and acting. No actor wants any director to tell him how to do something. They want direction. Be pointed in a way. They don't want to be given line readings. Are you fucking kidding me? This McKittrick was given a pass by these actors because he was a first timer. But when he kept at it Guzman stepped up and put him in his place since he doesn't have a fucking clue.

Ask Kevin Smith about telling actors how to say lines. He even got shit from Joey Lauren Adams of all people about it. And lets be honest. She isn't exactly Streep. So, think before you chime in.

Maybe Lazurus is McKitterick because really no one can defend that blog and posting a video like that unless you are:
1 the director himself
2 harry knowles (when hes not producing or writing or best friends with someone)
3 just likes seeing disharmony

From working on many films and knowing many actors I can say with conviction that all actors will think twice about working with this man again. A director needs to inspire confidence in a crew and actors. When he sells out a respected pro like this?

Shady business.

Crapping on an actor of Guzman's status with an obvious contrived edited piece of video is really low.

Too bad for McKittrick that Lazarus isn't a studio head, he'd be set for his next job.

I don't know if it's related, but one theatre manager I know told me that Friday business for Waiting was huge (better than the other movies) but then dropped down almost 39% for Saturday (which is terrible). Wonder if it's related.

Maybe ranting on the web works for Kevin Smith (surprised David didn't link to his adventure on AICN)...and it's quite obvious if you've seen the movie that McKittrick wants to be Smith...but at least Smith waited until he was well known and respected before becoming a web ranter.

This whole "need to see the rest of the tape" argument reminds me of when the same thing was said about Rodney King's little adventure. Sometimes what's on the tape can't be justified by what came before it.

Guzman acted like a real dick. "Do you know who I've worked with?" Who gives a shit? You're working for this guy now. He sounds like a politician's dickhead son talking down to a cop after being pulled over for speeding.

That said, I wouldn't want to be in business with a director who airs dirty laundry on his blog, and the movie looks pretty shitty anyway.

By the way, I really like Guzman (Out of Sight, The Limey, Punch-Drunk Love... all great performances). And whoever disses Philip Seymour Hoffman -- you're insane. As John Stewart said about him the other night... "greatest living actor!"

"How about you see Capote before you go disrespecting Phillip Seymour Hoffman?"

"And whoever disses Philip Seymour Hoffman -- you're insane. As John Stewart said about him the other night... "greatest living actor!""

Wow. Can I suggest you never go to Nathaniel (The Film Experience)'s blog. We had a discussion about him just last week.

I'm not going to get into a discussion about Hoffman here because he's not what this topic is about, BUT.

PandaBear can you not fuckin have a go at me because I haven't seen a movie that's not out here until February? SORRY I HAVEN'T SEEN CAPOTE. Geez.

I'll make sure that I watch the entire filmography of an actor before I say anything about them (THAT SHOULD GO FOR EVERYBODY ELSE!!!)

So that effectively cancels out every single actor because I doubt everyone here has seen every film by every living actor who they have insulted (Jennifer Lopez, Lindsay Lohan for starters)

Fuck.

Sorry, but I was already in a bad mood and being told stuff like that doesn't make me any better.

waiting DOES seem to be doing ok business for the weekend, considering its bad reviews, bad marketing, and lack of stars. That being said, anyone here that would possibly defend McKittrick in that video is either A. Rob McKittrick B. Rob McKittrick's mom C. Rob McKittrick's agent. And if you are not one of those three and still defending him, I'd say you're either extremely naive about the business, or just downright stupid.

Creating a scene like that in front of cast and crew is just wrong on so many levels. Although he may think it makes Guzman bad, the reality is that it makes him look completely incompetent and the last guy you'd want in charge of your movie/money.

Everybody on that movie knew he was a first time director and apparently nobody got paid more than $17 k. I'm thinking Luiz is the only name in that cast who really needed the work as opposed to Reynolds and Faris who were basically slumming. He's picking on a little known character actor. I don't see this as a big deal. I think his words to the studio were a joke and should be taken as such.

You really can't bash Luiz Guzman by bashing Philip Seymour Hoffman. That is a really bad comparison. Especially since Hoffman is one of the worlds greatest actors. Really dumb on that one.

