The Hollywood Reporter continues its awards roundtables, following up actresses, actors, and writers, with a chat between directors David O. Russell (The Fighter), Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan), Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right), Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, who sounds exactly like Ryan Gosling does in that film), Peter Weir (The Way Back, which … is not really an awards contender), and Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech). The directors talk a bunch about the MPAA, budgets, violence, and megalomania, but Russell steals the show. He quotes George Lucas as saying, “If you want me to make you feel something, that’s not hard. I’ll choke a kitten in front of you, and you’ll feel something,†explains that The Fighter’s budget was $20 million, just $11 below the line, and also says of Amy Adams she was “playing a tough bitch against type… There is nothing better than getting an actress who played a Tinkerbell through five movies, and is ready to play a bitch.†Russell also talks about his George Clooney dustup from back on Three Kings: “I think I’ve talked about it so much and it’s such old news. Of course I went to him, and of course, and of course you try everything you can, to make it as good as you can. I’m not a tactful or political person, to my own detriment.â€
Watch the full-length chat here: