The incoming British comedy drama,What We Did On Our Holiday, boasts a terrific ensemble cast.
But perhaps the standout is Billy Connolly.
He takes on the role of Gordy in the film, primarily working with the films young cast.
Heres how our chat went…
Nice to meet you.
So: have microwave ovens been a good thing for modern cooking?
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Nooooo!
They cant handle pastry.
Its its great failing!
Plus you get explosive heat with whatever the filling is.
Thats right, thats right.
It was like eating lava.
Best talk about the film then.
So: how did you get involved?
How was it pitched to you?
I didnt hear much about it.
So I said where are they shooting it, and they said the west of Scotland.
I said it sounds great, whos in it?
They told me, Tennant and those people were in it.
I thought, well, they wouldnt knock back one that was a duffer!
Was that your criteria?
[grins]
Why is it rare that the British stuff isnt even being offered to you, though?
Its the way it works.
I lived in America and Ive done mostly American films…
… youve done Australian too?
Yeah, I did Australia, and I didMrs Brownhere, and stuff like that.
I thought afterMrs BrownI might be offered more, but I wasnt.
Mrs Brown, though, changed the perception of what you could do on film.
What I could do?
That there was an assumption that youd be a comic actor.
Aye, but if you look at my films, Ive done virtually no comedy.
Very, very little.
You go for characters who make us laugh in films, but not by telling jokes?
Its weird isnt it?
But thats presumably by choice?
Oh, very, very much so.
[Laughs] Thats lovely, thats lovely.
We all get on great.
But Ive seen it millions of times.
Theres a thing that really hurts me in America.
I see guys saying oh fuck, I have to go home for Thanksgiving.
Dont think you ever have to come and see me.
Itll be a shitty atmosphere and Ill know that youre itching to get away again.
Was that the same for you?
Was that the kind of magical moment that you were looking to capture?
With my grandchildren, we had a lovely moment the one day when we were barefoot in the grass.
My daughter went look, their feet are the same.
My and my grandson had identical feet.
And it’s possible for you to see that genetic leap.
Youre here to reproduce, and no other reason.
you’ve got the option to see it so clearly.
Its lovely, a joyous, joyous thing.
You want to sing, lift them and hold them all the time.
I remember Pamela, we were in London and wed just got together.
We were creating a bit of a stir.
Id left my wife and shes left her husband, and there were journalists chasing us down the road.
We were going to the theatre, and we were running in the door.
Oh yes, yes.
Is that ongoing for you?
The mantra across all the work that you do.
The beige attitude must go.
There was a time in the 1950s I think that Britain went beige crazy.
Painting fireplaces beige, wooden panels across the country were painted beige.
Some people called it mushroom.
But it was beige, and this beige attitude that everything goes with everything.
I remember I went to buy some teddy boy shoes, and I had my lime green socks on.
When I got there I saw this pair of lilac suede ones and I tried them on.
Archie Fisher told me in the 60s in Scotland, he was walking through my home town.
Scotlands attracting more people to films now, of course.
Oh, why not!
Theres a peculiar light in Scotland you get around teatime.
A liquid light, when the suns gone down.
I really want to see that on film.
The west of Scotland midge is a bastard of a thing.
It was fucking awful!
But the atmosphere on this film was absolutely delightful.
The cast was lovely, the script was great, everybody was pleased with their role.
We fell into our roles very quickly, very easily.
I fell into it with consummate ease.
Playing a grumpy old guy comes very naturally to me.
And the kids are so impressive, adlibbing all the time.
So nice and unspoiled.
Do you buy that too?
Do you think we ground parents down?
The parent role is a thankless one.
And I always want to say shut the fuck up!
Go to your work!
Thats your gig, thats what youre here to do, thats your function.
Get out there and fucking get about it.
Its people behaving with different gradations of childishness.
And you could see my joy when Im with the children.
Because Im a child, I make no bones about it.
Im very proud of it.
You talked about the relationship you had with the children in this film.
But I think you and Judi Dench captured something wonderful with Mrs Brown.
Did you get a sense working on that one that it was something special?
That the two of you had clicked?
I think Id have been terrified if I had to act opposite Judi Dench.
There was a moment when we were filming at the castle, and she was opposite me.
She looked at me and I thought fuck, she fancies me!
What am I going to do?
[grins] So I thought Ill just fancy her back!
I learned a great deal about acting that day.
To be in the moment, and fancy her right back again!