Camel we weren't discussing PSH but you seem to have veered the convo towards him and made it about him. That's what happens on these discussions. They tend to go all over.

Now can you defend your comment about Phillip S Hoffman or not? I truly doubt you can.

don't know if I'd compare McKittrick to Kaye since Kaye went on to win a Clio and get paid loadsamoney for commercials in Europe. He has clients who hate him and they are still willing to work with him because marketing indicates people remember what products his commercials are for. Kaye had client loyalty before he made an ass of himself.

So whether or not Guzman was unreasonable, why show it or commit print to it? Doesn't seem like very smart long term thinking when he will spend his life trying to get hired or finance.

Print is forever (especially when you can't stop other webhosts from copying and saving it and posting it up again). It can always be Googled up to bite you in the ass when you are looking for support for other projects. No one likes negative-vibe publicity when they are trying to sell something (the movie).

I defend McKittrick and I'm a HUGE Luis Guzman fan...he's always good even if the movie he's in is bad. I just think he was a bit out of line to not give the director what he wanted (which is what he was being paid for)...and then to bash the director on the red carpet and in interviews, that's not cool either.

You can't give actors line readings and tell them how to read a line. It's like the first rule of directing. Then you can't compound it by sandbagging the actor and trying to screw him over. I'll say this. Guzman is a tad mroe respected in the industry than this guy.

Jeff, yes, Paul Giamatti is an ugly white guy. But he can also act. Luis Guzman cannot.

What's really disappointing about this situation is how good a writer McKittrick really is and how he's blackballing himself out of much possibility for us to see his work in the near future. The script for "Waiting" was honestly one of the funniest things I've ever read, and his second script is quite good, too. Say whatever you want about him being a "hack" director, but the writing talent is certainly there. Too bad he can't keep his mouth shut, because the industry is certainly watching.

I think I've been posting on this blog long enough that I don't have to justify my opinion by denying I'm the director in question. That's ludicrous.

But I'm going to say this for the last time, because it's apparent some of you have reading/listening dificulties: McKittrick was NOT GIVING GUZMAN A LINE READING OR TELLING HIM HOW TO ACT. That is when an actor is saying the line as written, but not in the right way. The director then says "No, say it like this." That is the kind of thing we're accusing him of, and I'm not seeing it. If McKittrick's blog is to be believed, Guzman wanted to say "Pissing-Pussy-Bitch" instead of "You can do it". I don't know how you get one from the other but there you have it.

DP was talking about context, but it seems that most of you didn't even bother to read the blog (or even watch the video, from what I'm seeing). Yeah, we don't know what lead up to that. But I'm seeing a bunch of smiling faces around McKittrick before it turns ugly. I'm choosing to believe that the rest of that cast was behind McKittrick, supporting him as a director. Again, he mentioned giving his actors "their" takes if they wanted to do something different.

And Martin, who was creating the scene? Who stopped the progress of work by not saying his line? Who began using profanity first? Who asked if McKittrick wanted to "clear the room?" Who threatened to "bitch slap" the other? And who walked off the set? If you think that's McKittrick making a scene you are fucking crazy. Don't talk to me about not undersanding the business if you can't recognize an actor's petulant tantrum. McKittrick was trying to be diplomatic before he lost his cool, but Guzman wasn't giving an inch. THAT'S unprofessional. I suggest you watch it again (as I have before each posting) so you know what the fuck you're talking about before you continue contributing to this discussion.

lazarus, the point here is that McKittrick, no matter what Guzman did on the set or via the press later, is dead wrong for posting that video clip. That's how the business works. If you want to laud and extol McKittrick for basically denigrating Guzman in much the same way Guzman has done to the director, then that's your business. But if I were Rob McKittrick, I'd be shutting my blog down and trying to forge forward with my film career -- not worrying about some bit actor who obviously can't utter a sentence in real life without cursing. If McKittrick wants a career in Hollywood as opposed to the cheers of some teenage posters on his Blog, he'd be best to close shop on the rantings and ravings of everyone who did some wrong to him.

I have no idea as to what the 'truth' of this context is, but given my own knowledge and the experiences of a friend of mine who just shot an indie film with an actor of slightly bigger name than Guzman and what he went through...I give the benefit of the doubt to McK.

