The actors who play the kids in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day were amazing. Both as actors and to interview. Their interview was so much fun because they were so much fun. And, you could tell that they really liked each other.
They were really genuine and funny. We found out they are still good friends. We also learn that Dylan and Kerris have musical talent. And Ed is Australian and pulls off a great American accent. Ed also has a very dead pan sense of humor that comes out during the interview.
They are also so cute! This is a fun interview so you will want to read it all!! Warning: There are a few sort of spoilers that will get once you see the movie!!
Q: What was it like to act with Steve? Was he funny everyday and off camera?
Ed: He wasn’t fun. No, I’m kidding. He was like the funniest person. He could make anything sound fun, anything.
Dylan: It’s effortless. It’s effortless.
Ed: Yeah, it’s like just completely--
Dylan: He can say what he's having for lunch and you're just like in tears on the floor.
Ed: Yeah, you could just look at him. And he’ll give you one look. And you will just be in uncontrollable laughter.
Kerris: Yeah, and is he's so smart. He's such a smart person. I think you have to be that intelligent in order to be that funny. . .
Ed: His humor is just so. . .
Kerris: It’s so witty and so like impeccable. So that was really cool. You can just tell by looking at him, like talking to him that's he's just so smart. And the wheels are always turning.
Q: What was everybody’s favorite scene with him?
Ed: I think the party scene.
Dylan: I've been saying the party scene.
Kerris: Party scene.
Ed: Yeah, it was really cool.
Kerris: Party scene was so fun.
Dylan: Yeah, I mean it was just 200 people and animals and swimming and music and food
Kerris: It was so cool. We were there for a long time. So it sort of became like a home to us, you know? So, yeah, that was so fun. We actually ate the food at one point.
Dylan: I was stealing candy all the time.
Ed: It was poisoned.
Kerris: We were eating. We were dancing.
Dylan: It was poisoned too.
Ed: It was fake.
Dylan: It was plastic candy.
Kerris: But it wasn't real. But it was so good.
Q: How many takes actually did it take to film those parties? Or you did it just in your own with one swing and everybody was happy with what they got?
Ed: It took a lot of dancing, a lot of barbecuing.
Dylan: Didn't the party take three days?
Kerris: Yeah, we were at a set out in Newhall for two weeks, and then we did the party like three consecutive nights. 'Cause there were so many things to cover.
Ed: There was dancing, barbecuing, DJ’ing.
Dylan: Except the animals--
Kerris: Thunder from Down Under. The animals. I don't know if you've heard of them. It took a lot of coverage and a lot of-- of days to do. But it was actually fun.
Ed: It didn't even feel like we were working.
Kerris: Yeah, we had a party. We were all just dancing, and there's one shot that we laughed over every time because it’s on Jen and Steve. And you can see past us. I don't know what we're doing. We're just like dancing the whole time. It’s like so awkward. But I mean hopefully no one notices it.
Dylan: Now they will.
Kerris: Now you will.
Dylan: Yeah, and then it goes directly on us.
Kerris: On us. It focuses on us. And we're just like, ok, cool, this is happening.
Q: So a lot in your role in the film, you were sick. I just wondered if you had any good tips for us in case we wanted to take a sick day.
Kerris: I feel like if I ever get sick and sound sick my parents are gonna be like, no, we know your tricks. It’s all about the voice I’ve found. So it’s like nasally. So it’s like back in your throat and then in your nose. So anything like-- M’s have to be B-sounding. I just watched a lot of like You Tube videos of people talking when they're sick.
Ed: How to talk sick.
Kerris: Yeah, no, just like people when they're sick. People post videos of themselves in any capacity. So there are literally people like, hey, I’m sick today. And you just listen to it. It’s all about the voice. And then really heavily lidded eyes and then maybe like eyeliner or something underneath your eye or something like that.
Dylan: Can you believe her sick voice, though? Like, uh, every day on set I was like how are you doing this?
Q: Ed, what about you? Learning an English accent, so how was that for you?
Ed: An American?
Q: I’m sorry American accent. [LAUGHTER]
Ed: It was pretty hard. But also kind of easy at the same time 'cause I was brought up on American film. Because there's a lot of American TV, a lot of American film in Australia. So it’s not like it’s a completely different accent that I’m kind of thinking, well, it’s American. I knew what it was. But it was a little rough around the edges. Actually, it was really bad. So-- [LAUGHTER] so I had training. I learned all the little tips and tricks on just to sound authentic.
Q: Have any of you experienced anything similar to what, you know, happened to you in the film either in high school proms or driver’s training? Anything like that?
Dylan: Well, Kerris has yet to do her driver’s test. So maybe.
Ed: Well, don't jinx it.
Kerris: Well, oh, shut up.
Dylan: I aced my driver’s test luckily. What else happens to me? I've never knocked a trophy case over.
