George Clooney talks about playing Shailene Woodley's father in The Descendants

The Descendants is opening in stages. It actually opened in three theaters here in Los Angeles yesterday, and two in New York. On Friday, the movie opens at another 29 theaters in 11 cities. It will expand to about 450 theaters over the Thanksgiving holiday but that's quite a bit smaller release than Clooney's own Ides of March which played at 2,199 theaters. I hope they expand this more than is currently being reported so that everyone who wants to see the film has a chance to do so!

For now I'm planning on squeezing it in tomorrow, hopefully at the Arc Light inHollywood and will let you know what I think.

In the meantime, some random thoughts from the films star, George Clooney.  On Shailene Woodley who plays daughter Alex:  "If you haven't seen (the film), she cries underwater, which really pisses me off that she can do that," he said.

On choosing the role:  "Sometimes acting gigs are about timing. You have to be sort of the right age to do them and the right place in your life and your career to do them.  And this one was one where it felt like, you know, as I age rapidly on screen -- that's the funniest thing watching this clip reel.  You're like . . . 'What the hell? This is hard to watch. I'm like AARP Sexiest Man Still Alive.' "

Judy Greer and Matt Lilliard as Julie
and Brian Speers.

Clooney on Judy Greer (Julie Speers):  "Her first job ever was one of the opening scenes in Three Kings with me when we were having sex on a chair. And it was her first acting gig. Sorry, Judy. ... Fine with me. But I can watch her do anything. She could read a telephone book. I love watching her work."
Clooney on Payne, the Academy Award-winning writer of Sideways who's known for walking the tenuous tightrope between comedy and tragedy.
"Alexander's just this nut, man. He has this way of turning things so quickly," Clooney said. "Things will be very funny, then very sad and then very funny again, just on a dime. And it's a real skill. It's not something you can learn. You actually have to have that in you. I don't know many people who do."
I blogged about the surprising choice of Matt Lilliard as Brian Speers my blog post Shaggy from Scooby Doo is Brian Speers if you want to read it. There's a link to another interview with Matt that his fans may want to check out.