Emmanuel Itier: How was bowling with Juliette Binoche?

Steve Carell: Well, she is perhaps the worst bowler I ever met in my life! But I showed her a few tricks and she eventually got a little better by the end of shooting that scene. She has a strange bowling style, but it gets the job done. She is such a fantastic woman. I had never met her before, and I was always a fan. Now that I have been in a movie with Juliette Binoche, I can die a happier man!

EI: The movie is about family. Did you talk about differences between American and French families with Juliette? What do you think is different?

SC: I’m not sure there are so many differences between an American and a French family. We are pretty similar as people, I think. Some families are dysfunctional, some other function better, some care more, some care less… Juliette really integrated herself in the set and the shooting. She has an ability to blend in. Within a minute after I met her, I felt at ease. It just took a little karaoke session to melt the ice.

EI: The movie is about a family reunion. What has been the funniest or most uncomfortable moment you experienced in your real life during a family reunion?

SC: Well, when I was a little kid, my brother, once for the holidays, brought a cool girlfriend, and to scare her, or maybe to annoy everybody, I decided to dress up like an alien. I wrapped myself with aluminum foil, I wore a helmet with a flashing light on top, and I just sat down at the table as we were saying grace. The funny thing is that nobody said anything about my behavior. This was a strange and odd turn of events for me.

EI: Do you think it’s hard to tell each other about our true feelings and emotions in a society that seems more and more disconnected?

SC: Well, sometimes talking on a Blackberry with written words can be great because you can quickly send a short text message to your loved ones. On the other hand, it’s a lack of physical and intimate contact. I think it’s about balancing both the technological approach and the human touch approach. You can rely too much on technology to communicate. You need, from time to time, to face each other, look at each other, and hug each other. Without this contact, life would feel pretty cold to me.

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