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The Time I Met Eric and Eliza Roberts...Virtually
Doug Dietz • March 1, 2021
The Time I met Eric and Eliza Roberts....Virtually
So last June, we were about 15 months in doing the podcast and I interviewed a lot of big names like William Sadler, Robert Hays, Tiny Lister, Vanessa Angel, and more, so I was getting more confident, the more and more I did. Then one day through a connection I made, Hollywood is big on connections and so is podcasting, they reached out to say, “Would you want to interview Eric Roberts.” Right away I said, “Of course,” then I got nervous thinking, “Oh my god, this is Eric Roberts. A living legend.”
So I did my research watching as much of Eric’s acting resume as I could with my wife. Side note we watched a great movie called “The Ambulance”, starring Eric Roberts and James Earl Jones, that has Eric playing a Marvel Comic illustrator and there is a Stan Lee sighting! Anyways, so a week before the interview I was told Eric’s wife Eliza would be joining him for our chat and then I looked her up and wow. Eliza has quote the resume herself, she played “Brunella” in the John Landis comedy “Animal House” plus she was in his first big film “Schlock”. Eliza is also Hollywood Royalty because of her screenwriting parents, her mom wrote on big time tv shows like “Bewitched” and her dad wrote the movies “The Firm” and “Sabrina”, so she grew up in the business. The day finally came and I could not believe how amazing they were to talk to and the way they met is the perfect story for a romantic comedy. Here the excerpt about how they met below.
Eliza Roberts: Besides the fact that our circles were so close, we almost met so many times we knew so many people in common.
Eric Roberts: And then as a casting director, she tried to cast me in a bunch of different stuff, a bunch of different times. And I almost said yes, like three times and we missed each other.
Eliza Roberts: So, I was doing a film with John Travolta and Benjamin Bratt in Florida and in New York. I was flying back to LA on MGM grand. And Eric was going out to do Best of the Best?
Eric Roberts:
No, I was coming in from Rome and I had to do a pickup shot in a film.
Eliza Roberts:
Okay. So, in those days, a plane was like a bus ticket, you could change your reservation. It didn't matter. So I had changed my reservation and at the last minute changed it back because I was done with my work and just kinda ran to the plane and we just happened to be seated next to each other on MGM.
Doug Dietz: Wow
Eliza Roberts:
Yeah. And, I had a script from my father called "Intersection", the movie that ended up with Richard Gere and Sharon Stone, but I didn't want to talk shop. So I put my script under the seat and thought I'm never going to get to read that thing. .And then, you know, we just started talking. Eric had a cat on his lap, named "Tender".
Eric Roberts: It was a Chick Magnet.
Eliza Roberts:
And also a child magnet there are a lot of kids from getting on the plane who wanted to see the kitty. So the plane lands and when I went home, I had to quickly go to a play I was in and I'm leaving the house in those days no cell phones, right. My babysitter came to the door as I was leaving and said," Hey, there's a call for you." I'm like, "I'm late, I have to go." And I said," Who is it?" He said, "Someone named Eric." I was just like, "I don't know". The dude(babysitter) covers the phone and says" Cause this sounds like Eric Roberts and I'm not going to tell Eric Roberts who knows you're here. Cause he hears me talking to you that you're not here. You're taking this call or I'm going to die"
Eric Roberts:
And that babysitter was Jeffrey Dean Morgan from "The Walking Dead".
So yeah, Negan from "The Walking Dead" played matchmaker and was Eliza's babysitter. WILD. That is just one of the so many great stories they told me on that day. All I can say is that 60ish minutes is something I will never forget. They both had some amazing behind the scene stories from some of my favorite movies of all time, but the one thing I will never forget is the kindest they both showed. I don’t know if they could tell through Zoom that I was nervous but they hurled some flattering compliments my way like,” You have a Hollywood look, are you an actor?” and Eric calling me, ” One cool dude.” I think that will be on the cover letter of my resume for any future employment. Would that get an HR manager's attention, "Woah, Eric Roberts called him a cool dude? Hire that man!" Maybe I will do that.
Thank you to Eric and Eliza Roberts and I hope you the reader, enjoy the interview because it’s an absolute blast. You can watch or listen to the full interview by clicking right here.