Kerris: I feel like we exorcised it all out of our systems when we filmed it because we just got out-- we're like, well, this can never happen to us in real life 'cause we just did it. So that's nice.
Ed: If it does happen we're preparing
Kerris: Yeah, and you're right. We know how to react. And we know how to sort of adapt to it. But, I mean I have those days where you wake up. And you're sick. And then everything falls down in front of you, and you trip over things. It’s those days happen to me all the time. Yeah.
Dylan: All the time.
Q: What was the hardest scene for each of you to keep your composure in?
Kerris: The car scene.
Ed: Yeah, there was one scene during the car that was completely improvised. I would walk around set going brr-brr-brr, just making the stupid noises. And Miguel, the director, said I just want all of you to do it. It was kind of what? And then so we all did it. And Steve started doing it. And you can see in the background everyone’s laugh. It’s so hard to keep a straight face.
Kerris: And like I was playing the trumpet. And Ed was just like, I don't even know.
Ed: I don't know either.
Kerris: No, it was amazing. I just don't remember.
Dylan: I'm the only one that didn't have to do anything in that scene.
Kerris: Yeah, but you had to keep a straight face though kind of. So, yeah, so that was all the car scenes 'cause we were in such close quarters. I think we got kind of loopy at one point.
Dylan: Also the scene outside the-- the van at the DMV when we were all yelling at each other.
Kerris: Oh my God, yes.
Ed: We spent a whole day filming there.
Kerris: We had to isolate it so that you could hear the sound. So Dylan would do his part. And we would all have to mime talking. And then when Steve did his part, literally, I could not-- you had to be normal and like yelling at him.
Dylan: Well, he was about crashing the van improvising. And I’m off camera. I’m near tears on the ground laughing. And he's still yelling at me on camera not breaking character. It was so difficult.
Kerris: Oh my God. I just wanted them to never call cut so we could just keep going. It would've been funny for like two more hours at the least.
Dylan: And also the scenes with Jennifer Coolidge. That was, uh, I couldn’t keep my cool like that.
Ed: Yeah.
Kerris: I can't imagine.
Dylan: That was-- that was an unintended pun.
Kerris: Just-- I just got it. Ok.
Dylan: Yeah.
Ed: Next question!
Q: Kerris one of my favorite parts of the movie was the soundtrack. And then at the end I noticed you actually wrote the song.
Kerris: Best worst day, Miguel actually called both of us [Dylan] and said he knows that we’re both musicians. He called me, and he said, you know, I would love it if you wanted to write a song for the movie. My sister is a singer/songwriter. She's so talented. I asked her if she wanted to write it with me. And then we had like a short window that we could do it, that we could fit it in. And so we were like fingers crossed. Let’s see. We watched the trailer sort of for inspiration. And obviously I knew what happened in the movie.
And we tried to capture the essence of Disney and the worst day sort of turning out to be the best day. It all came together in a way that it’s in the end credits. So we were really happy.
Ed: Can I say Dylan’s band has a song in the film.
Kerris: They're call the Narwhals. And Dylan’s band is amazing. They have a montage scene.
Ed: Halfway through, it’s when we’re kind of turning the day around. And the song’s perfect.
Kerris: Yeah, it’s called Surf, Surf, Don’t Drown.
Dylan: Aw, thanks. Hey, they just said it. They said it all for me.
Kerris: And check out his band. It’s amazing.
Ed: Yeah, the Narwhals.
Ed: They're amazing! They're amazing!
Kerris: We’re his publicists.
Dylan: I've trained them to talk about the band. [LAUGHTER]
Ed: He's paying us
Kerris: We’re his PR.
Q: Steve said you guys wrote a song for him that made him a bit emotional. So what can you tell us about that?
Ed: That was the genius minds of Kerris and Justine Dorsey. We always had the song Beds are Burning by Midnight Oil. Is that it? I should know. I’m an Aussie.
Kerris: You're the Aussie.
Ed: And we always had that. So that was always in our heads. So the song was to the tune of that. But it was all about working with him and all about his character. And it was really cool. We all sang it. And, yeah, he did get really emotional. It was really nice.
Dylan: He got emotional.
Kerris: Yeah, it was one of the most special moments ever.
Ed: I have to say it was really sad, though. You know, because it was his last day. It was near the end.
Kerris: Yeah, it was very emotional. The whole crew was there on the set. And we got to like sing it together. We had the lyrics and everything. And they had a little speaker that they let us use to play the song. And it was-- it was such a like special moment.
Ed: That was a really special moment.
Dylan: It was amazing.
Ed: Yeah.
Kerris: Always makes me happy.
Q: Were you all familiar with the book, you know, the story and the book before you started making the movie before you got involved with the project? Had you read it as kids?
Kerris: I read it as a kid. My mom read it to me and my sister. And I grew up with it and loved it.