It just came to life for me.
Another one wasThe X-Filesfilm, where I burst into tears.
And it was real.
If it wasnt for Judi, I wouldnt have been able to do it.
Not a Die Hard villain or something like that?
No, I never got offered anything like that!
I was delighted withMrs Brownmyself.
And I did the Mike Parkinson show with Michael Caine, and they showed a clip of it.
I nearly burst into tears.
It was so powerful.
Is Mrs Brown the film youre most proud of?
Yeah, no question.
But you only get one of them in your life I think.
You get one, and you dont know its it while youre doing it.
It was hardly an expensive film, was it?
No, it was made for TV!
So when did X-Files come to you?
The director and writer, Chris Carter, he sent for me.
He phoned him from his house in Mexico and said does Billy Connolly have a purple beard?
Im sure I just saw him in the street!
Was it a no-brainer to take the job on then?
It came to me dead easy.
Chris said to me do you want to meet some paedophile priests and I said no.
Ive never seen one who looks sorry.
They all blame God.
God made me this way, its nothing to do with me.
So thats the way I played it.
The film never really took off and got enough appreciation though.
It didnt, no.
Neither didThe Last Samurai, and that deserved a lot more.
I remember watching you doing interviews with Tom Cruise for that.
Clearly you had a ball!
Are you both on speed dial now?
He sends me Christmas cards [grins].
I met a guy on Broadway once.
I went for a walk.
Id had a curry, so I thought Id better go for a walk before I go to bed.
So I said yeah.
And he was a Scottish guy.
I asked him what he was doing in New York, and he said he was Christmas shopping.
So he said you send me a Christmas card every year.
I said I do?.
But its not to me.
Its to another guy called Rob, a banjo player, who used to live in my house!
So this guy said hey keep sending them.
I told him Id keep him on the list!
I have to talk to you about working with The Muppets, as you did on Muppet Treasure Island.
Its weird, because youre sitting doing the thing.
Mine was all filmed inside.
Then the pig starts going I love him, I love him.
Miss Piggy wouldnt meet me though because I wasnt big enough.
I learned from the wardrobe people that theyve never seen her naked either!
They dress her behind a screen!
So did you fall down one of the trenches on the Muppet set?
Oh, you have to be really careful.
The family movies youve done have covered all sorts of crafts of course.
Pixar at one end, you did a talking dog film at one point…
I did, yeah!
But is it the old fashioned crafts, such as puppetry, that are particularly important to you.
I think theyre outstanding.
The bigger they get, the happier I become.
Blind Pew onMuppet Treasure Islandwas two people!
He was coming towards me, and I was quite scared.
It was as scary as the samurai coming through the woods onThe Last Samurai!
You really get into your films!
Theres no other way to do it.
Get in, and believe every second of it.
I learned that from Michael Caine.
He taught me so much, about how to be generous to other actors.
We were climbing up a hill and we were being filmed from the top.
Suddenly he went, oh!
And he spoiled a whole take.
It was your first big location film.
We went to Heathrow to fly out, and fly out we did.
That the money had fallen through.
But by the time the place landed in Saint Lucia, theyd got the money again!
Has film for you always been a side thing, though?
It is a treat.
Ive never considered what I wanted to do.
Ive always played it by ear.
I refuse to be put in the corner and have to choose from.
Ive never been much of a careerist.
Was the plane flying at the time?!
It was a little aerodrome!
These Brownies wrote to me, and asked if I would do it.
And I said sure!
Youre aware that with your film work, by the way, that you rival Sean Bean.
As does Sean Bean.
Thats me, thats me!
If I start supporting Sheffield United, youll know Ive bought the whole thing!
Did you ever see him in When Saturday Comes?
I think Sean Bean is it sounds stupid to say underrated.
But I think he is.
I think hes extraordinarily better than hes given credit for.
Youre doing it a country at a time?
Yes, thats what I always do now.
The last few years, its got a bit out of control.
Its not as cheery as it used to be in Britain.
The landmarks have gone, its one way systems and all that.
Its not as jolly as it used to be.
Last question, then, and its a bit of a traditional one for us.
Do you have a favourite Jason Statham movie?
[pause] Hes that hard man?
Oh, hang on, my favourite is when he played a goalkeeper in a Scottish jail.
He was beyond good.
His accent was breathtaking!
Billy Connolly, thank you very much!
What We Did On Our Holiday lands in UK cinemas on Friday.
