I'm friends with a lot of comedians, but we don't talk about material. Most comedians I know don't watch a lot of other comedy.
I was told about 'Misfits' when we were in prep for 'Chronicle', and I wanted to watch it badly because I'm a fan of that kind of stuff. But I stopped myself because I was very careful about not getting too much contemporary influence.
The thing is that when I'm making music, I'm not really chasing that sound - the Atlanta sound that we hear a lot.
If someone has already done a role I'm about to do, I won't watch the original until after I'm finished playing the role.
I remember watching Robert Powell many years ago. He did 'Jesus of Nazareth,' and I remember thinking that was probably my favorite. Once I got the role, I didn't want to watch anything, because it only influences what you do.
I avoid watching other people's versions of films or plays that I work on.
I don't watch a lot of other people's parodies because I don't want to be unduly influenced.
When I see a good film, it's like a whiplash. I run away, in order not to be influenced. Thus, the films I liked most are those I think least about.
I thought of Jeff Bridges in 'Hell or High Water' and Ben Foster, and I kept trying very hard not to, because you're terrified you're going to write this thing that then feeds specifically to this one person that then won't do it.