Dylan: I didn't read-- get that read to me when I was younger. I’m very glad to be a part of it now and bringing it back to people’s attention.
Ed: I was familiar with it. I never had it read to me like Dylan said. But I knew what it was. I knew that's the book with the stupid title. The Alexander and I still call it that today.
Q: What was your take away personally for each and every one of you from this movie working with fabulous, you know, cast and the director?
Kerris: This was our take away.
Ed: This, this friendship.
Dylan: Aw!
Ed: Yeah.
Dylan: Get out. Uh, no, really, though, I mean honestly, it-- that's true because I can't imagine not doing it because we have become such good friends that I literally can't imagine not having the experiences that we’ve had after filming. It was kinda like fate. It’s kinda weird to say. But it really was fate because we-- we’re really close.
Kerris: It’s cool to have a movie that, you know, you are proud of and you enjoyed making. And then literally to walk away and go my life would be completely different if I hadn't done that movie 'cause I wouldn’t have met the people I met and had the experiences that I have. So, yeah, it’s very dear to our hearts I think.
Dylan: Definitely.
Q: How was it working with Bella?
Dylan: Great. It seems the kind of character that a lot of people can play in the same way. I think that Bella does it perfectly in a way that she also does it in her own way. So Celia’s very hateable. But at the same time there's a part of you that. . .
Kerris: You understand her. Yeah.
Dylan: You understand what she's saying. And it’s interesting how she did it 'cause she also is not like completely mean all the time. She's also kind of cool and kind of like careless. She's like Willy Wonka.
Ed: But, yeah, like she's trying to get her point across.
Dylan: Like what are you wearing? What she does is so perfect.
Kerris: I really liked-- personally I liked that she wasn't like a super prissy mean girl because that's so, you know, overdone.
Ed: It’s very cliché.
Kerris: And she's so like just normal and straight, I feel like relatable in that way. Prom is so important to her. And, you know, her social standing is so important to her character. So it’s like, you kinda get where she's coming from, you know? She wants her day to go perfect just like, you know, Alexander and Emily and everybody wants their day to go perfect. I feel for Celia. I feel bad for her. Yeah.
Dylan: But she just doesn't go bad in the right way, her character. But Bella does it really well.
Q : we can tell the camaraderie you guys have.
Kerris: It’s all fake. [LAUGHTER]
Dylan: Just for today.
Ed: Yeah, just for today.
Q: No, I’m just wondering is this like one of your favorite projects that you guys have worked on?
Ed: This is the best project I've worked on.
Dylan: It goes without saying that this is just, it’s life changing. The amount-- the experiences that we're all gonna have together throughout life now just because of this we're gonna-- I’m gonna always be able to watch this movie and-- and think that this was such a great time in my life that I’ll never regret doing it ever. It’s really special. And the premiere night’s gonna be great.
Kerris: It’s gonna be so fun.
Dylan: Seeing it in theatres with people is gonna be great.
Ed: Yeah, I can't wait just to see it in front of the real audience.
Q: We got to see with a bunch of people that weren't just bloggers or press last night. And the response was wonderful
Dylan: Oh, great.
Kerris: Yay!
Ed: That's great. That's really good to hear.
Q: The audience was very engaged, very few if any bathroom breaks, even for very young kids.
Kerris: That's so cool. Thank-- thank you for telling us that.
Dylan: That's really awesome.
Q: It'll be really great for you guys to see it.
Dylan: Oh, I can't wait.
Kerris: Yeah, I’m excited.
Dylan: I saw the trailer in a movie theatre. And they showed it and the theatre was packed. And everybody was laughing at the trailer. And I was like, wow, this is good.
Q : My question’s for Kerris. How was the scene where you performed [on] cough syrup?
Kerris: It was really fun. I doing the audition process and I read the script. I was like I can't wait for this day. And I kept asking when am I filming it? When am I filming it? And they're like it’ll be the last day. So my last day on set I got to do the flying scene. And it was so much fun 'cause it was like, it was a life goal to play Peter Pan. I've always wanted to play Peter Pan. And I grew up with the Cathy Rigby DVD of Peter Pan. It was so fun. And like to do a twist on Peter Pan, which was that I'm just intoxicated with cough syrup, which I don't think I ever picked.
Ed: Her own weird drugs-- drug twist on Peter Pan.
Kerris: Yeah, it’s Peter Pan like you've never seen her before.
Ed: And you probably don't want to see her.
Kerris: And you'll never see her again and don't want to. No, but it was so much fun. I really loved being the harness, and I really like how it turned out.
Ed: I was there watching it. I wasn't even called for set. And I was just there watching it. And it was hilarious.
Kerris: Laughing probably.
Ed: Everyone was laughing. Yeah.
Kerris: It was really fun. It was a good day.
It was great meeting and interviewing these three actors. They were great. And they are great in the movie!!
ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY opens in theaters everywhere on October 10th!
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