It was amazing doing telly. I'd never done a sitcom before and it was so fast. You're given dialogue as you're walking onto the set and it's kind of hairy. There are 10 people standing around watching the monitor and if they don't laugh - then instead of having another chance to do it - someone writes another line. It's also kind of subversive in a funny way because no one's able to interfere. The powers that be don't have time. So it's off-the-cuff and quick and kind of risque in a way that movies sometimes aren't because there's this committee of people watching the rushes and telling you to change it.
Q. But not this movie?
This movie is not a committee movie.
Q. Sidney Kimmel, who helped endow our performing arts center in Philadelphia, is a "Lars" producer. What is he like?
I haven't met him yet, but he seems like a really cool dude. He's got good taste in movies.
Q. Is this the first sex-doll movie to be rated PG-13? Was the script always so old-fashioned?
'Lars' was very un-prurient as a screenplay but even less so as a movie. In the script there is a moment where [Lars and "Bianca," the sex doll] actually do make love and we're downstairs hearing it and I'm going, 'Oh, God, please, no!' and they cut that out. The beauty of the film and sort of the paradox of it is that this creature that sort of represents the seedier, more sordid side of life is somehow full of grace and somehow purifying and cleansing in the community and helpful to this young guy . . . I think that as they made the movie it became clearer to veer away from all that and keep it very simple and pure.
Q. How did you become involved in the movie and did you have any reservations about the subject matter?
