Rashida Jones’s Writing Debut, ‘Celeste and Jesse Forever’ - NYTimes

August1,2012BreakingtheMoldbyWritingaPartforHerselfByMELENARYZIKRashidaJoneshasagoodsenseofhowdirectorsseeher.Iamgenerallycastasthedependable,affable,loving,friendwifegirlfriend,shesaid.AsAnnPerkinsontheNBCseriesParksandRecreationMs.JonesisthevoiceofreasonamongherloopiercostarsAmyPoehler,NickOffermanandAzizAnsari.Butinhernewmovie,CelesteandJesseForever,comingoutonFriday,shehasthechancetounravelthatpersona,inwantonfashion.ShestarsasCeleste,whoisinthemidstofalingeringdivorcefromJesse(AndySamberg).Inherscreenwritingdebut,Ms.Jones,36,wrotethecomedywiththeactorWillMcCormack,whoplaysherbuddyonscreentheyreliedontheirownrelationshipsasfodder.(Wedatedforliketwoweeks,shesaid,andthenafteraslightadjustment,webecamefriends.)CelesteandJesse,directedbyLeeTolandKrieger,wasmadeinatight23daysforlessthan$1million.WedidgetanofferfromastudioatacertainpointforthemtoreservetherighttocastsomebodyelseiftheyfeltlikeIwasntfinanciallyviable,Ms.Jonessaid.Aftersomeconsideration,shesaidno.IfeltlikethiswastheonlyopportunityIhadtoplaythiskindofpart,shesaid,acharacterthatsmaybelessthanlikable.LastweekshespokebyphonefromLosAngelesaboutrelationships,feminismandherwriterlyambitions.Mypetpeeveandmygoalinlifeistosomehowgetanadjectiveforintegrityinthedictionary,shesaid,goingontoexplain:Truthfuldoesntreallycoverit,orgenuine.Itshouldbelikeintegritus.Consideritacampaign.Hereareexcerptsfromtheconversation.Q.Whatmadeyouwanttowritethisnow?A.Iwantedtowriteforalongtime,butIhadalotoffearbecauseIhavefriendswhoareprofessionalwriters,andIfeltlike,theywerethatandIwasnt.IhadthisideakindofbasedonpeoplethatIknew.Theyhadpurgatoryrelationshipstheywereintofortoolongortryingtooutsmartthepainofbreakingup.IaskedWillandwemadeapactthatwewouldwriteeveryday,andifitwasterrible,wewouldthrowitinthetrash.Wewroteinmybackyard,onmycouch.IhaveacouchinmybackyardbecauseitsCalifornia.Notrubbingitin.MOREINMOVIESFallFilms:MoreBitterPillsThanPopcornReadMoreQ.Howdidhavingawritingpartnerhelpyou?A.Ithinkthefactthatitwasforbothofusafirstattemptatreallyfinishingascreenplayweweresupportive.Whenyourebyyourself,yourcriticvoiceissolouditsimpossibletogetanythingdone.HeandIhavehadourshareofunhealthyrelationshipswithexes.Itsagenerationalexchangeforprobablywhatwasyourfirstlove50yearsago.Butbecausewedothatdelayedadolescentthing,thisistheversionoffirstlove.Q.Wasittherapeutic,writingthis?A.Very.Iwasforsureexorcisingsomedemons.IwasinalotofpainwhenIwrotethismovielifestuff.Iunderstandhowpeoplesaytheartisticprocessiscathartic.Q.Youwerewritingaroundthetimeoftheeconomicdownturn.Didyouhavetroublegettingfinancing?A.In2009wesoldittoFoxAtomic,asubsidiaryofFox.Wewerelike,Thisissoeasyhowawesome.Andthenamonthlatertheyfolded.AndwesolditagaintoOvertureFilms,andtheyclosedtheirassets.Aboutsixtimesthathappened.Itwasfrustrating,butIreallywantedtomakethefilm.Atacertainpointmyresolvebecamenotthatfunforpeoplearoundme.Q.SinceitsaboutCelesteseparatingfromaman,notabouthersearchingforone,didyouthinkabouthowitfitinthecanonofromanticcomediesoraboutsubvertingthoseconventions?Itseemslikewereseeingmoreofthatonscreen.A.Wetriedtocreateanelementofsurprise:Heshergaybestfriend,buthesnotverygoodatbeinggay.Womenhavebeeninterestingforever.Ivehadsomanywomencomeuptomeandsaytheywerebeingfullyrepresented,thattheyrecomplex,anditsO.K.tobecomplex,anditsO.K.tobeemotionalonemomentandreallypragmaticthenext.Weregoingthroughamajorevolution,andmenhaventhadthesameevolution.Atsomepointweregoingtohavetodosomethingtobringthemalong.Whataretheydoing?Getittogether!Weregoingtohaveanentiregenerationofsmart,stablesuccessfulwomengowithoutmen,becausetheyrejustplayingvideogamesanddatingyoungergirls.Q.ThereistheApatowdudeposseoffilms.DoyoufeellikeyourepartofaladycomedycrewwithpeoplelikeAmy,MayaRudolphandKristenWiig?A.IwilldefinitelyletyousaythatImapartofthatcomedycrew.Amysoneofmyclosestfriends.Forheritsimportantthatourrelationshipontheshowreflectsthepositive,supportivearcthatwomenhaveforeachother.Wedonthaveconversationsaboutwomeninfilmandtelevisionandwhatthatmeansbecause,honestly,youtalkaboutdynamicsandpeopleandthethingsthatinterestus,andthatprobablytranslatesintothethingsthatwewrite.Ithinktheresjustaninherentburdenofbeingaliveandbeingawoman.Nomanwouldeveradmitthat,butIthinkwomenknowit,whichis:Youknowmorethanmen,youknowmorethanmostpeopleyouredealingwitheveryday,andyouknowthatsituptoyoutomakethingsmoveforward,andyougetpaidhalfasmuch,butyoujustdoit.Butitworksout,becauseifyoucanfigureouthowtoharnessthatfemininitytheressomethingwehavethatssomysterioustomenthatifyoucanfigureouthowtousethat,youregoodtogo.Q.Onthatnote,letstalkaboutoneofthefunniestmomentsinthemovie,whenyouandAndytakevegetablesandothersphericalobjectsandhowcanwesayit?getbawdywiththem.A.Pleasure?HaveourwaywithaChapSticktube?WillandI[masturbate]vegetableswhenwewritetogether.Wegotothefarmersmarket,andwetargetinnocentvegetablesandbringthemhomewithus.Wedoitwhenwerebored.Itspathetic.Sowhydontwesharethatwiththeworld?