-Doug Dietz
Host of "The Good, The Bad, and The Sequel" Podcast
www.sequelsonly.com
"Weekend at Bernie's: The Quest for Fortune" INT. LARRY’S APARTMENT - DAY Larry is pacing around the room, talking on the phone. LARRY (excitedly) Richard, you won't believe what I just found on the dark web! CUT TO: INT. RICHARD’S OFFICE - DAY Richard is at his desk, looking uninterested. RICHARD (skeptically) What is it, Larry? LARRY (excitedly) A way to bring back Bernie from the dead! Can you believe it? Richard rolls his eyes. RICHARD (sighing) Larry, that's crazy. Bernie’s been dead for years. Let him rest in peace. LARRY (persistently) I know, I know, but think about it, Richard. We could finally find that hidden money Bernie had. Plus, it’ll be just like old times. RICHARD (firmly) No, Larry. It’s a bad idea. Just let it go. CUT TO: INT. LARRY’S APARTMENT - DAY Larry hangs up the phone and sees Winston and his friends listening from the door. LARRY (nervously) Uh, hey guys. What are you doing here? WINSTON (excitedly) We overheard your plan, Uncle Larry. Can we help bring Bernie back? Larry looks hesitant, but eventually agrees. LARRY (thinking) Well, I guess it couldn’t hurt. CUT TO: EXT. HAMPTON CEMETERY - DAY Winston, his friends, and Larry gather around Bernie’s grave. They perform the ceremony and Bernie rises from the dead. WINSTON (excitedly) It worked! Uncle Larry, you’re a genius! LARRY (laughing) Well, I try. CUT TO: INT. LARRY’S APARTMENT - DAY Bernie is now in Larry’s apartment, looking just like he did in the 90s. WINSTON (excitedly) Let's go find that hidden money, Uncle Larry! LARRY (excitedly) Yeah, let’s do it! CUT TO: EXT. CAT’S CREEK, MONTANA - DAY Richard catches wind of the scheme and goes to Cat’s Creek to stop them. But, he eventually gets convinced to play along. RICHARD (sighing) Alright, fine. I’ll play along. But, we need to be careful. WINSTON (excitedly) We got this, Dad. Richard, Larry, Winston, and Bernie are sneaking around trying to find Bernie’s safety deposit box. They finally uncover it, filled with gold bars worth millions. RICHARD (excitedly) We’re rich! WINSTON (excitedly) Yeah! LARRY (excitedly) Finally, all the money Bernie owed us for bringing him back is paid off. CUT TO: EXT. ROAD - DAY The mafia who Bernie stole the gold from chases them across the country in a car race . The group races across the country, trying to outrun the mafia. They encounter numerous obstacles, but with Winston's quick thinking and Richard's driving skills, they manage to stay ahead of the mafia. WINSTON (excitedly) We're doing it! We're actually doing it! RICHARD (concentrating) Just hang on a little longer, son. LARRY (nervously) I hope they don't catch us. BERNIE (calmly) Don't worry guys, I've got a trick or two up my sleeve. Suddenly, Bernie pulls out a map and points to a shortcut. BERNIE (excitedly) Take this road, it'll cut ten minutes off our time! Richard takes the turn, and they arrive at the bank in record time. CUT TO: INT. BANK - DAY The group rushes inside, grabbing the gold and making a run for it. The mafia is hot on their heels, but they manage to get away just in time. WINSTON (excitedly) We did it! We're rich! RICHARD (proudly) And we're still alive! LARRY (happily) And Bernie's back! BERNIE (smiling) And I couldn't be happier. CUT TO: EXT. ROAD - DAY The group continues their road trip, laughing and celebrating their newfound wealth. But, their joy is short-lived as they soon discover that the mafia has caught up to them again. WINSTON (worriedly) What do we do now? RICHARD (determinedly) We fight! INT. LARRY'S APARTMENT - DAY Richard, Larry, Winston, and Bernie are all in Larry's apartment, looking at the gold bars from the safety deposit box. LARRY (excitedly) Can you believe it? We're rich! RICHARD (skeptical) But what about the mafia? They're still after us. WINSTON (excitedly) We can handle them! BERNIE (smiling) I've always been lucky with the ladies, but now I'm lucky with money too! LARRY (laughing) We'll split the money four ways and live the life of luxury! Suddenly, there's a loud knock at the door. RICHARD (whispering) It's the mafia! Quick, hide Bernie! Winston and Larry hide Bernie in a closet while Richard goes to answer the door. It's two police officers. POLICE OFFICER 1 (officially) We received a tip that Bernie Lomax was