Kathleen Kennedy Interview with Vanity Fair

Kathleen KennedyVanity Fair posted online yet another interesting interview, this time an extended conversation with Lucasfilm President and Star Wars: The Force Awakens producer Kathleen Kennedy. During the conversation Kennedy revealed very curious story about how she first met J.J. Abrams when he was 16…

 

 

From Vanity Fair:

 

Bruce Handy: I understand you and J.J. go way back, almost thirty years. Tell me about how you first met him.

 

Kathleen Kennedy: It was funny. I was working with Steven, and I got a phone call one day. And this man was living in a house up on Lookout Mountain [in Arizona]. He’d been down in his basement, and he found this box covered in dust. And he said to me, “These are all home movies, and I think they belong to Steven Spielberg.” Now, my first cynical thought, unfortunately, was, you know, this is just somebody trying to get money. And so I’m going to not act overly excited about this. I just said, “Well, you know, great. If you don’t mind, we’re on the Universal lot. Maybe you could just swing by and drop the box off, and we’ll take a look and see if in fact they belong to Steven.” So I hang up the phone. The first thing I say to Steven is, “Did you ever live on Lookout Mountain?” He goes, “Yes, I did.” Now I’m thinking, Okay, this guy’s not making this up. So I said, “Well, somebody thinks they found your home movies.” He goes, “Oh, my God, you’re kidding!” And he had just assumed all these early Super 8 films he had made when he was 15, 16 years old were long gone. He’d lost them; he didn’t know where they were.

 

 

kathleen-kennedy-jj-abramsSo this man arrives. Here’s the box. He couldn’t have been sweeter, couldn’t have been nicer. Drops off this box. Sure enough, Steven’s beside himself because here are all his old movies that he made. So ironically, I had picked up the L.A. Times that morning and read about these two kids who had won this film award, and their movies were being shown at the Nuart Theatre [in Los Angeles]. And I said to Steven, “You know what would be really great? Why don’t you hire these two kids who just won this film award, who would probably give anything to meet you, and they could clean up your movies and transfer them to tape so that we never run the risk of these movies disappearing again?” And those two kids were J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, who just did Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

 

And they came in. They were 15, 16 years old. And they ended up doing exactly that, cleaning up the Super 8 movies, and we’ve all stayed great friends ever since. All our kids went to the same elementary school. We followed J.J.’s career, so when he committed to Star Wars, it was this kind of fantastic coincidence of fate, I guess—preordained destiny or something.

 

 

Speaking of which, who things that Matt Reeves is a great candidate to direct the second Anthology movie? 😉

 

 

Full interview HERE.

 

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

47 thoughts on “Kathleen Kennedy Interview with Vanity Fair

  • May 21, 2015 at 6:03 pm
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    Why does she creep the hell out of me?

    • May 21, 2015 at 6:10 pm
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      Because you are insecure. 🙂

    • May 21, 2015 at 6:41 pm
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      or gay

      • May 21, 2015 at 6:54 pm
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        Dude, using “gay” as an insult of first choice tends to indicate repressed homosexuality. You may want to examine yourself and you will almost certainly be happier once you accept who you are. Being happier with yourself may then lead you to being less willing to insult (in your mind – the term is not an insult for everyone) random strangers online.

        • May 21, 2015 at 7:07 pm
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          That makes no sense…

        • May 21, 2015 at 7:35 pm
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          holy cow. you need red meat and shot of whiskey.

          • May 21, 2015 at 8:27 pm
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            Its typical of sensitive and/or defensive people who suddenly become expert medical doctors when they read a random internet post they don’t like. Makes them feel like morale superiors. Good for them!

          • May 22, 2015 at 2:53 am
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            hahaaha. i know right! lolz.

          • May 21, 2015 at 8:32 pm
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            Try looking up the word in a dictionary. Theres nothing offensive about it.

          • May 22, 2015 at 5:36 pm
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            You guys are like “Jack freakin Sparrow” nobody understands what you’re saying!! Come’on be cool enjoy life, have some beer!!

        • May 21, 2015 at 11:52 pm
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          So the use of the word somehow means that it applies to him. I can say any word I want, it doesn’t mean I’m insecure and using the word because it fits me.

        • May 22, 2015 at 8:24 am
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          I think he meant because she is a woman and he was scared of her that he was teasing them saying they were literally gay

          BTW using ‘gay’ as an insult was quite common for decades for people that are now around my age (40s). Synonymous with ‘dumb’ or ‘lame’. I know that gets all you social warriors raging but it doesnt make it untrue.

          The guys on South Park did a hilarious episode just on that subject.

          • May 23, 2015 at 12:28 am
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            So we should keep using gay as an insult because it was popular in the decade you grew up?

            I can tell you are one of those prequel haters whose only defense of the OT is that it represented your “childhood.”

    • May 21, 2015 at 6:50 pm
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      Long live Kennedy.

    • May 21, 2015 at 7:53 pm
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      “Why does she creep the hell out of me?”

      YODA: Ahh… Kennedy. Powerful woman is she. Powerful woman.

      • May 23, 2015 at 12:29 am
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        she creeps you out because she is a strong, powerful woman… something you OT fans have rarely encountered before. Get ready for a rude *awakening* this December.

