Greg Sestero aka Mark from THE ROOM interview

Greg Sestero, better known as Mark from the 'The Room', has written a behind the scenes book about the film; The Disaster Artist. Even better, he is doing a book tour that hits The Rio Theatre in Vancouver on November 29.  If you haven't watched The Room...do it, do it now!

  
How is the tour going so far and where are you now?

The book tour has been a lot of fun. Fans always make the experience memorable. I'm in Kansas City doing a show tonight at the Alamo Drafthouse. I did an event at the Coolidge in Boston last weekend and I had fans come up on stage and perform scenes from The Room's original script, which was hilarious. 

I’m guessing traveling to screenings has been one of the major perks from starring in the Room, what’s the most interesting place you’ve been for a screening?

I've been fortunate to travel to a ton of great spots like Dublin and Liverpool and Prague. 

Have you been to the Rio or Vancouver before with the Room or otherwise? The Rio screen cult films regularly, I think you’ll have a good night!

This is my first time in Vancouver and I'm really looking forward to it. I've heard nothing but amazing things about it and The Rio. Vancouver's culture seems right up my alley.  

Did the 10 year anniversary play a part in your decision to write your book and make the documentary, or was it something you have always wanted to do?

I've always wanted to tell the story behind The Room and my involvement with it. I started writing The Disaster Artist over three years ago and its release just so happened to coincide with the 10 year anniversary, which was a perfect time for the book and documentary to come out.

I know you keep in contact with the other cast, did that make securing interviews and the process in general easier? 

Everyone in the cast was very supportive of the book and willing to share their memories. Juliette, Kyle, Robyn and Carolyn showed up to the L.A book launch at the New Beverly Cinema. Since Dan, Philip and Greg don't live in L.A, they all did video greetings for the documentary which meant a lot. They're a great group.

You’ve probably told this story a hundred times, but how did you get involved with Tommy and subsequently the movie?

I met Tommy at an acting class in San Francisco in 1998. He went up on stage and performed a Shakespearean sonnet and I'd never witnessed a performance like that! After he argued with the teacher that he was right and she was wrong, I approached him to a scene together in the hope to find out exactly what he was about. That decision took me on a journey I could've never imagined.

Were you given a complete script before filming and if so what were your initial thoughts?

When Tommy handed me the original script for The Room in 2001, I thought it was the funniest thing I'd ever read. Every character spoke like Tommy. And the turns of phrase were one of a kind. He initially wanted to produce The Room as a play and I thought if it saw the light of day,  it would either horrify people, or bring them to their knees with laughter. It kind of did both.

At what point did you realize it was going to be a disaster?

I knew The Room was never going to be a conventional film. It was going to be "Tommy" in every way. That being said, I knew from the very beginning it was going to be the perfect train wreck.

I’ve heard the rooftop scenes were done with a green screen, which would make sense, but filmed outdoors, which would defeat the whole purpose.. is this true?  

Yes, the rooftop scenes were green screened. It was Tommy's vision to shoot it that way rather than use a traditional rooftop. He always said he was going to make The Room the same way "the big Hollywood sharks" made their movies. I think his green screen decision adds even more bizarre charm to the film.

Can you share any other behind the scenes Easter eggs that people might not have spotted?

Witnessing the scene in which Tommy vamps across the living room blue steeling to set up the wiretap tape recorder is something I can't unsee. I detail it more in Chapter 11 of The Disaster Artist, but there are gems in there that I don't think fans have noticed--like Tommy reading cue cards from the staircase.

Just how awkward was the staircase sex scene?

As awkward as it looks. It was a 100 degrees in there. 

Were there any lines you refused to say or improvised? I mean, you seemed pretty half-hearted in your ‘cheep cheep’ chicken impression.. Did you ever point out that chickens don’t actually ‘cheep’?

I always laugh when I watch that scene, I totally phoned that cheep cheep in. I tried to fight Tommy on saying "I'm very busy" multiple times but he told me "If I want to be actor act like one," so I gave in. Same goes for chickens and cheep cheeping.

What is your favourite Mark line? I’m guessing ‘keep your stupid comments in your pocket’ is a fan favourite?

"Leave your stupid comments in your pocket" is a great line, but I think my favorite is "I just saw you, what are you talking about."

I have to admit I struggled not to say ‘oh hi Mark’ or ‘oh hi Greg’ to you. How often do you get recognized and how often is that line shouted at you?

It happens pretty often but it's all good. I'm a movie fan so I get it. I'd probably do the same thing if I wasn't Mark. 

How do you feel about the movie now? Are you able to enjoy it for what it is, knowing that it has achieved cult status, or does it still make you cringe?

I enjoy The Room for what it is; a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience. It's a guilty pleasure in every sense of the word and it has made a lot of people laugh for 10 years. I do skip the love scenes though.

What can people expect from the show on the 29^th?

I think it will be the behind-the-scenes look at The Room that fans have been waiting for. There'll be a screening of my 'Room' documentary featuring interviews from the entire cast. I'll also have audience members come on stage and do a live script reading of The Room's original script, followed by a Q&A and book signing.

What are your plans for the future?

I'm looking forward to doing creative projects that I'm passionate about. I think The Disaster Artist is a good start in that direction. Next year I'm going to be doing a full length feature with the creators of 5 Second Films that will be a lot of fun.

Catch Greg at The Rio Theatre on November 29th and tell him to keep his stupid comments in his pocket!
Grab his book, The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made now!