As to the whole 'Guzman is a pro' and 'McK is a first timer so he shouldn't have a say in the lines'...if any actor believes this than they shouldn't take the job with a first time director.

If yoy accept the job, you have to do the job. Don't piss and whine and moan that he is a first timer. If that makes an actor uncomfortable DON'T TAKE THE JOB!

I know quite a few people in the low-budget shelter end of the film industry in Toronto and how they get second tier American actors to star in the Canadian productions. Some are nice...

...others are complete pricks and see it as an opportunity to act like the diva that they can't when they are on bigger budget American projects where they just have bit roles. Many demand to be paid in cash to avoid taxes and must have it delivered to them in briefcases at the airport etc. Then on-set they never stop reminding you that THEY are the reason you got your film rolling.

Again...I don't know who is at fault here...but the benefit of the doubt for this round goes to McK.

Again, Laz... you take McKittrick's context as "The Truth." And I'm not even saying that he is trying to mislead. But rarely is any one person's story on a set "the truth."

Of course, the point is not really whether Guzman or McKittrick was doing the wrong thing at that moment on that set. Both arguments can be fairly made without insulting either man. One moment of bad behavior on a set is not "the truth" either.

The point, however, was that airing dirty laundry and thinking it's cool is an activity for dumb kids, not professionals. There will be a next movie for McKittrick, but on the basis of his blog alone, I doubt it will be the kind of step up that a lot of writing/directing comedy filmmakers would have coming off a tiny movie that does $15 million domestic.

Will any major put up with this behavior or the threat of this kind of behavior? No.

Can you imagine a major box office draw actor going to work with a guy who might out their bad behaviors? Do you really think that Kevin Smith isn't 100% aware of how far he can push it with his friends/actors whom he mocks publicly? You can be a frat boy smartass with friends, but not with the people you really dislike.

If you want to be a loudmouth and, say, attack a studio chief on the web because you were fired off a movie from that studio a week or two earlier, part of what makes that work for you (though it is still idiotic) is that the studio will never go on the record showing that same disrespect to you and outing you for having been fired.

Dangerous game.

Laz,
We'll see how many job offers McK gets after this movie and this self destruction.

Basically this guy may never find studio work again. He hit the daily double. He is an asshole who sells out his people and his movie didn't make any money.

Bad combo in Hollywood.

What ever happened to disputes between people who actually have talent?

David O Russell and George Clooney... Bill O'Reilly and George Clooney... Charlie Kaufman and George Clooney.

But these two ass pimples?

This is a funnier squabble because of that very fact. If it wasn't a first timer taking on a pro it wouldn't be funny. Where is this guys publicist to give him some much needed advice about career suicide?

personally i love it when actors are exposed as they really are. As spoiled narcissistic hunks of fake meat that should get shoved around like pawns by those with brains. Hitchcock had it right all along.

Made funnier perhaps by the fact that this weekend's box office hero (Gromit) was not played by any actor.

Calling Guzman narcisstic because of some video played? We don't even have the context of the argument or how much of a dick McKittrick was to him and the others every other day of shooting.

It's been said before, but: if Guzman always acted that way on set, he wouldn't have lasted a year in Hollywood. That kind of behavior doesn't happen in a vacuum and there must be more to the story that this short video doesn't reveal.

again, regardless of context/etc., arguing with a major castmember in front of cast/crew is just plain unprofessional. The pro that's responsible here is the director, it's not the actor. Actors get moody, they sometimes don't like saying lines the way they're written, sometimes they don't like walking to a certain spot on the set and would prefer to go somewhere else. That's the game, deal with the actor's issues. Firing up a conflict (which is what McK did here) is just a dumb way to handle this type of situation. Criticizing or bullying an actor into doing something you want them to do in front of cast/crew is going to get you nowhere. Taking that 5 minutes and talking to Guzman in private would have solved the problem one way or the other. All that I see when I watch this video is a very naive director that has no clue how to professionally handle himself on a movie set. That's what many others that watch this video see. For his sake, hopefully the video won't get around enough for the studio people to get the same vibe. Because the last thing an ad or movie exec wants is a director that can't handle difficult situations in a professional manner. There was nothing professional happening in this video, in fact it looked like the kind of nonsense you see on a student film set (which is probably McK's only real experience prior to this film).

