At a typical press junket, you’ve usually only got one or two days with the principal players and they’ve got to talk to reporters from all around the country (and sometimes the world) in the same day. That’s one of the main reasons when you do a TV interview, you only get four minutes. The studio has to keep everything moving like clockwork and you are moved in and out of the junket room like you’re speed dating. But withThe Art of Racing in the Rain, 20thCentury Fox let me do something extremely fun and I couldn’t be more thankful to the studio and everyone that made it happen.
As you probably saw in the thumbnail above, when I sat down to talk with the film’s starsMilo Ventimiglia&Amanda Seyfried, I teamed up withBest Friends Animal Societyand they brought a few dogs that need forever homes. If you’re not familiar with Best Friends, they’re a national animal welfare organization working to end the killing of cats and dogs in America’s shelters by 2025. To save homeless pets, they run a variety of lifesaving programs, partnerships and initiatives throughout the country. For more info,click here.
During the interview, Milo Ventimiglia & Amanda Seyfried talked about growing up with pets, what it was aboutThe Art of Racing in the Rainthat got them involved, who ruined the most takes, how they like to learn their lines, what TV show they’d like to guest star on, their first movie or TV show crushes, if they can watch themselves on screen, and so much more.
If you’re not familiar withThe Art of Racing in the Rain(now playing in theaters), it’s based on the book of the same name byGarth Steinand the film is told from the point of view of a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo, who is voiced byKevin Costner. Enzo’s best friend and owner is Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), an aspiring Formula One race car driver, and the story follows Denny’s journey of life, love, and loss—again, all through the eyes of his dog. Amanda Seyfried plays Ventimiglia’s wife.The film is directed bySimon Curtis(My Week with Marilyn) and written byMark Bomback(War for the Planet of the Apes) and also starsRyan Kiera Armstrong,Gary Cole,Kathy Baker, andMartin Donovan.
Check out what they had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by the official synopsis.
Again, a huge thank you to 20thCentury Fox for letting me do this with the cast and to every single person that made this interview happen. Also, a huge thank you to the Collider Video team for making the organized chaos come together in this video.
Milo Ventimiglia & Amanda Seyfried:
Here’s the official synopsis forThe Art of Racing in the Rain:
Based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is a heartfelt tale narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). Through his bond with his owner, Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), an aspiring Formula One race car driver, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition and understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life. The film follows Denny and the loves of his life – his wife, Eve (Amanda Seyfried), their young daughter Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and ultimately, his true best friend, Enzo.
