COLLIDER: How are you doing?
NIK DODANI: Very well.
CHRIS BENDER: I’m doing very well, thank you.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
It’sgreatseeing it on a big screen.
Especially hearing the audience laughing.
DODANI: Thank you for laughing.
BENDER: Well, I made this movie,Burt Wonderstone.
It’s about magic.
It was a weird comedy that we did way too much research for.
Not the thing I was expecting.
DODANI: I feel like I just got to lean into it now.
At a young age, when you were younger than now, you made your stand-up TV thing onColbert.
Image via Max
Are you in your head?
Are you second-guessing every joke you’ve ever written?
What is it like?
Image via HBO
DODANI: It was one of the most nerve-wracking things I’ve ever done.
But thankfully, I had my friend Frankie Fly with meshe’s back there.
I’m pretty sure I’d steamed my shirt in the basement of that theater like four times.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
But thankfully, you know, it’sColbert.
It’s a very loving crowd, and I think it went well.
I don’t know.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
That actually was the last time I did stand-up, though.
DODANI: It’s true.
The vacation’s lasted a little while.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
DODANI: A little long.
Throwing over to you, early in your career, I think you were a co-producer onAmerican Pie.
BENDER: Okay, so that was the first movie I ever developed.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
So, I developed this script with Adam Herz.
And then it sold.
The sale actually is an interesting story because it sold for, like, $650,000.
Images via Shutterstock
Tis been baking for 23 years…but Oh!
[Nik], I read that you were on Broadway forWaitress.
What was it like?
I think you did a month or so on Broadway.
What is it like actually being on Broadway?
What might surprise people to learn?
Then they had me in daily training with Broadway’s best, just to verify.
BENDER: That doesn’t feel good.
DODANI: It doesn’t feel good.
I also split my pants one night.
Bleeding…
BENDER: Live theatre!
You had a really good time.
DODANI: Well, honestly, it’s the most fun job Ive ever had.
It was, like, seven or eight weeks.
I was living in midtown Manhattan, which is bonkers.
I would love to do it again.
Not the singing part.
Chris, you’ve been in the business as a producer for, like, 25 years-ish.
How has the business changed from when you first started to where we are now?
A lot of comedies.
There was a speculative screenplay market when I got started where you would read.
I remember the screenplays that would come through that everyone would be talking about.
Actually, you don’t see that at all anymore.
So, I’m hoping there’s maybe a renaissance of writers that start to write original screenplays again.
“In case I don’t see you… good afternoon, good evening, and good night!”
I remember readingVariety, and they’d be like, This script sold for $1 million!
And I can’t remember the last time a script was sold.
BENDER: Not unless it’s an agency pack, like a big package with stars.
So yeah, things are a little broken right now in that sense.
You directed a short film,Blue Boy.
What was it about that material that said, I want to direct this?
And for people that want to see it, when can they see it?
DODANI:Blue Boyis based on a novel of the same name by Rakesh Satyal.
I related to that.
Yeah, we shot the short film.
We did a festival run last year.
We’re developing into a feature right now with some really cool producers.
If you get to make the feature, are you planning on directing?
Just writing and directing.
Jumping into why I get to talk to you guys for what’s on the screen right now.
Chris, how did this project happen?
He’s mostly writing sketches; he’s written on a few features.
He gave me the loose idea.
It was based a little bit on his life.
It was based on meeting his in-laws.
So, I loved it.
I called New Line, and Richard Brenner bought it based off of that.
We have a long-standing relationship, but that doesn’t happen much anymore.
He bought it based off of basically the idea, and the idea of Kent writing it.
We worked on it for, like, a year, developing the script.
I was laughing out loud that it was just the dumbest thing I’ve ever read.
It was so funny.
I mean, meeting your partner’s parents is really tough.
It’s really terrifying, no matter who you are…It’s just a really great script.
I also worked with the director, [Craig Johnson], previously.
I considered texting him to be like, Hey, I’m auditioning!
But then I decided against it because I was like, I should get this on my own merit.
Then I went and did a self-tape.
How did you do this?
It started with Brian Cox.
He was just finishing upthe guy likes to work.
Like, even when he was doing our movie, he was running off to do McDonald’s commercials.
He just does not stop, and we were told this.
He likes to work.
He wanted to do a comedy.
I think it was just different for him.
He wanted to do something different.
He liked our director.
They met and spoke on the phoneCraig Johnson had doneSkeleton Twins.
I think because we had that anchor, we were able to build off of that, you know?
I feel like Lisa might have been second, and then Parker.
So, it all came together as we were in prep, but it started with Brian.
That was the anchor, once we were able to build off of that.
You do realize that this is not easy to do?
We shot this outside of Boston, in Concord, Massachusetts.
