With the writers and actors on strike, well, who the hell knows what’s going on? You may not hear from any actors, writers or hell, even directors who are not doing press in solidarity. So, in a bid to still continue making things interesting for you and for us, we’re reintroducing an old Flashback Friday or Throwback Thursday feature and just calling it “Flashback”: a fun excuse to highlight old interviews, old stories, classic movie stories and more.
Few contemporary filmmakers are held in as high esteem as David Fincher. But that vaunted reputation comes with a cost, namely the director’s penchant for perfectionism in absolutely every part of his creative process. And sometimes that keeps him from giving certain things a go-ahead; for instance, like an episode of Marc Maron‘s “WTF” podcast that Fincher refuses to let Maron release.
On an episode of “WTF” from 2021 (via MovieMaker), Maron discussed the unreleased Fincher episode with Jodie Foster, who worked with the director on 2002’s “Panic Room.“ “I did a two-and-a-half-hour conversation with him,” Maron told Foster. “And he didn’t think it was right. He wouldn’t let us release it. So I’m sitting on this two-and-a-half-hour conversation with David Fincher. He’s like, I don’t know, let’s hold off on it, because I think I could do more.” As to why Fincher doesn’t want the episode release? “He seems like this perfectionist, you know, tormented guy,” surmised Maron.
Foster agreed with that sentiment. “He just makes me want to put my arms around him and tell him, you know what, it is gonna be okay. Like, chillax. And I love him for it. I love him that he is so committed,” Foster said. “And he gives 100,000 times more than anybody else on that movie. I mean, and he can do any of our jobs better than we can. I mean, he’s a better actor than I am. He’s a better prop master. He’s a better DP. So I’m always just, bow down in the presence of somebody who really is just so gifted and so committed. But it’s hard to be David Fincher, I wouldn’t want to be him.”
But Foster isn’t frustrated by Fincher’s perfectionistic temperament. “He doesn’t drive me crazy,” the actress continued. “I love him. He makes me laugh. And it’s true that it’s annoying that you have to do as many takes as you do. And I was pregnant… I was pregnant on “Panic Room.” And by the end of it, I was six months, or almost six months pregnant by the end of it. And by the end of it, I couldn’t move. I literally could not walk down the street. I couldn’t move. I had to go on bedrest after that for another three weeks. And. And despite all of that, like, I would just do anything for him. Yeah, I would do anything for that guy.”
As for Maron, he spoke about his unreleased Fincher episode later on in 2021 during an interview with Collider. And despite still not publishing that “WTF” episode, Maron isn’t that put out by it. “It’s not controversial; it’s not like there’s anything in that episode that will make people go like, ‘Oh that’s why he didn’t want it,'” explained Maron. “He’s just like a neurotic guy. I’m not hiding anything other than a regular conversation.” But don’t rule out Maron going behind Fincher’s back either. “Maybe one day I will secretly release it,” he said. That’s one to get around Fincher being Fincher.
David Fincher’s next film “The Killer” has its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 3 before it hits Netflix on November 10.