Guzman has worked with some of the most respected and most talented directors ever. And not just once. But numerous times. I lean very heavily towards his side on this.

I think Crow T Robot's on the money...

http://www.movieweb.com/news/news.php?id=9418

Yes, it seems it was a prank.
http://www.movieweb.com/news/news.php?id=9418

This set had the best prank I've ever seen pulled. I wasn't a part of it. It was pulled on me by Luiz Guzman. The whole cast was in this bathroom, Waiting to do a scene. It was kind of late at night. And Luiz had been shooting for a couple of days. We didn't have a good beat on him. We didn't really know what he was about. He was this respected actor. We were all kind of nervous to be around him. He'd been weird with the director all day. There was this weird drama in the air. Then, all of a sudden, he goes, "No, I'm going to say the line the way I want to do it." And the director was like, "Can we just say my line, and then we can do another take, and you can say what you're going to say?" He's like, "If we do that, then I know you're not going to let me do my thing, so fuck no. I'm going to say my fucking line and that's the way it's going to fucking be." The director goes, "Please..." And Luiz goes, "Bitch, get your fucking hand off me. I will fucking slap you upside the head." And we were all frozen. They have it all on tape. No one knew. Luiz was going off. He was like, "I'll fight you, bitch. I work with Paul Thomas Anderson." He started naming people, "I worked with the best. Who are you, you first time piece of shit? I will bitch slap you upside your head." Rob, the director, was shaking. I thought he shit in his pants. Luiz stormed out of the bathroom. There was just that tension in the air. We thought there was going to be a fight. But then he comes back in about a minute later and goes, "April Fools day, bitches!" It was the greatest. He got everybody. And the director was in on it.

And, then, McKittrick himself posted the following note directed to the posters who had linked to the article:

"Yourpersonaltrainer and cr- That's not very nice. Please delete those posts and let me let this play out... Damn those actors!"

Interesting, I give McKittrick respect for being perverse. How many people are going to hear "He's a dick" and not hear "it was just a joke"?

So do people still think Guzman is a weak actor?

Poland has been punk'd!

Dammit! If only I could have edited their comments away!... It was my intent to reveal that it was a prank tomorrow, by showing the other half of the video, but alas, we forgot to tell those actors to keep thier mouths shut. Crappy...

I am going to go ahead and post a small snippet of my newest blog entry, that I will be posting once the other half of the video clip is loaded...

"There has been quite a bit of energy expended on a couple message boards and blogs about our lil "fight." This gentleman, Poland, even posted a blog over at The Hot Blog talking about the career self-destruction I was going through, and it was met by some very spirited debate. From what I read, some of the people commenting got really impassioned, and for that I'm truly sorry (especially to "Lazarus," who defended me tooth and nail)... There were some who seemed legitimately concerned for my career longevity (in particular "Bodhizefa") and the damaging effect it would have, so I hate that any real emotion was expended for a practical joke.

But what a practical joke it was..."

There is more to the entry post, but that seemed the most pertinent. Again, to anyone that I riled up, my apologies...

rob

I just wanted to make the point that I was not defending the blog posting of the video clip, but the "behavior" of the director compared to the actor.

It's safe to say that we all look foolish now, but what has been made clear is that some people (a) have overrated Guzman as an actor to a surprising degree, despite his believable prank, and (b) have a really fucked up way of looking at set hierarchy and what the words "compromise", "diplomacy" and "diva" mean. Martin, I don't know what your background is but you're sorely mistaken. A director offering "one take your way, one take my way" is very common, and isn't firing up a conflict. It's attempting to SOLVE one. "Actors can be moody" is a ridiculous defense. We're not talking about Faye Dunaway. It's Luiz fucking Guzman. Say your line, get your paycheck and shut the fuck up.

For all we know McKittrick is calling this a prank to save his own ass, in tandem with the studio & maybe even Guzman. I don't care. But I stand by everything I've said.

Laz,
You're pretty dumb.

Sorry, Buddy.

I think Guzman's performance in this video is better than anything Faye Dunaway has done in about twenty years.

"For all we know McKittrick is calling this a prank to save his own ass, in tandem with the studio & maybe even Guzman."