DODANI: Im an adult.
BENDER: Well, you’re not.
I mean, you’re just a kid.
You’re not really.
You’re not a parent.
DODANI: Im 31!
My only grievance with the movie is, how do you not have Dunkin Donuts in this movie?
Becauseif you have not been to Massachusettsthey’re on every corner.
BENDER: Yeah, fair.
I mean, I grew up in New Jersey, so I understand.
These are just lies.
BENDER: We did eat Dunkin Donuts.
We had a fair amount of Dunkin Donuts.
I’m just messing with you.
You’ve worked on many things, but these are some heavy hitters.
BENDER: Were they all on at that point?
DODANI: They were, but no one told me!
And he was like, Im so sorry, Nik, but we already cast the parents.
You don’t need to apologize for that.
I was losing my mind.
So, it was crazy to kind of come backno pun intendedand work with her again.
It ended up being summer camp.
We were having barbecues and watching dumb movies and cooking.We did a seancethat was fun.
It was a really, really good time.
One of the things I loved in the film is Brian just delivers some filthy dialogue.
BENDER: All of the bad language was in there.
It was sort of written to be that way.
It was originally written that he was kind of saying it to himself.
That was in the script.
So, Was That a Brian Cox “Butt Double” or Not?
“He was very naked.”
For both of you, you see the shooting schedule in front of you.
Those are always my favorites because everyone was together, and we were just hanging out.
BENDER: That was one of my favorites.
I think it was the first dinner scene take or second take.
Everything was settled and great.
Although, I think I was extremely excited for, “Look at it!
I was very excited for that.
DODANI: I was just also excited for naked Brian Cox day.
I would have circled that.
I definitely circled that.
BENDER: I had to call the executives and be like, “We did it.
Wait, that wasn’t reallyhim?
BENDER: I noticed online theres some back-and-forth.
DODANI: I know there’s some disagreement .
BENDER: But no,there was a butt double.
It’s Brian Cox.
DODANI: He was very naked, though.
BENDER: He was?
DODANI: He was pretty naked when we shot.
He was pretty damn close to me.
BENDER: He didn’t seem like he would have had an issue with it.
Those are always fun conversations.
Besides the fact that there’s no Dunkin' Donuts in it.
She protects young brides from evil men.
And I was like, Okay, that sounds kind of cool, actually.
I walked in, and I kid you not, I was like, Ma’am, I’m gay.
It’s a different situation.
I didn’t have any trouble.
BENDER: [Laughs] Pretty good.
I was going to say similar.
There’s not a lot of places to stay in Concord.
But then when she heard Lisa was staying… We have all these big stars coming in.
We’re like, Where are they gonna stay?
They’re going to be miserable.
They were cooking for each other and up and down.
It really was magical.
So, that was a really pleasant surprise.
Dean Norris barbecued, like, seriously, barbecue on the front lawn.
But it was really great.
You ended up in Massachusetts, I would imagine, because of the tax break.
BENDER: Tax break, and we needed snow, and we needed the house.
And we found this amazing house, the house that’s in the movie.
I remember going in the basement, walking around like, This is unbelievable.
Look at all this rust.
Look at all that flaky stuff on the ceiling.
And, Oh, my god, get me the fuck out of here.
This is so unsafe.
BENDER: That was a circle day, too.
We were all pretty excited about that.
DODANI: That was a great day.
I asked to be on set even though I was not in the scene.
It was so fun.
Yeah, I was jealous.
The film premieres on March 13.
I’m always curious how actors get ready to do a role.
Hypothetically, you’re going to start filming this on a Monday.
How early on are you breaking down the script and thinking about how you want to play things?
Is it two months before you’re shooting?
Is it the weeks leading up?
Pull back the curtain on how you like to get ready to do things.
That was really nice.
Normally,you don’t get that much time to just sit with the script.
That name changed so many times.
While we’re developing the script, it would come in with a new name.
He just kept coming up with names.
So anyway, it was Graham at one point.
Then the whole Rohan switch, he was so collaborative and kind, and he’s just amazing.
But we had some prep time, which is really great.
I’m always curious about the editing process.
I’m assuming you did friends and family screenings or test screenings.
What did you learn from those early screenings that impacted the finished film?
BENDER: What I remember most is because we were editing in New York City.
So, I was having to fly back to New York for cuts.
So finding that tone, which bled into the score.
Did you make any big changes or lose any big storylines, or was it just little tweaks?
BENDER: The movie was obviously a lot longer, so it was about tightening it.
There werent any really big changes.
DODANI: The wedding.
BENDER: The wedding, that’s true.
We shot a full wedding.
Do you think theyd release it?
BENDER: Will they release it?