        • May 23, 2015 at 7:18 am
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          To segregate type of starwasrs fans at this point is ludicrous, such as EU, ST, PT, OT, CW, SWR, and FU.
          All of that will end soon with either your in or out with Star Wars.
          There will be, I love Star Wars People or Star Wars Sucks types.

    • May 22, 2015 at 2:52 am
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      She is a “suit”. You can see through her.

    • May 22, 2015 at 4:15 am
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      Because she has the power to destroy your life if she so pleases. I respect that.

      She’s kind of like the 21st-Century equivalent to Galadriel in LOTR, someone who sees through EVERYTHING, some people are drawn to that, some people [like Boromir] are creeped out by it.

    • May 22, 2015 at 8:43 am
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      What? What a weird thing to say.

  • May 21, 2015 at 6:11 pm
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    Ooh, yeah. Matt Reeves would be a great choice. I was absolutely not interested in the new Apes movies. Saw the first one by chance. Loved. The second was even better. Kid’s got a future, I tells ya’.

  • May 21, 2015 at 6:16 pm
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    Two talented kids.

    Wow.

  • May 21, 2015 at 6:30 pm
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    Yes Matt Reeves

  • May 21, 2015 at 6:59 pm
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    Wow. And the first film he writes ends up starring Harrison Ford…that is pretty awesome.

    I have a feeling this story came up when she was trying to convince J.J. to direct Episode VII. “You cannot escape your destiny.”

  • May 21, 2015 at 7:17 pm
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    No idea why the Vanity Fair site adds that [in Arizona] piece when it’s clearly referring to Lookout Mountain Road in Hollywood. I mean a few sentences later, the guy drives down to the Universal Lot the same day for crying out loud…

    • May 22, 2015 at 1:02 am
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      I wondered about that. My daughter goes to school along Lookout Mountain in Hollywood so I assumed that’s what she meant and was surprised when she said Arizona. And you’re right. If the guy lived in Arizona, how did he just drop by with the films?

      She also doesn’t mention whether or not the guy got any sort of reward.

    • May 22, 2015 at 5:31 am
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      Lookout Mountain is a community in Phoenix Arizona, from East Coral Gables on its north, extending through E Seminole Drive on its south end.

      Here it is at Google Maps: http://tinyurl.com/lvv645c

      Perhaps the gentleman—understanding that they were indeed Spielberg’s—made sure to be close enough to deliver them. I think it’s a safe assumption he was already in LA to make the phone call. (Besides, back then, a local call from a pay phone was 10¢. Interstate long distance was a little pricier).

    • May 22, 2015 at 10:17 pm
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      lookout mountain avenue is not in Hollywood

  • May 21, 2015 at 7:21 pm
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    He was meant to help you.

    • May 21, 2015 at 7:22 pm
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      A prophecy, misread could have been.

  • May 21, 2015 at 7:50 pm
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    Not the 2 spin Off, because he direct Planet of the apes 3 ! Maybe Spin Off 3 or Star Wars IX

  • May 21, 2015 at 10:12 pm
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    In the full article: 1977 prices for Ep. VII. They should do that but only if you turn up and get in line; no advance booking.

    • May 21, 2015 at 11:11 pm
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      Matinee or regular pricing or both?? 🙂

      Good idea… They should do that…

    • May 22, 2015 at 1:05 am
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      That would be fantastic! I paid 3 bucks when I saw Star Wars on opening day!

    • May 22, 2015 at 10:04 am
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      Have just one screen in the multiplex for 1977 prices. No reserved seating either, so you just get tickets and then sit where you want/can.

  • May 22, 2015 at 12:04 am
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    What an awful shirt

  • May 22, 2015 at 1:06 am
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    Hey everyone! I posted this in the Cantina but Happy 35th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back which opened on May 21st, 1980! What a glorious day that was! Anyone else see it opening day?

  • May 22, 2015 at 2:00 am
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    Its cuz he was jewish! Same reason Brett Ratner has a career.

  • May 22, 2015 at 2:36 am
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    She looks like she would make a sexy dominatrix. This is a compliment

  • May 22, 2015 at 5:14 am
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    “who things that Matt Reeves is a great candidate to direct the second Anthology movie?”

    I thing! I thing!

  • May 22, 2015 at 6:52 am
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    I am Groot.

    • May 23, 2015 at 12:31 am
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      ^and hopefully VII will have better dialogue than that.

  • May 22, 2015 at 4:30 pm
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    Her contract is five years . She could renew the contract, but my guess is after ST completes , she would work for Spielberg again.

    • May 25, 2015 at 8:52 am
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      I hope Kennedy stays at Lucasfilm for a LOOOOOONG time. Like 15-20+ years.

  • May 23, 2015 at 2:02 am
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    Is KK actually gay or closted? Asking seriously because fancies the pants of Ridley. Look at all those video’s in Japan, she’s constantly checking her out (Not that there is anything wrong with this, I check out other women all the time. Heck that is why I probably noticed this!)

    From a Bi-Girl……..

    • May 23, 2015 at 7:30 am
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      Does it even matter!!!
      Who gives a shit who is or not gay or straight?

      What soup do you eat with chocolate bars while bicycle creeping, in front of convalescence homes as you read 40 year old TV Guides?!?

    • May 25, 2015 at 8:47 am
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      The Force is with you, young bi-girl. Now the journey to the dark recesses of my mind is complete. xD

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