seen in this apartment. RICHARD (nervously) Bernie Lomax? I've never heard of him. POLICE OFFICER 2 (suspiciously) Really? Then why does it look like someone's hiding in that closet over there? Richard tries to come up with an excuse, but Winston and Larry burst out of the closet with Bernie. WINSTON (excitedly) Bernie's back from the dead! The police officers are shocked and Bernie gives them a charming smile. BERNIE (smiling) Gentlemen, let me explain. The police officers listen to Bernie's story and how the gold was obtained through a series of unfortunate events. In the end, they confiscate the gold as evidence, but Bernie, Richard, Winston, and Larry all escape unscathed. INT. COLLEGE DORM ROOM - DAY Winston is in his college dorm room, surrounded by his new friends. He regales them with the story of Bernie's return from the dead and the wild adventure they went on. WINSTON (excitedly) And that's how I became a millionaire, even if it was just for a little while. His friends are in awe and Winston realizes that his bond with his father and Uncle Larry will last forever. WINSTON (V.O) (nostalgically) The adventure may be over, but the memories will last a lifetime. The screen fades to black as the theme music starts to play. THE END
"Ghoulies Go to the Hamptons" The Ghoulies are back and causing chaos in the luxurious Hamptons. Nick and his girlfriend Tiffany are spending a long weekend in the Hamptons, where Nick is meeting Tiffany's wealthy family for the first time. Act 1: Nick and Tiffany arrive at the Hamptons mansion and are greeted by Tiffany's parents. Tiffany's Mother: "Welcome to our home, dear. We're so glad you could make it." Nick: "Thank you, it's beautiful here. I can't wait to show off my comic book collection to your husband." Tiffany: "I told you he was a collector too, Nick." Nick is browsing a local comic store when he finds the Ghoulish comic. Nick: "Wow, this is rare. I've never seen anything like it before." Comic Store Owner: "That's a one of a kind, my friend. It's said to bring the ghoulies to life when it's read." Nick: "I have to have it." Nick brings the comic back to the mansion and hides it in his luggage. Nick: "I can't wait to read this, but I'll wait till we get back home." Act 2: Tiffany's mother finds the comic in Nick's luggage and reads it. Tiffany's Mother: "What is this strange comic book? I'm curious." The ghoulies are unleashed upon the Hamptons. Tiffany: "Nick, what have you done? The ghoulies are here!" Nick: "I didn't know this would happen, we have to stop them." Nick and Tiffany come up with a plan to use the spell from the comic to suck the ghoulies back in. Nick: "I remember reading a spell in the comic, it's our only chance." Tiffany: "We have to find the ingredients, and fast." Act 3: As they gather the ingredients, Nick and Tiffany face off against the ghoulies in a series of intense battles. Nick: "Come on, we can do this." Tiffany: "I'm right behind you." They are able to perform the spell and suck the ghoulies back into the Ghoulish comic. Nick: "It's done, they're gone." Tiffany: "We did it." Ending: Nick and Tiffany say goodbye to Tiffany's family and head back home. Nick: "I'm glad we saved the Hamptons, and our relationship with your family." Tiffany: "Me too, but I can't help but wonder what other secrets that comic book holds." Nick: "I don't know, but we'll have to be careful in the future." Tiffany: "I'm sure we will." The camera lingers on the Ghoulish comic, hinting at the possibility of a sequel.
I had a bot write a script for "Munchie Strikes Back" and it came up with the name "Munchie Strikes Again". Enjoy!
Death Wish 3 is the GREATEST action sequel of all time in my eyes. It is non-stop action with a lot of one-liners that move the insane plot along. It was the one Death Wish shown on WPIX channel 11 often on Saturdays and my dad always made sure we watched it. So, it was such an honor to team up with Chris Rauch who runs the Charles Bronson Fan Account on Twitter @bronsontweets9, and do a never before seen Death Wish 3 reunion with 3 of the main baddies. We got Alex Winter (Hermosa), Tony Spiridakis (Angel), and Kirk Taylor (The Giggler) together to reminisce about the movie and talk about Charles Bronson in honor of the movie’s release date of Nov 1 and Charles Bronson’s 100th birthday on Nov 3.
