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The Today Show
September 3, 2002
Michael Vartan discusses his new movie, "One Hour Photo"
Interview by Ann Curry
Thanks to Jinnie for the transcript!
CURRY: Also, you and I are both big fans of the movie "Never Been
Kissed" with Drew Barrymore. And remember the teacher, Sam Coulson, in
this movie? We all just...
COURIC: I sure do.
CURRY: I mean, our kids were salivating over him. We were salivating
over him. Well, his name is Michael Vartan, and he's--did I say it
right? Vartan?
COURIC: Well, that's very French. Michael Vartan.
CURRY: Well, he actually grew up in France. But anyway, bottom line,
he's in this new movie with Robin Williams, you know, this scary movie,
"One Hour Photo."
COURIC: Right.
CURRY: And so it's a huge departure from the last role we remember him
in, although he's been in other things as well, including "Alias," the
TV show. Anyway, he's coming up in this half-hour, so be prepared to
salivate, girls. Katie:
COURIC: All right, looking forward to that.
ANN CURRY, co-host:
Audiences know him from roles like the school teacher and object of
Drew Barrymore's affection in "Never Been Kissed," or as agent Vaughn
in the popular TV show "Alias." Well, now, Michael Vartan can be seen
opposite Robin Williams in the new movie "One Hour Photo." This time,
he plays a father whose family is stalked by the man who develops their
photographs.
(Clip from "One Hour Photo")
CURRY: Michael Vartan, good morning.
Mr. MICHAEL VARTAN ("One Hour Photo): Good morning.
CURRY: This movie is more than spooky. It's really heartbreaking. You
say it's about a man who's gone unnoticed, really, for much of his life.
Mr. VARTAN: Yeah. I mean, Robin Williams...
CURRY: Sy, the photo guy.
Mr. VARTAN: Sy, yeah, played by Robin Williams. You can't help but feel
empathy for this character, even--I mean, in the movie, he does things
that aren't, you know, really recommended. But it all stems from--from,
I think, you know, lack of attention, God knows what his family life
must have been like. So everything in the movie kind of climaxes
towards--he loses his family twice, basically, you know, once as a
child and now his family that he idealized, yours.
CURRY: The fact that he--he plays, Robin Williams, this guy who goes
unnoticed, is shocking because, in fact, Robin...
Mr. VARTAN: Right.
CURRY: ...Williams would be the most noticed man in every--in any room.
And you say that what was interesting is that not only does he pull
this off, this frightening, you know, alienated character who's--who's
obsessed with this family, but--but--but that he didn't, as he was
preparing for this role, seem to need a lot of time leading up to it.
Explain that?
Mr. VARTAN: Well, I'm sure--I mean, I don't know what his methods are
and I'm sure he did, you know, his homework or whatever you want to
call it. But what was amazing is on set, to see him go from the Robin
we know to this...
CURRY: Who's really a whack job. I mean, really...
Mr. VARTAN: Yeah, he is.
CURRY: ...he just--he just goes off.
Mr. VARTAN: In the best possible way.
CURRY: In the best possible way. I mean, he just--he basically just
goes off and starts talking and--and is funny and all that kind of
stuff, and you're saying he switched into this guy.
Mr. VARTAN: I mean, just, you know...
CURRY: Like that.
Mr. VARTAN: ...10 seconds away and all of a sudden, it would change. It
was just really amazing and kind of inspiring to be able to witness
that firsthand, just see it happen.
CURRY: And he is one of the major reasons why you wanted to be in this
movie?
Mr. VARTAN: Of course. You know, it was an honor.
CURRY: And your character, Will Yorkin, is just the opposite of Sy.
He's this, you know, he's a good-looking guy, take a look at you,
he's--he's got a beautiful family, beautiful children, he's got a
business that he owns. And--and how--but he's not actually this perfect
guy, is he?
Mr. VARTAN: No. And I mean, again, you know, things are never what they
seem throughout the course of the movie. You realize this perfect,
ideal family that Sy thinks he's, you know, infatuated with, is far
from being perfect, but in fact has a lot of problems, so.
CURRY: His wife calls him emotionally neglectful.
Mr. VARTAN: Yes.
CURRY: In fact?
Mr. VARTAN: Isn't that what most wives call their husbands?
CURRY: Yeah, but--but that may be true, but, and maybe wom--maybe men
say the same thing about women, but in truth, this man is having an
affair with someone.
Mr. VARTAN: He is.
CURRY: And--and Sy, who's obsessed with this family, even imagines
himself as being the uncle...
Mr. VARTAN: Uh-huh.
CURRY: ...of this little boy, your--Will Yorkin's boy, you know, gets
upset and--and--and therein lies what happens. And we're not going to
give that part away.
Mr. VARTAN: Right.
CURRY: You know, I guess, you know, the thing about it is is that
it--this movie says more than--it's more than about fear, isn't it?
What is it, really?
Mr. VARTAN: You know, I think you alluded to it earlier. It--I think
different people will take away different things from it. Some people
will, you know, take away how--how empathetic this character is and how
sad when...
CURRY: Sad because we all have--felt it, identify with this alienation.
Mr. VARTAN: Yeah, absolutely. Neglected, ignored. It's--no one likes to
feel, you know, unwanted or invisible. And some people might just take
away that they'll never get their pictures developed at a one-hour
photo store, so.
CURRY: From anybody else.
Mr. VARTAN: Right.
CURRY: You know, you've also been in "Never Been Kissed," as we
mentioned, and you've been able to play this character in--in "Alias,"
which is this--this agent. But yet, you've come a long way from Fleury,
the little town of Fleury, France, where you grew up until you were 18.
Mr. VARTAN: Yes. It's a long, hard road.
CURRY: Yeah?
Mr. VARTAN: Well, you know, it's--I've been doing this on and off for
15 years and, you know, the--the travels are--are not always fun, but
I'm here now, so, happy to be here.
CURRY: You are here now, and you're here in a major movie, so.
Mr. VARTAN: Yes, very lucky.
CURRY: Well, and talented, too.
Mr. VARTAN: Thank you.
CURRY: Michael Vartan, thank you so much.
Mr. VARTAN: Thanks for having me.
CURRY: All right. We look forward to seeing more of you.
Mr. VARTAN: Thank you.
CURRY: All right. And you can catch "One Hour Photo" in theaters right
now.
© National Broadcasting Co. Inc., NBC News Transcripts 2002
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