Q 6

PLAYBOY: Burt Reynolds has received raves for his role as the filmmaker Jack Horner. Critics write of his career being resurrected and a possible Oscar nomination. But he didn't promote or support the film, and there were rumors he had some problems with it. What can you say to Burt to help him feel better about his performance?

Paul Thomas Anderson: Near the end of Burt's autobiography--which I listened to on tape--he says, and I'm paraphrasing: "I know I will never win an Oscar, because no one really respects me as an actor. But here's the speech I would give if I did win." He gives a beautiful speech, sort of thanks his son, Quinton. I just hope he gets to give it for real so maybe he'll believe that people do respect him and like him. I'm proud of Burt's performance.

That said, let me tell you a funny little story. A friend of mine named Mike Stein--he played Dirk Diggler in the original Dirk Diggler Story--was in a supermarket in Van Nuys about midnight a couple months ago. He saw Burt's friend Dom DeLuise in the frozen-food section. Mike walked up and said, "Mr. DeLuise? My name's Mike Stein, and I want to tell you I think you're great. I've been watching you for years and you're just wonderful." Dom thanked him and they started to chat. Eventually, Mike felt it was appropriate to say, "I have a friend who just worked with Burt. They made a movie together." Dom said, "Oh, that's great. What's the movie?" Mike said, "It's called Boogie Nights. It's about porn stars, about a hot new talent and the turbulent things he goes through in becoming the world's biggest porn star." And Dom said, "Oh, that's great. Is Burt going to play that part?"

Q 7

PLAYBOY: Was that Burt's problem? He really wanted Wahlberg's part?

Paul Thomas Anderson: No, but that's why Warren Beatty isn't in the movie. Warren called me and said, "I love this script. Let's talk." He's really seductive on the phone. It's like being flashed with that Men in Black memory device: Bap! "I don't know how you did that or what just happened, but suddenly you've got me under your spell." After two weeks of going round, I finally deciphered his meaning. I said, "You want to play Dirk Diggler, don't you?" He said, "Yeah, let's go!" I think he was joking and not joking. I said, "I know, I know! Everybody wants to play Dirk. But, Warren...."

Q 8

PLAYBOY: With all the attention that you've received on this film, it seems you're experiencing a Dirk Diggler-like success. Did writing the part teach you how to handle it?

Paul Thomas Anderson: Absolutely, I'm him. I have a very large penis and a Nissan Sentra. I just need to trade that in for a red Corvette [laughs]. As we're talking, I'm right in the middle of the heat. And I don't want to feel bad--as is my tendency--about enjoying that people are loving this movie, that a million celebrities are calling, going, "Blah blah blah, I want to meet you! Oh my God!" I just spent two years of my life--without a vacation--making this. So it's OK to feel good instead of thinking I don't deserve it. And with my next movie, I plan to take advantage of it all. Now I'm getting promised final cut. I'm being promised Kodak prints instead of Fuji prints. Wonderful. A powerful, charismatic studio head sat me down yesterday and said, "Your next three movies are green-lit. Keep them all under $15 million. You've got final cut, you don't have to do a preview and you're set. Go. Shake my hand, yes or no." I said, "Well, I don't fuck on the first date. I'm sorry, I can't do that." Why? Although he has a good record and is brilliant at marketing movies, the truth is, I won't have to deal with just him. There are 40 other people at the company who will be involved in my movie. I have to meet and get to know them before I can commit to making a movie there. So I said, "That's very flattering and I don't want to be the jerk kid who says, 'Go fuck yourself and your deal,' but I have to protect myself and the actors in the movies I make. I've got to know more." So he laughed and smiled and said, "Thirty million!" Just kidding. He said, "I understand, and I'll bet you don't call me."

Q 9

PLAYBOY: Who did you call?

Paul Thomas Anderson: Spielberg. He wanted to meet. When God calls, you show up. You take off the blinders, you tuck in your shirt and you go and see him. It was thrilling. I got to lunch with him on the day my movie opened. I said, "This feels very odd yet wonderful." My first influences were Jaws and Close Encounters. I saw them when I was seven, and I knew what I wanted to do. So sitting with him I had this weird flashback. Despite all this talk about my being a hotshot, any juice I might have had was drained right there, and I was a seven-year-old again. I asked him, "What do you think of the way we're releasing the movie?" He said he thought it was great and, "I think you're going to make a lot of money." I said, "Well, you're the only human being who knows."

Q 10

PLAYBOY: Gwyneth Paltrow has said you're obsessed with the actors to the point of--in her case--making them feel supremely confident. What did she mean? When shooting is over and the actors move on, can you? What's your weaning process?

Paul Thomas Anderson: Sometimes I can take being a fan to excess. Maybe part of the reason this movie is so long is that I love staring at the actors with the camera. I can let things go on for a long time just because I'm getting off on it. My selfish love for them can get in the way of telling the story. It happens because I believe in working with actors who are my friends. I treat their characters with the same respect and dignity I have for real people. My relationship with the actor is right there on-screen. I think it gives me an advantage.

There is no weaning process. When the movie's over, I am a jilted lover who is jealous that the actor is making a movie with anyone but me. When Julianne Moore went off to do Spielberg's The Lost World after she did Boogie Nights, I was jealous and hurt. Of course, I love that she did his movie, but a weird thing happens. It's like they're out there cheating on me. After Hard Eight I told Gwyneth, "I can't believe you're cheating on me." She said, "Oh shut up." But I can't help it. And it's good in the way it compels me to write again, so I can win them back. That is where my writing comes from: I'm concocting ways to watch my friends act.

Q 11

PLAYBOY: If you had to choose between writing and directing--

Paul Thomas Anderson: Oh fuck off. That's Sophie's Choice. [Smiles] I suppose I'd write and then I'd terrorize whoever was directing. I'd stare over his shoulder. I'd tear off his face, like Hannibal Lecter did, and plaster it onto mine. I'd eat him.

Q 12

PLAYBOY: You're doing this interview at a deli whose slogan is "Every sandwich is a work of Art," Art being the owner. Let's make lunch: Describe Dirk Diggler, Amber Waves, Jack Horner and Rollergirl as if they were on the menu.

Paul Thomas Anderson: Dirk: a sandwich with lots of special sauce. But I can't tell you what the special sauce is. Amber Waves: a bowl of soup, a warm, cuddly, beautiful chicken noodle soup. The Jack Horner sandwich: a lot of ham and cheese. And you have to take away a lot of the ham. Rollergirl: a sandwich you can't get a bite out of, no matter how hard you try.