I was invited on an all expenses paid trip to LA by Sony to cover the #Ghostbusters movie, all opinions are my own.
As you all know I was flown out to LA by Sony to cover the #Ghostbusters movie. I must say the trip was fantastic! One of the best highlights of the trip was when the bloggers were able to interview the 3 leading ladies (Kristen Wiig was out sick) Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. We also were able to talk with Paul Feig the Director and writer, Ivan Reitman the producer and Kate Dippold a writer.
What fascinated me most about this fun interview (it being my first press junket) was the friendship that all of the cast and those attending had with one another. I could tell just by the jokes being passed that they really had a fun time making the movie. In fact one thing that Melissa McCarthy said was “If this is a day at the office, then my gosh this is a pretty good deal, it just seemed nutty from the screen test on” Kate McKinnon went on to say (about making the movie) that “this was like a carnival ride or fun house or hoe down or any other fun thing, the funnest thing you could imagine or something like that”
It was so funny because Leslie Jones went to chime in and it just kept getting funnier and funnier, she said it was like “summer camp, there were crafts…” then everyone decided to chime in with their favorite things from camp Melissa McCarthy said it was like trying new foods, activities, camp counselors (as they point to Paul Feig), trust exercises etc. it was seriously so funny!
Ivan Reitman was asked since he worked on the first 2 films “Why is now the right time for a new Ghostbusters?” He answered saying that particularly as it’s told by these 4 extraordinary women, there was this (meaning banter) on set we finally talked each other into it after 20 years.
Leslie and Kate were asked since these others (meaning Paul Feig, Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig) had worked together before, was there some type of hazing beforehand?….Leslie Jones replied “Now look at me do you think anybody would try and haze me??” The room seriously burst out in tearful laughter because Leslie Jones is 6 feet tall! I loved Melissa’s response afterwards saying she thought about putting extra weight in Leslie’s proton pack a little at a time each day because she would complain about how heavy they were. But then she decided against it because she didn’t want Leslie to realize that it was her and come after her!
Kate Dippold was asked if she was intimidated writing for these 4 talented women and her response was basically that they make everything funny and really made the script their own. They all chimed in and they were able to really take hold of their characters and they were able to run away with some of the scenes! We learned that Kate McKinnon is actually a secret scientist and she bought a soldering kit and made an alarm system! She was seriously so funny. She really got into her character! After the mediator asked some questions the floor was actually open to the bloggers and it was really fun to see how much the bloggers loved the movie!
One of the bloggers asked if any of the scenes were pure improve and there were a few that were improved with Chris Hemsworth, and Paul Feig said “YOU have to stay till the end credits there are so many funny happenings during and after the credits!”
The next question was probably one of my favorites, being a mom of all girls. I was itching to ask this and I am so glad that someone else did. The question was mainly directed toward Melissa McCarthy since she has 2 girls and it was said “Since your a mom of 2 girls and your leading these 3 powerful, smart women, as part of the new Ghostbusters what does it mean to be a part of that especially with your own daughters…for you and the other women to be role models for these girls?”
Melissa McCarthy’s answer almost had me tearing up because I want my girls to grow up knowing that they can be anything they want to be. Her answer was “It means the world to me where I think they can see themselves and they don’t even have the realization of why couldn’t or wouldn’t it be me? Why couldn’t I be the hero? I think it does incredibly important things for not only little girls but little boys who can see these women as heroes, it’s a testament to how Paul sees the world, he doesn’t see it as a girls movie or that it’s for women…he and Katie wrote these 4 incredible characters and them being women has no consequence to the movie and that’s the biggest statement we can make.”
Leslie Jones also stated “When I was growing up watching Woopie Goldberg on TV I couldn’t believe that there was someone on TV who looked like me, I can now do this, for some little black girl to look at me doing this…well Ya, I am pretty much very proud of that!”
It turned to a funnier note when the question was asked (it’s a great one!) “If you could come back as any ghost what would it be and who would you haunt?” Leslie Jones’s answer was seriously classic…”I would come back as Hummus, cuz they love hummus, as soon as they went to dip their carrot I would be like Ahhhhhh!!!!” Melissa McCarthy said “I would come back as some sort of Tabby Cat and go live with Kate and I would know the kind of pampering I have never experienced.” Leslie Jones chimes in “You should see the type of inappropriate pictures she sends me with her cats!”
I loved that one of the bloggers asked Leslie about how hard it was being curvy and finding clothing that fits. Leslie said she has been 6 foot since she was 11 or 12 and being curvy, tall whatever shape you have to speak up and say something. You are the one spending the money to get clothing, if you don’t speak up they will never know! Melissa stated that most stores don’t offer that clothing, Melissa started a clothing line because she couldn’t shop or find clothes that fit, it’s not the exception, you must say NO we come in every shape, size, color.
