Interviewer: Zoe Ball

 

Q.  Ethan congratulations on your nomination but also what is such a beautiful film, a film like no other, Boyhood is just a very special project, isn’t it?

 

A.  It is for me, I think I always knew it was for me.  You spend 12 years on something it better be good.  If you spend 12 years making a movie and it is not good you really must be terrible.  The big surprise for me is that anybody cared or noticed.  I mean it is such a delicate, slight movie.  I often joke it is a collection of scenes that would have been cut out of any decent movie.  It is an epic made out of minutiae and I love it, it really moves me, but I think the big thrill of this is that other people are touched too.

 

Q.  I had a chat with Patricia and she said how many people had contacted her and said how it affected them and going back to talk to their parents and addressing issues in their family.  

You have a very special relationship with Richard Linklater as well, how much would you like to see him honoured for this film?

 

A.  It would mean the world to me.  I don’t want anybody else to lose.  I hate that we are all pitted against each other but it is all right, I guess.  I knew how seriously he takes film making.  It is the church of his choice.  There is nobody on the planet more dedicated to cinema than him, it is his life’s blood and he is such a humble and serious person and the idea that people like that could get rewarded would make me believe in the world.

 

Q.  Has he contacted you about a future project because obviously you have spent almost half your film working career working with Richard, has he come up with the next idea?

 

A.  We have made 8 movies together and we have at least 8 that we have tried to get made that didn’t happen and we have probably around 5 or 6 half decent ideas for the future.  You never know in the film industry which ones you are going to get the money for, which ones are going to catch, you know catch fire.  I have no doubt that we will do something else together.  I would be shocked if this was the end but if it was it would be a glorious way to go out.

 

Q.  Incredible performances from Ella and Lorelei, yourself and Patricia and well done to Richard.  Good luck tonight, Ethan, lovely to meet you. 

 

A.  Thanks for having me.