His book chronicling his devilish association with the Outlaws was first published in 1968.
Whereas Johnnys already playing a part, hes quoting back Marlon Brando inThe Wild One.
Bennys an empty vessel, Nichols explained.
Austin Butler in ‘The Bikeriders’ and Jeff NicholsKyle Kaplan/Baz Bamigboye
Its like a glass with no bottle.
Its what makes it star-crossed.
The 20th Century Studios title opens in U.S. theaters on December 1.
Danny Lyon: The Bikeriders. Photo courtesy of Jackson Fine Art.
These are not people we want to idolize, but that doesnt mean theyre not attractive, he argued.
And I think to deny it is to not be honest.
Nichols used those words to offer a glimpse of Americas dark underbelly.
Theres a harshness, theres a roughness.
Theres also beauty in that.
His parents grew up an hour outside of Little Rock in Altheimer.
My dad grew up very poor in cotton land.
Nichols told me his dad was raised by a single mom.
And so they came out of a very working-class place.
Thats where our grandparents lived.
Thats where we grew up.
Later on, his dad owned a piano store and then became a furniture salesman.
I didnt grow up with that chip on my shoulder of, I hate small towns.
I believe thats why hes fully able to grasp who the characters inThe Bikeridersare.
He approaches the story through character, not through narrative plot.
Theyre not chess pieces, he said.
And I care about them because I see them.
Perhaps, it has something to do with the fact that I dont come from here [America].
Sometimes we admit to them.
And thats where the really interesting stuff starts to exist and starts to be created.
The alienated, he observed produce things.
Theyre actually thinking about who they are.
And theyve put love into those bikes and its all an outward expression of some identity for themselves.
But theyre also on the fringe.
And as soon as you start that, it starts to die.
It becomes an affection of itself almost.
Its such a super touch.
Yeah, its kind of like a joke, like Im a biker.
Come and watch this movie, Nichols laughed.
Nor does Lyon know where she might be or what happened to her over the intervening years.
But I kinda know Kathy.
I know women as the backbone of our culture.
Comer channels that strength into her acting.
I sat on two awards panels that honored Comers performance.
I mean, it was a no-brainer.
My point being that Comer was born to play Kathy inThe Bikeriders.
I heard a couple of people moan that she didnt accurately capture the right American accent.
I couldnt give a fig about that.
Did she manage to capture the character?!
So I knew that box was checked.
Theres no vanity there.
Then I found out its that times a million.
With Comer set, Nichols pursued Hardy.
They met at his home in London.
He vibrates with energy, Nichols recalled.
I go in and Im kind of processing the Tom meeting.
Then this play starts.
I hadnt really read anything about it.
I knew it was a one-woman show.
I walk out of that play and Im like, Im the luckiest director in the world.
Like this is it.
Then he went after Butler.
That guys a movie star, he exclaimed.
Hes got the chops and then some, Nichols agreed.
Butler had the sense to underplay Benny.
I have to give him credit for that because thats what that character needed to do.
There has to be a kind of emotional barrier for that guy, for the whole thing to work.
Hes so charming, Nichols said of Butler.
Id go up to him and Id be like, See, youve got to stop smiling so much.
Hed be like, Oh, okay, Jeff.
Id be like, No, youre doing it again.
Stop being so charming.
But he has an aura around him.
What is it, Jeff?
I demanded, nicely.
I cant tell you.
Come on, I said, Tell Uncle Baz.
You know you want to.
He shook his head.
I dont know if hell do it or not, but yeah, I got something up my sleeve.
Its a real-life character.
Itd blow peoples socks off.
Well see, well see.
Francine Maisler should win an Oscar for casting, if there was ever such a thing.
The BAFTAs have a category for casting directors.
Hes got that hint, that mark of something.
But he needs to stop playing menacing characters otherwise hell be stuck.
Hes got much more to give than that.
Nichols agreed that Wallace is going to be something special.
He also saw him inBabyteethwhere he looks like a stray dog.
Thats what we wanted.
I think youre in young Sean Penn territory there.
I think that guy has some serious gears.
But honestly, in this cast, you might throw a rock and hit talent, he boasted.
Its devastating for so many people, he told me.
I just want them to get back to the table and get down to business.
They need to do it now.
Today, get back to the table, he cried.
I like cities but Torontos a bit too extreme for me.
Ive been coming here for decades but Ive never mastered it.
Everythings always awesome, which drives me nuts.
And there are galas for this film and that film and theres just too much faffing about.
Telluride, on the other hand, forswears red carpet palaver, which makes me very happy.
Its all about the movies minus the fuss.
Thats not to say that there wont be great movies at TIFF.
There are a few things in the program that are just ace.
I guess I just miss those glorious, wide-open spaces and forested peaks.
And the wild bears!
