E-mail a friendSteve Zahn
airdate May 15, 2009
Actor Steve Zahn first discovered theatre in high school, where he honed his skills by making fellow students laugh. After studying at the prestigious American Repertory Theater, the Minnesota native got his break via an off-Broadway play. Ben Stiller was in the audience and cast him in a supporting role in the film, Reality Bites. Zahn's film credits include Out of Sight, Sahara and, his latest, Management. He's done voice work for films such as Dr. Doolittle 2 and is also an accomplished singer-guitarist.
Management star talks about movies that don't connect with audiences. (1:43)
Full interview. (9:59)
Steve Zahn
Tavis: I'm pleased to welcome Steve Zahn back to this program. The talented actor starred in a number of notable projects including the films, "Happy Texas" and "That Thing You Do." In his latest movie, he stars opposite some actress named Jennifer Aniston (laughter) in the new comedy, "Management." The film opened today in theatres around the country. Here now a scene from "Management."
[Clip]
Tavis: You violator, you (laughter).
Steve Zahn: Yeah. That scene is funny. It's like I haven't seen her in a long time and I just show up at her work like across the country (laughter). It's like the first time I've - "So what are you doing here?" "Hey, can I come?" You know, it's sort of strange.
Tavis: Since we're in it, go ahead and tell me about "Management."
Zahn: Well, I work in this motel, my parent's motel, like a roadside, you know. My mom is terminally ill with cancer, so I'm helping them out. This woman, this traveling saleswoman selling corporate art that's like in motels and hotels, that's what she sells, she comes in town.
I'm just infatuated with her and I keep going up to her room at night pretending like we give out bottles of wine. She finds me amusing and threatening and all that and she lets me - it's a long story, but she lets me touch her butt, which I do.
Tavis: Jennifer Aniston?
Zahn: But she says, "Touch my butt."
Tavis: You mean Jennifer Aniston?
Zahn: Yeah, well, Sue.
Tavis: Yeah, but she lets you touch her butt?
Zahn: Yeah, but it was Sue.
Tavis: Wow. It wasn't Jennifer. It was Sue.
Zahn: Right. She had to. She was paid (laughter). "But then you have to leave," she says, but then we have a more heated thing. Then it's the greatest thing that ever happened to me and I follow her kind of wherever she goes. It's just really sweet comedy about really kind of flawed characters, these normal people that just kind of find each other.
Tavis: When you saw it - I ask this question a lot because I'm always curious when I see the film as to what the actors saw when they got the script. So what was it about - this is an independent film, by the way?
Zahn: Yeah.
Tavis: What was it about the script that made you want to play this character?
Zahn: It's one of the best scripts I had ever read. I mean, I remember I just sat down and, five pages into it, I knew immediately that - Steve Belber wrote it and directed it - it was amazing mostly because of the characters. They were just so refreshing.
This guy was - you know, I have a career of playing cynical guys and this guy is completely incapable of lying, you know. It moved me and it was a slapstick, absurd comedy and it was all these different tones which somehow worked in my head reading it. I thought, "Man, what a challenge to do that. If this works, it could be amazing, you know."
Then we shot it and felt great about it, but that's usually the kiss of death, you know. I mean, it's like, "Wow, it's gonna suck because we had a good time." (Laughter) Well, a lot of times, it doesn't translate, you know. In this one, it did, so I'm really proud of it and thrilled.
Tavis: You said a few things that I want to go back and follow up on if I can. In no particular order, number one, what's it feel like, to your explanation now, to do a project that you enjoyed doing that you really think works, the team that put it together is excited about it, and then it doesn't connect with the audience, to use your word?
When it doesn't translate, that feels like what? Do you feel you were wrong about your decision? Do you feel that you got it and we poor idiots didn't? I mean, how do you process that?
Zahn: Yeah, I mean, I blame it on someone else (laughter). No. I mean, you know, it's tough. You know, so much work has gone into making a movie. I think people realize that, but they don't really realize how much.
