Jemaine Clement and Regina Hall star in James C. Strouse‘s new film People Places Things.

Jemaine Clement And Regina Hall On ‘People Places Things’

When People Places Things opens, Clement’s character graphic novelist Will Henry has just caught the mother of his twin daughters with another man. A year after the traumatic event, a student of his introduces him to her mother Diane, played by Hall.

“I don’t think initially she thought there’d be a love connection. I mean she wasn’t even happy that her daughter was taking your class,” Hall told uInterview in an exclusive interview. “But he actually broadens her thinking and she quite fancies him and they kind of spark up a romance.”

Inhabiting their respective characters, both Hall and King drew on personal experiences. “I know this is difficult for people to believe but I’ve been broken up with. Do you believe that?” Clement quipped. As for Hall, she’s dated while having a child, and could understand those complications first hand.

In the film, Will and Diane’s relationship quickly turns physical, which means Clement and Hall had to forge that kind of intimacy with one another before spending a lot of time together. However, both actors insist that filming the love scenes didn’t end up being too awkward for them.

“Well we first, we started off, our first scene together was when the characters meet each other and we had just met each other so that’s what we did. It wasn’t awkward,” said Clement. Hall added, “By the time we did the other scenes, the more intimate scenes, we had hung out. You do hang a lot.”

Will and Diane’s romance hits a few bumps in the road throughout People Places Things – including a rendezvous with the ex – but, according to Hill, Will’s honesty about the incident allows them to move forward with their relationship.

“Now I understand the movie,” says Clement.

People Places Things hits theaters Aug. 14 and is available on iTunes here.

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Q: Jemaine, Where is your character at the outset of the film? -

JC: It starts off with him finding the mother of his children in a compromising position with a man that is not him and then goes to a year later.

RH: Missionary position, I think.

JC: Yes. Well it’s hard to say. It’s hard to say what he saw. I’ve blocked it out. And a year later, he’s in a very different place and picking up the pieces of his heart and he meets a character played by Regina Hall.

Q: Regina, where does your character find Jermaine’s at that point? -

RH: Diane has a daughter who is a student of Will’s and she decides to introduce them.

JC: (Whispers) I play Will.

RH: And I don’t think initially she thought there’d be a love connection. I mean she wasn’t even happy that her daughter was taking your class.

JC: That’s true.

RH: But he actually broadens her thinking and she quite fancies him and they kind of spark up a romance until he ends it by kissing his ex.

Q: How did you try to create a sense of intimacy together? -

RH: We make love a lot and that was at Jermaine’s demand, I don’t even want to say request, before we started shooting.

JC: It’s constrexual.

RH: It was in the contract.

JC: Well we first, we started off, our first scene together was when the characters meet each other and we had just met each other so that’s what we did. It wasn’t awkward.

RH: No. It wasn’t awkward. I mean I was familiar with his work. I was a big fan of his but you know you do go to meet someone there’s always nervous the first time so by the time we did the other scenes, the more intimate scenes, we had hung out. You do hang a lot. He had met Zeus.
JC: Yes. That’s right. That’s her dog.

RH: Yes.

JC: A bulldog?

RH: Yes.

JC: How is Zeus?

RH: Zeus lost a toe. Zeus had a tumor in his baby toe and it had to get cut off but he’s thriving now.

Q: What experiences did you draw upon to create these characters? -

JC: I know this is difficult for people to believe but I’ve been broken up with. Do you believe that?

RH: Cut. I don’t believe that. Jermaine is beginning to lie on camera. We can just cut.

JC: So I thought of how hard that is.

RH: And I thought of the awkwardness of meeting someone, you know, and starting to date. I feel like there’s a little bit of everyone. I’ve been in versions of that situation and then I have friend’s who have kids and then dating someone with kids, you know. Although your kids didn’t factor in ours very much, when we were actually dating. We had a brief romance. Brief romance. I mean it was heartfelt.

JC: Yes.

RH: Did you see where he went back and he came to Diane after she had parted her heart and her legs and then he says, what does he say?

JC: I don’t remember. That was a year ago.

RH: You kissed her.

JC: Oh, I totally. I kissed her.

RH: He wasn’t answering his phone. I was worried.

JC: I’m not sure he should have done that.

RH: But I love your honesty. I think that’s what saves them at the end. That’s what allows them to reconnect because she knows he’s good.

JC: Now I understand the movie.

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