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BTFTM_Official_Poster - Edited.jpg

Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter Talk 'Bill & Ted Face the Music', George Carlin, and Being Excellent To Each Other

By Jodi Smith | Film | August 28, 2020 |

By Jodi Smith | Film | August 28, 2020 |


BTFTM_Official_Poster - Edited.jpg

Although insignificant to some, I was able to take part in a virtual press conference for Bill & Ted Face the Music. Although I didn’t get to speak with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter myself, it was still an experience I never thought that I’d get to experience working as a writer at Pajiba and living in the Midwest.

Keanu and Alex are ridiculously attractive over Zoom, kids. RIDICULOUS. They’re both also very generous to the actors that work with them, each other, the writers, their director… everyone, basically. They answered some questions put forth by outlets taking part in the press conference, but mine didn’t make the cut. (I asked about the delays of Face the Music possibly being a good sign since Excellent Adventure also had them and was a hit. I also asked about the soundtrack.)

Here are some highlights of what Keanu and Alex had to say during the q&a.

On the relevancy of Bill and Ted’s “Be Excellent To Each Other” today:

Keanu: Well, I think it’s relevant all the time and I guess now it has a certain… more impact just because of the situation that we find ourselves in and the idea of “be excellent to each other” I think is a very good idea.

Alex: I think Keanu summed it up pretty well. I think that the Bill & Ted movies have kind of an inherent sweetness and a theme of inclusivity of people being kind to each other and coming together. That was certainly the story that Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon set out to write with the third one, many years before there was a COVID or a situation we’re in today. So it just so happens to be something that may bring folks some joy in this particular time, but that was the movie that we all set out to make.

On playing the iconic duo:

Alex: I would say, for me, the whole experience has a kind of warmth to it. That’s always been the case playing these guys because they are joyful, optimistic people.

On Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine:

Keanu: Brigette and Samara are just lovely people and very, very talented and brought a kind of enthusiasm and craft.

Alex: It was really a whole different ballgame when Brigette and Samara were cast and the amount of thought they put into playing them (Billie and Thea) wasn’t at all just watching our movies five times and then doing “us”, thankfully. They just created their own characters that were very much unique to them and their worldviews and all of that.

On working with George Carlin on the first two films:

Keanu: He brought class! He was just such a really, not humble, but just down-to-Earth… and worked really hard on Rufus. He brought a weight to it. Of course, it’s George Carlin coming from the future, you know? It was really extraordinary to have the chance to work with such an incredible person and artist.

Alex: I have an overall fuzzy —and I mean warm and fuzzy, not indistinct fuzzy— memory and gratitude about having been able to work with George so closely.

And this tease:

Alex: There are several major characters in the film that have not been exposed.

BONUS: Here’s a little featurette to get you pumped for Face the Music hitting theaters and VOD this Friday, August 28.



Header Image Source: Orion Pictures