With "Fred Claus" opening in theaters on November 9th, we thought we'd ask John Michael Higgins (Michael), who plays Willy the elf about the movie and his life. You know Michael from all of the Christipher Guest movies and most recently from The Break-Up & Evan Almighty. I first met Michael 10 yrs ago, when I did Stephen Wadsworth's "The Game of Love and Chance" at the Huntington Theatre company in Boston with his wife Margaret (Maggie) Welsh.
MM: We miss living close to you guys in Eagle Rock. I still dream about dinners at Cafe Beaujolais! What's your favorite restaurant in Eagle Rock?
JMH: That would be the new sandwich bar at the renovated VON'S on Figueroa, a store I now refer to simply as DREAMLAND.
MM: That place is so Stepford. The minute you walk in the place they say "Hi, Mr. so and so" and offer to walk you to whatever you're looking for. Coming from New York- it made me suspicious at first! Anyway, let's get to your new movie. You play an elf in Fred Claus. Is it PC to say Elf or should I be saying North-pole-little-person? What's appropriate?
JMH: The elves were mostly Russians because they were cheap and you can forget trying to address a Russian LP as anything because you WILL make a gaffe no matter what you say.
MM: Is this your first time playing an LP?
JMH: No. But the first time was a private affair between myself and my wife.
MM: Wow. Hot. Ummm... How in the #$%^& did they make you look so small?
JMH: Long boring days on green screen. And I crouched.
MM: What is something we may not know about your character?
JMH: He is the real thing: a five hundred and forty-year old virgin.
MM: HI-larry-us! At our Christmas party a few years back, you imitated all of the characters in the claymation "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer show" (and you were particularly good at Herbie, the dentist elf) so is playing Willy a life-long dream come true? Any other Elf roles in you're future? Any ones you're dying to play?
JMH: No more elves, ever. Unless the money comes through.
MM: What's something we may not know about the filming of the movie?
JMH: I filmed FRED CLAUS everywhere except the actual North Pole. LA, LONDON, CHICAGO and beautiful PANORAMA CITY.
MM: I know you brought your family to London for part of the time while you were shooting. Is it tough juggling your family-brain and your work-brain when you're on location?
JMH: I don't have to juggle work and family brains because I don't have either one.
MM: Plus, You're second child was just born, right?... so between the baby hours and your shooting schedule did you ever sleep?
JMH: I haven't slept three hours straight since my first child was born.
MM: What or who do you think is hot in Hollywood?
JMH: I think people who give to worthy charities are the the hottest in Hollywood.
MM: Most important question... m&m's plain or peanut?
JMH: My wife and I are often referred to as M&M, and we're both plain and nuts. We're just plain nuts.
* Fred Claus stars Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Kevin Spacey, Kathy Bates, and Rachel Weisz (and, of course, John Michael Higgins.)
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