Dermot Mulroney On ‘August: Osage County,’ Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep [VIDEO EXCLUSIVE]

No, I didn’t. I did not model my character after any entrepreneurial child molester that I know, but the way the part’s written and the way that part fits into this cast and into the play, it was a wonderful role to play. It sits so nicely in the story. My character, like many in the piece, kind of takes a darker turn that you’re referring to and I get sort of kicked out of the movie.

Well, I have to admit that I did because the caliber of the cast and so many members. Abigail Breslin, Juliette Lewis, Chris Cooper they've all been nominated for Oscars as well, so it was kind of designed that way. In addition, the play had already been awarded with a Pulitzer Prize for the writing and a Tony Award on Broadway when it appeared there I think five or six years ago, so there was every reason to believe that it would be getting, that the film would be getting the attention that it is and when you see it, you see that it's deserved.

Well, you can say it'€™s a female dominated, maybe the story'€™s female dominated, but the cast -€” Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Cooper and myself — and you know I think we did all right holding up our end of the bargain, but the story does focus on a matriarchal family, the part that Sam Shepard, oh did I mention him in the male category of the cast? He commits suicide near the beginning of the play and the rest ensues as the funeral weekend basically.

It was amazing. We celebrated when we learned that I got the role. And had the most wonderful time making this movie. I'd always hoped to work with her again but in the meantime, since My Best Friend'€™s Wedding, we'€™ve seen each other move houses and have children and all these wonderful aspects of life so to move through that and into working with her again is a great phase for us and we got closer than ever. I just saw her last night at a function. She'€™s fantastic, yeah. Great friend.

Well, it’s written that way you know that the family quietly and awkwardly begins to say sort of an extended, poorly delivered grace before the meal, but it’s written even that the Sanford and Son theme song cell phone ring goes off in the middle of that prayer, so I have to excuse myself from the table to take an important call and that plays beautifully in this story in the same way I was saying the way my part sort of comes in, intrudes, and then gets kicked out of the movie.
It was great fun to shoot that scene. Took us about four days to get everything we needed for this extended dinner scene and those were four of some of the best days I’ve ever spent on a film set.