Alec Baldwin and Woody Allen met on Instagram for a live interview early Tuesday evening German time (June 28). The curious conversation was accompanied by problems with barking dogs (Baldwin) and the Internet connection (Allen): When the director’s picture froze, Baldwin took advantage of the moment to call his four-legged friends to order in Spanish in the next room – in translated words: “Leonetta! Leonetta! It is enough! The dogs! It is enough! The dogs. That’s enough!” The viewers also got to see his baggy, blue sweatpants.
When the promo whip cracks
But first, Baldwin explained to his longtime friend what he thinks Instagram is: “the Radio City Music Hall of the Millennials.” Maybe that was also necessary – the 86-year-old is not represented on the social platform. One reason for the public discussion is likely to be a book with comedic short stories written by Allen: “Zero Gravity” has just been published in the States, so Baldwin logically held the hardcover up to the shaky camera.
About this and that
Basically, the almost three quarters of an hour could be called banter: Allen emphasized the importance of the New Yorker magazine for young authors when he was in his twenties. He said that he would have liked to work with the Marx Brothers comedy troupe and write a good novel. During the pandemic, he also learned to appreciate staying at home. Baldwin mostly agreed; now and then he joked. After all, Allen, who has not been behind the camera for three years, announced that he would like to shoot again in the fall – in the French capital.
Controversies were hushed up
What was missing was an examination of those topics that make both Hollywood seniors outcasts of the dream factory: Neither the fatal shot from Baldwin’s gun on the film set of the western “Rust” was mentioned, nor the issues raised for three decades – and taken seriously for a few years – Abuse allegations against Woody Allen. Baldwin had previously named the director in reference to the four-part documentary series Allen v. Farrow” defended: “If you think a case should be brought through an HBO documentary, then that’s your problem.” he wrote on Instagram.