Ivan Reitman was asked “I know I was joking around with Kate earlier about when there will be a sequel, so Ivan when will there be???” Ivan’s response…SOON! It took 20 years for this one so….
Then they took Facebook Fan questions! I loved that this was streaming live and one of the questions was a great one! “Who was your female role model?” Kate’s answer was ladies who have not been scared to be who they are and aren’t afraid to go against the norm. Leslie said all the female comedians like Lucille ball and Carol Burnett who would go for the Joke, she also mentioned Melissa McCarthy.
Melissa said that her Mom was her biggest Hero. She told Melissa if she worked hard enough she could do it! “Those who ignore the should’s and shouldn’ts, everytime I took those sparks in, all those sparks were taken in and I said Why not me and that’s the key to all the great women.”
The next question was describe this movie in one word:
Kate Dippold said: Exciting
Paul Feig: FUN
Melissa McCarthy: Hopeful
Kate McKinnon: Friendship
Leslie Jones: Bad ASS!
Ivan Reitman: Joyful
Facebook Question that was the best and funniest was: “If you were a ghost who would you want to haunt?”
Kate Dippold said: “Other Ghosts, I would sneak up on them!”
Paul Feig: “Every Troll on the Internet!”
Melissa McCarthy: “That’s a tricky one….Come back to me I’m thinking good and bad things.”
Kate McKinnon: “I would use my invisibility to audit a bunch of adult education classes to learn new things…Ya…Ya, Can I eat if I’m a ghost? Then I would go to new restaurants….”
Leslie Jones: “There are a number of people I would haunt….starting with THE ROCK….Don’t Die Dwayne Don’t Die, You better hope I don’t die! There’s a long list of people I would haunt….”
Ivan Reitman: “I can think of a few studio heads…not Sony….”
Next question came from a Super Super Super Fan….
“Did you all change your phone numbers and emails and why don’t I have them?” From Chris Hemsworth! ( He was following the Live feed on Facebook!)
“How much extra feed will be on the DVD?” Tons and Tons! It started as a 4 hour movie and Paul Feig worked hard to get it shortened. The women are just amazing in this movie, and so many bloopers!
“What is the slime made of and how do you get it off?” It goes on and doesn’t want to come off, you can not use water! It just keeps growing like an entity on you.
The next Blogger question was “What would you say to those who were worried about the lead roles being women?”
All of the ladies basically said “GO SEE THE MOVIE!! Once you have seen it you will love us and the movie!”
“What is your most memorable moment of being a part of this beloved franchise?”
Kate McKinnon shared that on the last day they all basically cried and didn’t know that she could develop that kind of friendship with these people as an adult, they were all so sad to leave each other. Leslie said: “I’m not gonna cry, I’m gonna see you next week and then she is crying with snot face….”
Then came my question…Now I must say, I was beyond nervous to ask this, I was in front of these incredible women and men…I asked ” Now I have a serious question for you all…Do you believe in Ghosts in real life?”
Every person on the panel said that they did! Kate McKinnon went on to share a funny story from the time she was 8 and in a club called the Ghost hunters club (it was her and 1 other person)…there was an empty pipe sticking out of her elementary school, they put a stick in the pipe, and it moved! “What moved it? I didn’t see anything move it? Well after that the club disbanded because we got spooked and we went on to form the Honeysuckle eaters Club, and later disbanded because there were pesticides on the Honeysuckle….”
“Do you remember seeing the original movie?” YES! Paul Feig was a film major and he remembers seeing it and walking away thinking “if I could only make a movie like that! And now I made that exact movie…”
Melissa- “I saw it multiple times in the theater, it was a treat for our family and I saved my money so I could go back “there are heroes, their weird, they save the day…what???” it just made everything possible and cool.”
Kate Mckinnon said she remembers how amazing and awesome it was…all from her mother’s womb…born in 1984 people.
Leslie said she just remembers how pretty Sigourney Weavers hair was and if her hair looked like that then the boy would love her….
Ivan Reitman said he remembers the premier and after seeing the peoples faces and how it just felt good….
I loved how powerful these women were, their statements were funny at times but also really profound, I came away with a better feeling of being a Mom, Wife, and Woman in every capacity.
Don’t forget to follow along on our Social Media pages under #Ghostbloggers to learn more about my fun adventure in LA, as well as other bloggers who were on the trip!
If you would like to watch the interview in it’s entirety here it is! (Courtesy of E! News Live Facebook Video): https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153554497145736&id=89033370735
Also, stay tuned for my review of the Ghostbusters movie this Friday!
GHOSTBUSTERS OPENS IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE THIS FRIDAY!
Watch the Ghostbusters trailer…
