Last week I had a dream mother-daughter moment where I was able to bring my daughter to work with me. Well, work came to us in the form of a very important telephone call with Jennifer Garner regarding her role in the new family film, Nine Lives.
Watch the trailer (below) to learn about the Nine Lives film.
Jennifer Garner is the only actress I have ever heard my teen daughter refer to as her favorite. When Mom Does Reviews was asked to join in on a telephone conference with her — I had to! (In a “yes, yes! pick me! pick me!” way!)
Although I didn’t have the specifics, I quickly ran to my daughter to tell her the good news. As soon as I made it to her I received a text that saying, not only could my daughter sit in with me, but she would be able to ask Mom Does Reviews’ questions on our behalf!
For two days my teen and I screened the Nine Lives film, prepared our questions, and practiced. When the moment arrived, she and I huddled up together in the quietest room in the house, waited for Jennifer Garner to get on the line, and then we heard her voice say…
“Hi, ladies!”
That was the moment it all became real to my daughter. “It’s really her!!!” she mouthed as quietly as possible.
We waited patiently while other bloggers and writers had a chance to ask their questions — and then we were up!
Mom Does Reviews asked:
“What was your favorite moment with the cats
that didn’t make it into the movie?”
My daughter was so nervous she almost cried mid sentence.
Jennifer sweetly calmed her and allowed her to proceed.
Jennifer Garner replied that the funniest moments that didn’t make it were the ones that couldn’t. That is, the protective gear some had to wear under their clothes to themselves safe from the attack of the cat during specific scenes, OR the cat toys that were pinned onto their clothing to make the cat respond like it should.
“Oh, my gosh. There’s so many moments into the film were actually where we had specific cats. We would do things like safety pin chicken, safety pin chicken onto [Mark Consuelos] hand so the cat would jump to his crotch and then jump up to his shoulder.
He had chicken safety pinned all over his body, and he had to wear protective covering for himself because he was about to have a cat jumping onto his skin and holding on with its claws.”
As you can imagine, my daughter was thrilled to have spoken with Jennifer Garner. After their quick chat regarding the behind the scenes of Nine Lives, she decided her little heart had all the fun it could handle. She asked me to proceed with our second question.
Mom Does Reviews asked:
“When you’re filming a role like this,
are you able to bring your children with you?”
Jennifer Garner told us how supportive the Director of Nine Lives, Barry Sonnefeld, was. And how he never questioned her schedule. If she needed to be home for the last day of school or kindergarten graduation — she was! With an estimated fourteen flights in a few short weeks, she managed to squeeze in as much as she could and take advantage of every spare moment!
You know, I was just thinking about that because this is the first movie I had ever done I think–that might be a lie, but I don’t think so–where I flew back and forth and my kids stayed in LA in school.
And they didn’t even come to Montreal at all. They were towards the end of their school year, and I was just boogying through. And we figured out the schedule, so I was able to go home–if I worked four days, I’d be home at least four days, or something. But, I was never gone for more than the four days.
And Barry Sonnenfeld never questioned it. He only worked to get me an earlier flight so I could make bedtime. He never said, “Are you going to be on the red eye? I don’t want you looking tired on camera.” He just supported it, and that’s the only reason it was possible.
There was so many flights, I think I worked four and a half weeks on the movie, and I’m not kidding. I think I did the flight 14 times because there would be weeks where you go through the schedule before you start shooting, and they’d say we have to have you up on Monday.
I’d say, okay, I’ll fly in Sunday. I’ll work on Monday, and then I’d say, but my kids’ last day of school is Tuesday. And I have one graduating from Kindergarten. So, I have to get there. And they’d say, okay. She could fly back home Tuesday, and then we need you again Thursday/Friday.
I was flying back and forth. I got so much done on that plane. It was amazing. It was so quiet and peaceful, and there wasn’t Wi-Fi. And so, I wrote my daughter all her letters for camp. I did so much stuff on that plane. It was amazing.
Nine Lives opens in theaters TODAY!
Get your tickets HERE
At the start of our interview, there was a little chatting about how excited Jennifer Garner was that a new generation would get to know the brillance of Christopher Walken. You could tell, in her voice, that she was a fan. Later in the conference I was really happy when another blogger asked her what he was like behind the scenes.
Christopher Walken did not do one crazy thing. He was quiet and on time and knew his stuff and was clever and pleasantly funny and completely un-crazy. ~ Jennifer Garner
About Nine Lives
Directed By: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Christopher Walken,
Jennifer Garner, and Robbie Amell
Before our interview with Jennifer Garner, my family and I had a chance to screen the new Nine Lives movie before it made it to the theaters! I have to tell you, it was one of the best family films I have seen in a while. All of the actors on the film did a phenomenal job AND Mr. Fuzzypants? Whoever named the cat in this film was a genius!
All six children in my home, ages 2-16 enjoyed the film and sat through the entire thing — we loved every moment of it!
Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) is a daredevil billionaire at the top of his game. His eponymous company FireBrand is nearing completion on its greatest achievement to date – the tallest skyscraper in the northern hemisphere. But Tom’s workaholic lifestyle has disconnected him from his family, particularly his beautiful wife Lara (Jennifer Garner) and his adoring daughter Rebecca (Malina Weissman).
Rebecca’s 11th birthday is here, and she wants the gift she wants every year, a cat. Tom hates cats, but he is without a gift and time is running out. His GPS directs him to a mystical pet store brimming with odd and exotic cats- where the store’s eccentric owner- Felix Perkins (Christopher Walken), presents him with a majestic tomcat, named Mr. Fuzzypants.
En route to present his daughter with her dream pet, a bizarre turn of events finds Tom trapped inside the body of Mr. Fuzzypants. Adopted by his own family, he begins to experience what life is truly like for the family pet, and as a cat, Tom begins to see his family and his life through a new and unexpected perspective. Meanwhile, his family adjusts to life with an odd and stubborn cat, and his son David (Robbie Amell), steps up in ways Tom never expected.
If any hope exists of returning to his family as the husband and father they deserve, Tom will have to learn why he has been placed in this peculiar situation and the great lengths he must go to earn back his human existence.
Nine Lives on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Official Site
Mr. Fuzzypants on Instagram
