Judy Greer’s ‘Halloween’ party
She’s out of the shadows and into the limelight.
Spoiler alert! We’re discussing the ending of the new “Halloween” movie, so beware if you haven’t seen it yet.
Judy Greer just had the weekend of a lifetime.
Her movie “Halloween” raked in $77.5 million at the box office, an alltime best opening for the franchise (and the second-biggest October opening ever). Fans can’t stop talking about Greer, who emerges from the shadows to take down Michael Myers. On the heels of that fiery finale, we felt a need to check in on Greer’s next move.
Q: Congratulations on that recordsetting opening weekend! How did you find out the good news?
Judy Greer: Blumhouse (the film’s production company) has a Halloween party every year, which I’ve never been invited to before, just because I’ve never done a Blumhouse movie. Their party was on Saturday night and it was just really perfect timing for a party at Blumhouse. It was so fun and everyone was like, omigod!
Q: Wait, back up. What was THAT party like?
Greer: It took over the whole floor of a high-rise building, and we were looking out at 360 views around Los Angeles. There was a DJ and the costumes were so next-level awesome. There were photo booths with different scary characters and they were playing Blumhouse movies. I was Justin Turner from the Dodgers and my husband was Clayton Kershaw from the Dodgers, of course.
Q: We need to talk about your character Karen Strode’s arc “Halloween.” How did you find out that it would be Karen who took Michael Myers down, especially in that way, feigning helplessness before pulling the trigger? Greer: I honestly don’t remember
reading it that way in the script. We did so many different versions and so many different takes. It was something we were just playing with while we were shooting. We did talk about Karen having to muster up her violent side and her anger, and also her fierce mama bear tendencies to save her family. That was always in the script. ... I kept thinking, no one ever lets me do this!
Q: So when did you actually find out Karen becomes the star of the finale? Greer: At Toronto Film Festival. That’s when I saw the movie.
Q: You found out with the audience? How did you react?
Greer: I was shaking, and I thought I was hyperventilating. I posted a picture of us backstage and I’m just like “Oh, my God.” And Jamie (Lee Curtis) and Andi (Matichak) are staring at me and laughing. ... I remember shooting that stuff; you never know what’s going to end up in the final movie.
Q: Now you’re being celebrated across the Internet, and a lot of fans want to see you in more strong lead roles. You wrote a book, “I Don’t Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star,” about always playing the sidekick/best friend. How do you feel about this moment?
Greer: I’m super-happy and grateful with the way everything’s been going for me. I am the tortoise and not the hare. ... If it does open up other types of characters, if people can see me doing that, how cool is that? I’m down for that.
Q: After you spoke at Jennifer Garner’s Walk of Fame star ceremony, everyone started clamoring for the two of you to collaborate again. (The two famously starred in “13 Going on 30” together.) Is it working?
Greer: A year ago, we had been sort of trying to put together something like a television show. ... We totally want to work together again but there’s nothing specific I can say.
Q: Has your “Kidding” co-star Jim Carrey gifted you any of his paintings yet?
Greer: No, and I’m a little resentful. Now that we got our second season, I’m going to say, um, can I have one of your paintings? But I’m really excited about his book. (Carrey is working on a novel with Dana Vachon.) I asked him if I could read a galley copy, and he was so sweet, I didn’t even realize his response was a no. It was like, the greatest no in the world. How does he do that?
Q: Do you think your “Ant-Man” character is dead after Thanos’ deadly snap in “Avengers: Infinity War”?
Greer: I hope not. I keep bugging Peyton (Reed, the director): Can I please have a superpower? Pleaseeee. Like everyone else at the premiere, I was watching (the superhero massacre) and I was like, nooooo. I read that in the script when we were shooting it but I did not understand it. The Quantum Realm stuff ? I was like, I just don’t get it. Then when I saw the movie, I was like, it’s so good! I totally understand it! I’m smart, I get it!