I don’t know where the hell you’ve got the option to put it now.
I’ll tell you where.
BENDER: If someone was to come over and see it, I’d queue it up.
They have this thing called streaming, and there’s a channel called Max.
BENDER: I don’t know if Max can do that.
Can Max do this?
[from audience]: They’re working on it.
DODANI: [pointing] Thats actually Max.
BENDER: Amazon couldnt do that either.
That actuallyisMax sitting right there.
I’m not joking.
It’s a fucking streaming service.
Look, it’s not like it costs money to upload it to Max or to Amazon or wherever.
I feel like itwouldcost money to upload a video.
Because when you buy a movie on Apple or buy it on Prime…
Were talking about Max tonight, sir.
BENDER: But they have the extras.
So, it would be great.
Maybe one day we’ll get that.
It is worth seeing.
I’d like to see it.
Anyway, I wish more streamers would embrace the extras.
BENDER: The issue was that the movie wasn’t ending on the right emotional beat, emotional feeling.
That was kind of it.
So it was really funny, but it wasn’t emotionally true to what we needed it to be.
There’s a scene after the credits.
When did you guys know that would be in it?
Did you film it while you were filming?
DODANI: I havent told this story.
Brandon and I flew out.
I slip on the bathmat, fall on my arm, and my arm just snaps in half.
Yeah, I was butt naked.
I truly had to crawl my way up the toilet.
I called 911, put on some underwear, got pulled out on a gurney.
They gave me fentanyl in the ambulance.
It was a whole thing.
DODANI: No, at first I didn’t realize.
Then I looked at my arm, and it was just kind of dangling.
Maybe we can make it!
[To Bender] I’ve actually never asked youwhat was that like on your end?
BENDER: Oh, god.
It’s so hard to arrange these things.
We all flew back, obviously, to Boston, and getting it approved…
It’s just always a thing.
Then everyone’s in the hotel, and it’s the morning of, and we had a shoot.
We were also covering just some establishing shots that we needed.
We got that done, and we were on time, so things were feeling really good.
DODANI: Was it Brandon?
BENDER: It was Brandon, yeah.
It almost didn’t seem real.
He broke his arm.
I think I even heard it happening behind, like, Oh, the ambulance is here.
They’re taking him away.
We didn’t know at that point how bad things were and all that stuff.
So it just became one of those moments of, like, Well, we have to pivot.
Thank god for insurance.
BENDER: That’s right; it was insurable.
So, we ended up doing it back in LA, on a stage, very comfortable.
DODANI: Fun fact: my arm was, like, fully broken in that scene.
BENDER: Oh, that’s right.
DODANI: Yeah, I was in a [gestures to arm and shoulder area].
BENDER: We had to deal with the sweater.
DODANI: The sweater was really hard to get on because I had a big brace.
I don’t know, but I couldn’t move it.
It took a long time to get into that sweater.
How long does it take to heal a broken arm?
DODANI: I think I was four or five months.
Thankfully, I didnt need surgery or anything.
BENDER: It was a story that I still can’t believe.
It wasn’t even getting out of the shower.
It’s not like I was wet.
I just slipped on a bathmat.
I looked into it.
DODANI: And I feel like she was protecting me that entire time because I’m a young bride.
Bender and Dodani Share Their Upcoming Projects
“What more do I have to say?
You just teased that perfectly.”
Chris, this is something not aboutThe Parenting.
You are executive producer on David Robert Mitchell’sFlowerville Street.
I’m a big fan of this filmmaker.
What can you tease about the project?
Because I read the logline and it sounds bonkers.
BENDER: What was the logline you read?
Oh, I wish I wrote it down.
BENDER: What more do I have to say?
You just teased that perfectly.
But it’s very much a David Robert Mitchell movie.
DODANI: Did you already shoot it?
BENDER: Shot it.
DODANI: Damn it.
My last thing for you guyswhat can you tease about what you might be working on now?
BENDER: Oh, lets see.
Why don’t you go first?
DODANI: Thats such a producer thing to do.
As I mentioned, I’m developing the feature version ofBlue Boy, which I’m really excited about.
So if anyone here has, like, $1 or $2 million, just let me know.
There’s someone from Max right there.
DODANI: Oh, shit.
Max, I’ll talk to you later.
No, I’m honestly just really excited for people to see this movie, [The Parenting].
If you didn’t like the movie, c’mon don’t leave a review.
There’s also these things called social media sites, and I think the hashtag is #TheParenting.
So feel free to spread the word via social media.
BENDER: Yeah, we’d appreciate it.
I’m working on more comedies.
I’m going down with the comedy ship one way or another.
I’m okay with that.
There needs to be more comedies in the world.
BENDER: I agree.
The Parentingis now streaming on Max.
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