We recently reviewed "Robocop 3" and it is polar opposites of the 1st two movies. No blood, less action, and less Robocop. The film made money in the theaters (according to some websites and other websites claim it didn't), so it is a "success" in the eyes of the suits, but who was to blame for why it was so different from the first 2? So I surfed the internet that Al Gore graciously gave us and did my research about it. First, off Fred Dekker the director wanted the movie to be VERY different. He wanted A LOT more action because of the introduction of the "Roboninja", he wanted Hong Style stunt teams, but it wasn't in the budget. Then the blood and action got dialed down because the Robocop franchise was targeting a younger audience after it launched its Robocop cartoon and every Robocop toy imaginable was on the market. How could they make a Robocop 3 that their newest fan base couldn't see? They couldn't, so Fred Dekker was forced to make a PG-rated Robocop which is comical when you think about Alex Murphy's graphic death scene in the first one. Instead, we got a movie that featured a 10-year-old hacker named Nikko more than Robocop, which as a ten-year-old I would've loved, but older it just feels off a bit. Nikko, who is the greatest hacker ever, saved EVERYONE in the movie, watch it if you don't believe us. Fred also had an idea where Nancy Allen's character, who died in the end, comes back as a Robocop, which would've been fantastic, but we didn't get that. We got a movie that had Robocop obsolete for most of it. The silver lining of the movie is its cast which is full of budding stars and Rip Torn. It has Jodi Long, Jeff Garlin, Bradley Whitford, Stephen Root, and more. I just wanted MORE Robocop and more action because when Robocop was on screen, he had his classic one-liners that is what you loved about Robocop. Even if Peter Weller could've reprised his role wouldn't have changed the direction of the movie, Peter was stuck filming David Cronenberg's "Naked Lunch" at the time. The studio needed the movie to target its toy-loving and cartoon-watching audience, kids. As a sequel lover, I am happy it was made, so 28 years later we could review it on our podcast "The Good, The Bad, and The Sequel." Check out our review of Robocop 3 HERE Article written by Doug Dietz
Actor Jack O'Halloran had Quite the Story to Tell
TIL; There is a Sequel Script for Roger Rabbit 2 from 1989 and Here's What I Found. I discovered JJ Abrams was asked by Spielberg to an outline, Zemeckis has a script and even CGI Test footage from 1998.
I wanted to look back on how I ended up having the amazing opportunity to not just pick the brain of one Roberts, but two! Read more.
Face/Off 2 was just announced as a direct sequel, so being Doug the Sequel Dude, I took a stab at how the movie should be played out, sorta. ENJOY
Top Gun: Maverick is a sequel 35 years in the making and we are all for it. The cast is star studded with Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Val Kilmer (Iceman!), and Mile Teller playing the role of Goose's son. I love sequels, so I am all for it, but Meg Ryan is not on the IMDb, which is a shame since she was Mrs. Goose. Also, I would like a Kelly McGillis cameo, because she was so great in the first one and such an important part to that film. I just hope the actors I listed, who some aren't even in the trailer play a significant role in the movie, because who doesn't want a scene where Maverick has Iceman come in to teach the pilots a thing or two. Plus I kind of want Jon Hamm singing the Righteous Brothers with Cruise to some chick at the bar. Let's take a look at the IMDb synopsis since the trailer doesn't give us too much. IMDb synopsis: After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Okay wow, not much at all from that. Everyone knows the perfect years later sequel formula is, "Old throwback references + new topical storyline= $" and lets hope they follow, because of the reports of a 150 plus million dollar budget. So here is me giving it the old college try. So Maverick is teaching pilots and one of his new students is Goose's son. That element alone means a shirtless volleyball scene has to happen. Then since my formula needs a topical storyline, Russia, it's gotta involve Russia. I guess Ed Harris could play a good Russian president, but it will probably be just a random actor, because they need to recoup that budget, so they won't directly attack Putin by name. Check back in 6 months and we will see if I am right. I hope to get someone from the movie to interview about it, but until then happy watching. I feel the need for speed, because if this one goes well, then maybe, just maybe, we will get a Cocktail 2! Top Gun: Maverick is expected to hit theaters (and most likely VOD) on July 2nd, 2021.