So any Guzman video with him yelling "April Fools day, bitches!" would qualify as a really-late-in-the-game reshoot?

What does that make Poland, Josh?

Sometimes it's really quite endearing how you stand by your man.

Laz- We are talking in hypotheticals here, as it was indeed a joke (I will post the video footage where we reveal to the actors that it was a joke, just so you know this isn't some attempt to save my own ass after the fact), but if it HAD happened, you are absolutely correct. The "argument" was not over a line-reading. He was acting like "The asshole veteran actor" that everyone hears horror stories about... I think people were defending him because a) Everybody loves Luis Guzman, and b) Who the fuck am I? Also, I think they were just annoyed that I would be so stupid as to air our fight on the internet to make him look bad...

good one, Rob. Er, that was some grade A stuff...

BluStealer:
"You really can't bash Luiz Guzman by bashing Philip Seymour Hoffman. That is a really bad comparison. Especially since Hoffman is one of the worlds greatest actors. Really dumb on that one."

-I wasn't bashing Guzman by bashing Hoffman. I was just making a comparison between the two. PERSONALLY (remember, PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS OF THEIR OWN! We're not all clones) I am not a fan of Guzman or Hoffman.

PandaBear:
"Camel we weren't discussing PSH but you seem to have veered the convo towards him and made it about him. That's what happens on these discussions. They tend to go all over.

Now can you defend your comment about Phillip S Hoffman or not? I truly doubt you can."

-hah! Pfft, whatever. I didn't "veer" the conversation towards PSH.

This is what I originally posted

"I'm not a fan of Guzman, personally. He seems like another one of those character actors who hasn't really done anything to warrant all his praise (hi Phillip Seymour Hoffman!)."

And I didn't mention Hoffman once more. THAT is "veering the convo" his way? Is that how I made it all about him?

And I don't have to "defend" myself to anybody like you. Again, PERSONALLY, I AM NOT A FAN OF PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN and do not believe that anything he's done has warrented him to be called one of the best actors of all time or whatever hyperbole you're spewing out. Sure, he was good in Happiness and Talented Mr Ripley but that doesn't really make him one of "the world's greatest actors"

Now, when Capote does get released here and I do get to see it, maybe I'll change my mind but until then you should maybe consider the fact that not everybody has had the option of seeing Capote, especially considering it's been out for all of 1.5 weeks in limited release in the USA only. Wow. Let me rush out to see it RIGHT NOW.

Fuck.

(Sorry David about this post, but I really don't have to put up with that crap and I have the right to, ahem, defend myself. Sorry about the swearing too)

This revelation is like having the seemingly uptight business man-like customer with his family in tow seated in your section, having to be his beck and callboy as a server as he and the fam mouth off their every whim and fancy, spouting off vile and bitter words about him in the back, and then coming out and having a 50 dollar tip on the table after he's gone.

Nice one, Rob.

Wow, that was a great practical joke! And you not only got the cast and the crew...but then a few months later, you get us as well! Hilarious! (Unfortunately, I'm not sure how many people actually read every interview on Movieweb, so you were probably safe...I don't think Justin knew that you were going to use that joke at a later point.)

Wait...so was Luis calling you an @$$hole to the press part of the joke, as well?

That is a veeery elaborate prank. All it needed was Justin Timberlake breaking down and crying and you would've been good as gold.

ummm EDouglas.. he 'said' Guzman 'said' those comments. It aint real - its a gag. Geddit now?

yea i'm sure its a big gag now. look bad at guzmans comments. i don't get the feeling its a gag on that.

What gave it away for me was that you posted the video on opening day. If the film would have opened to 30 mil (unlikely buy hey), you would have wanted a stable relationship with everyone (Friday was the most exhilirating day of your life, Sunday would have been the day to be a dick). So of course it had to be fake. But man, let me tell you, this was the most subversive thing I've seen in a long time. Only a first time director could get away with it.

I think I will see the movie this week.

Alright Rob, golf clap to you. I typically have a pretty strong bullshit detector, but this one flew right past me. Bravo.

Your movie has just moved from a "definite Netflix rental" to a prime time showing some time in the next few days.

Hey bicycleboy, didya read McKittricks blog? You feel wrong.

So he made 3 extra fans from bloggers. The execs must be doing backflips.

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