“This was a couple pages before this scene.
We shot that stuff, and it quickly became clear that we didn’t need any of it.”
NEUSTADTER:This is San Francisco, Jean Shelton’s acting class.
Credit: Justina Mintz/A24
It’s a real thing.
We read a few articles about what that was like, and Jean Shelton was very legit.
People were terrified of her, and she discovered a lot of talented people.
The idea that Tommy Wiseau took her class is in and of itself really amazing.
NEUSTADTER:Streetcarwas always in there, based on real events.
We wanted to get that one.
WithWaiting for Godot, we had tried others, but it was really about clearances at that point.
It was about figuring out what we were allowed to do.
WEBER: In the book, Tommy does a Shakespearean sonnet.
We just wanted to establish his affinity for Tennessee Williams early on.
NEUSTADTER:Greg always had this issue where he was in his head.
He didn’t feel the confidence when he’d get up there.
WEBER:I like to think that in Tommy’s head, this is how he enters most rooms.
Everyone who talks aboutThe Roomhas a different way of describing him.
NEUSTADTER:On the page, we basically did what felt right to us.
I think on the day of shooting, it probably went on for 20 minutes.
It was like, “Let’s get as much as we can.”
James [Franco] really went for it.
He was climbing up walls and falling on his ass really hard.
WEBER:For the most part we treat this as a drama.
He would genuinely fight back saying, “You don’t know this character.
I know this character better than you.”
At a certain point, she was like, “Okay, next!”
We’re teeing up the idea that this is Wiseau here.
He has this dream.
WEBER:I love this exchange between Tommy and Jean.
The stubbornness he shows with Jean is a trait that carries Tommy throughout the rest of the movie.
