'I actually think you can deal with more issues in comedy than you can in drama'
It’s the US teen pregnancy comedy that has set box-office records and earned an Oscar-nomination for Ellen Page in the title role. Screenjabber’s Robert Hull met up with the film’s director Jason Reitman, its writer, Diablo Cody, and co-star Allison Janney (of The West Wing)….
Diablo, when you get a phone call, out of the blue, from a guy you’ve never met, who says, 'I’m a movie producer, do you want to write a script.' What’s your first reaction to that?
DC: The first reaction is that this is unrealistic. I was kind of suspicious. I’m just a pragmatic mid-westerner, writing movies is not something that we do. I didn’t really listen to him, right off the bat, I kind of blew him off for a while, and then finally he got to me – so I started writing Juno.
Jason, the difficult second feature (after Thank You For Smoking). How easy was it to find this material and what was your reaction to the screenplay?
JR: It turned out to be very easy. I was in the midst of writing my next film, adapting a book, when I got a call one night from a friend of mine who knew the guy who’d discovered Diablo and said, 'I got a screenplay you need to read.' I said, 'Oh, OK, what’s it about?' And he said, 'Well it’s a high school comedy.' So I said, 'Alright (hesitantly).' So he sent it over, and by page two I was like, 'Wow this girl’s got a great voice.' And by about half way through I just thought if I don’t direct this I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life.
Allison, when you were offered a role that could be described as a stepmother did you take much convincing?
AJ: Oh I didn’t need any convincing. I was so impressed with her style and her voice. It was so unique and right up my alley, that sense of humour. When I read the character of Bren MacGuff I knew it was going to keep surprising me. And I loved how she became such a wonderful supporter of Juno’s.
Diablo, in terms of bringing the script to the screen, where you there on shooting days?
DC: I was present on set frequently, which is really a cool thing for a writer and very uncommon. Usually writers are sort of persona non grata because we can be obnoxious and overly protective of our material, but in this case, I mean, Jason Reitman is directing the movie, it’s going to be awesome. So I just put complete trust in him.
JR: Diablo was actually a valuable asset on set. I can’t imagine directing without having the writer there. Every day, whether it was a small decision or a very large one, there’d be something where I’d need to talk to Diablo, because it’s her voice at the end of the day..
Did you ever consider writing Juno as a serious piece rather than a comedy?
DC: I have a sick, sick tendency to find comedy in crisis, particularly when it is happening to other people. So I always saw comedic potential in the idea of an unplanned pregnancy. I know people think that’s kind of weird but it’s just an awkward situation overall, especially the dynamic between Juno, Mark and Vanessa. It was funny to me.
Could Juno’s relationship with Mark have taken a darker turn?
DC: Absolutely. In fact, at the beginning that was my intention. I was very much inspired by Alexander Payne’s Election (1999) and I thought it would be so twisted if we have this pregnant teenage girl sleeping with the guy who’s going to adopt her baby. But I didn’t go there, thank god.
JR: I actually think you can deal with more issues in comedy than you can in drama. I think if Juno, or my last movie, Thank You For Not Smoking, had been dramas we wouldn’t have been able to say the things that we said
Is the movie ultimately about people finding happiness?
JR: The movie is about the moment when people decide to grow up. I’m not sure if really everyone in this movie finds happiness. I think that everyone in this movie makes very tricky decisions to tough questions.
Diablo, is Juno’s voice very much yours?
Yes, I would say that it is. The more I think about it the more I consider the character autobiographical in some sense. I based it on me as a teenager.
Allison, how did you find acting alongside Ellen (Page, who plays Juno MacGuff) and did you feel like you should be giving her advice?
AJ: Ellen doesn’t need advice. She’s very wise beyond her years and she’s incredibly self-possessed. I think she makes really interesting choices and I think she’ll continue to.
Jason, tell us about casting Ellen?
JR: It was no leap of faith. I’d seen Hard Candy (2005) and I thought this girl’s so impressive. And when I met her it was like meeting Juno. It’s funny because some people make the criticism that Juno is too wise and that no teenagers actually speak this way. In making this film I found quite the opposite.
Michael Cera has a very important role in the film (as Paulie Bleeker), how was he cast and did he make Juno before Superbad?
JR: He’d shot Superbad (2007) but it had not come out. We were already hearing about how fun Superbad was, but really I was an enormous fan of his from Arrested Development. He was actually supposed to be in Thank You For Smoking. He was going to be Cancer Boy at the beginning of that movie and we couldn’t work out his visa, because he’s Canadian, in time.
In real life is Michael a less-is-more type of person?
Yes, he is who he seems. We’ve all had discussions about you know, “is that how you really are?” because he doesn’t break, and I think it may just be who he is. He’s so subtle and sweet and funny. It used to be, “Oh he’s so funny but he doesn’t know it.” I think he knows how funny he is.