With her hair pulled back into a bun, electric blue eyes and wearing a sleek peach H&M dress, Alexis Bledel has grown up quite a bit since her days as bookish Rory Gilmore of Stars Hollow. And in the new film, “The Good Guy,” she’s definitely ready to show the world that she’s no longer a Co-ed. Twirlit got a chance to sit down with Alexis Bledel and writer/director Julio DePeitro to ask them about life, love, and uh…is it possible to find love in the Big City?
Alexis, great to meet a fellow NYU-er. So what attracted to you to the script for “The Good Guy?”
ALEXIS: I thought it was a modern love story and it just felt more realistic than any other romantic scripts. The things she wants…aren’t hard to imagine. She wants someone to spend time with, someone she cares about, she wants to meet a great guy, she wants to enjoy her work. The things that everyone wants..it was relatable in that way. The thing that’s so special about it is that it’s so romantic.
Were you nervous to see if there would be chemistry between you and Scott’s character, as well as Bryan Greenberg’s character?
ALEXIS: Um..I joined the project pretty last minute and in that case you hope for the best. (laughs) I was excited to work with both of them and that helps usually.
JULIO: At some level, you’re crossing your fingers, but I obviously knew their work very well. If it didn’t work we would’ve had a problem, but luckily it worked out really well.
Julio, you have a background in Finance so you knew these characters firsthand. Do you think that characters like Tommy and Cash best represent most of the guys who work in Finance?
JULIO: I think it’s a very fair portrayal of not just finance guys, but the way that people behave in relationships in big cities where there is anonymity. You can get away with a lot more. I think that you can say that there are lots of guys that are Wall Street types and you can find those same guys in LA. This movie is definitely set in the backdrop of Wall street, but its not specific to them. I think it is a fair portrayal because some of the guys… they come off as really great guys, but these are the people who’ve perfected their pitch whether its trading millions of dollars of stock or meeting someone at a bar. But then you dig deeper and you realize its more of a facade and the other character, fish out of water, may not be quite as compelling at first, but then those guys ultimately have more substance.
So true. Alexis, this role showcases you more as a grown-up which I’m sure you’re happy about. But what is your dream role that might break you out of Rory Gilmore (in the minds of Gilmore fans)?
ALEXIS: Well, that’s what I liked about the script. My characters in this is more of an adult, so I guess I consciously look for that. That’s what I try to do…find variety in the roles I do. Other than that, its nothing I really worry about. I just try to find work that’s interesting.
Any plans to do psychological thrillers?
ALEXIS: I would love to do psychological thrillers. And I love period pieces.
Would you do another series?
ALEXIS: I don’t know. I’m not looking for it right now, but there are a lot of great roles on TV. Cable.
What about the vibe on set? Favorite NYC spots to shoot? I would call it pretty relaxed, efficient. Julio did a lot of prep work beforehand with what was important to him in the scene, and that allowed us the freedom to work on our scenes. It was ideal. The Cloister’s was my favorite and we shot in Sheep’s Meadow in Central Park. That was definitely one of my favorite shoot days.
Love Cloister’s. Would you say that “The Good Guy,” is optimistic about modern love in the big City?
ALEXIS: I think, to me, this story is a bit of a cautionary tale. I think it’s possible to meet someone you connect with, but its hard in big cities, like NYC where you meet new people everyday. I haven’t really dated in New York in my 20′s..I’m sure its more difficult because you’re not sure what people are looking for half the time. So, I don’t know. Its tricky, but I’m not sure its easier in a small town.
JULIO: You know, I definitely think its a cautionary tale. If you’re overly naiive, then there’s a lot of pitfalls out there. But ultimately, Beth stays true to her principles and I think in this movie, everyone gets what they deserve. Scott’s character, Tommy, is destined to turn into Andrew McCarthy’s character, this unhappy womanizer that for some reason wants to date women 20 years younger. He’s never going to be happy. And Daniel, as the other guy, he’s not going to really get sucked in. I don’t want to think of it as depressing. It’s hopeful, but realistic.
“The Good Guy,” opens in theatres February 19, 2010.
Photo via Roadside Attractions
