At age 75, actor Dustin Hoffman has made his directorial debut with Quartet, a film following the lives of four opera singers in a home for retired musicians.
Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay and Maggie Smith star in writer Ronald Harwood‘s adaptation of his own play.
At the film’s BFI London Film Festival premiere, I spoke to the director, stars, writer and producer, and here’s what they had to say…
Dustin Hoffman compares first-time directing with sex, talks about why he chose Quartet as his first feature film as director, and chats about allowing actors to fail and his passion for playing jazz piano:
Billy Connolly on working with Dustin Hoffman, Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon; getting more nervous as a performer; and what he enjoys most about getting older:
Actress Pauline Collins on being cast in Quartet and learning to sing:
Writer Ronald Harwood on adapting his own play for cinema, the inventiveness of Dustin Hoffman, and what he enjoys most about his work:
Producer Finola Dwyer on working with Dustin Hoffman and a big cast in their 70s and 80s, making way for weddings, and shooting Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down and setting up Brooklyn with Rooney Mara:
The 56th BFI London Film Festival runs from 10 to 21 October 2012. Click here for more details.
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