It is tough when you choose something and you see it and you're very proud of it and you know that it would play to an audience and then it doesn't get out there for some reason, whether it be marketing or, you know, something happens. But those movies are still - it doesn't matter because they get discovered three years later or four years later and they become these kind of gems that kind of live forever.
You're always trying to figure out what is the formula, and the beauty of art is just there is no formula. Now in my career, I just kind of don't really worry about it.
Tavis: So you don't take it personally if it doesn't hit or take to the project?
Zahn: No, no, I don't. I mean, it's what it is, you know.
Tavis: You mentioned earlier the other thing I want to come back to was that you have had a career of playing a lot of roles where you are with characters rather cynical. When you look back on your career now and you realize that - let me ask the question this way.
Did you look back on your career and realize that you'd played a bunch of cynical characters or, in making those choices on the front side, you realized that this is the kind of character that I'm drawn to? Did it happen by choice or by chance?
Zahn: No. It just happened by chance. I'd liked playing the cynical characters and that is a part of me, but playing this character, it was only in hindsight that I thought, "Man, this is such a pure, innocent guy and I've never played anything like that." You know what I mean? At the time, I just kind of connected with it, you know.
But, you know, it's not like playing chess. I don't strategize, you know, like the next movie is gonna be a western because I want people to see the dark side. You know, if I had those choices, I don't even know - if I had that ability to do it, I don't even think I would.
You know, I got to go work and I try to make what's in front of me the best I can do. I got to support my family. You know what I mean? There are times when you have more choices than others.
Tavis: In the range of choices that you have, to your point about calculating I'm gonna do a western next, are you saying the range of possibilities that you'd like to see for your career or have the choices that you've made brought about more of those types of characters?
Zahn: I think that and also growing older. I mean, I find that, you know, I've always just kind of wanted to have longevity, you know. To have that, you just make the best decisions that you can make and tell the truth, you know, whether that be in art or in life.
If you make it this far, you're gonna change, you're gonna get older. You're not gonna play that character anymore. It's gonna - you know, I've never been anxious to change that, you know. Now in the last three years or so, it's started to happen.
I've played a range of different characters. I've been in a western. I did "Rescue Dawn," the POW drama. You know, I've done this so now that all those choices earlier in the career are starting to pay off, you know, in a weird way.
Tavis: You said something a moment ago that really got my attention that I want to go back to. When you said that you want to tell the truth in life and tell the truth in your art, I get the part about telling the truth in life. But since it's such a philosophical point, what does it mean for you, for Steve Zahn, to tell the truth in art? What did you mean by that?
Zahn: Well, I mean, one of the best lessons I ever learned was doing a play at the American Repertory Theater. Andre Serban was the director, this Rumanian, this nut, this brilliant guy. I thought I was great in this show as the miser with Alvin Epstein.
I really thought I was great and he came backstage after the first preview audience and he told me, "What you did was exactly what I hate." I was crushed and I went home and I worried about it all night. I came back and he said, "Let me explain" because he could tell I was distraught.
He said, "What I meant by that is it was a farce. The miser is a farce." He said, "We know you're lying, but really lie. Tell the truth. If you don't, you're an amateur. Even though we know, you have to make us believe that it's the opposite."
I've always taken that to heart and, no matter what job I do, whether it be a TV show or a comedy or a drama, is just tell the truth. You know what I mean?
And in your choices, do something truthful. Do something that means something to you. Don't get caught up in what other peoples' perception of you is and everything. Otherwise, you're lost, you know, and you start lying to yourself, you know, and you get lost, I think.
Tavis: Great note on which to end this conversation. I appreciate that answer. I knew there was something there. I wanted to go back and get it and I'm glad you gave it to me. Steve Zahn is his name. You know that. The movie is "Management" alongside Jennifer Aniston. Glad to have you come by, and all the best on the project.
Zahn: Thank you very much.
Tavis: Good to see you, Steve.
Zahn: Good to be here.
Back to May 15, 2009