5 Actors Speak on Writing Film Scripts

Writing a script must be a lot of hard work, yet plenty of actors have decided to take a break from being in front of the camera to give it a go. Some have very successfully become script writers,  such as Angelina Jolie, while others believe it is something they will branch out to in the future. Mila Kunis doesn’t think she has what it takes to become a good writer while Jake Gyllenhaal believes it is something that he’ll try.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie’s first script brought a change to her family life, but it made her happy: “(There was a) slight adjustment (to family life). I would sit up writing late into the night. It wasn’t a joke in our house, but it was this odd experiment I was doing that seemed so unusual for both of us. I’d written op-ed pieces and in journals, but nothing like this. But like anybody who loves you, they’re happy when you’re happy. I think Brad’s happy that there’s something that brings me some peace.”

Woody Allen

Woody Allen says he is mostly a writer, but likes to direct so that his vision is properly conveyed: “I’m essentially a writer. That’s what I do. I like to write and I only direct because I want to get my vision as a writer onto the screen. The fun for me is creating the thing. It would not be fun for me to take someone else’s script and direct it. I’m a writer who directs things for survival, so I don’t turn it over to someone else and then think, ‘Oh my God, he’s gotten everything wrong and he’s doing a bad job and they cast the wrong people.'”

Mila Kunis

Mila doesn’t believe she’ll ever be able to try her hand at script writing: “I can barely write an email. I can’t form a sentence to save my life. I would probably never write a script, but I’d surround myself with really funny writers and workshop with them. I love Tina Fey – her book made me laugh out loud on the plane. I think she’s brilliant, I think Kristen Wiig is brilliant – all those ladies in Bridesmaids are just completely hysterical.”

Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake likes to write and believes script writing is something he’ll do in the future: “You’re always wondering how long this will last. It’s a piece of being an actor. There’s always someone more talented or younger than you. But I also like to write. In years to come, I think that will expand. I won’t just be scrapping for the next job. Maybe I’ll create something for myself.”

Isla Fisher

Isla wrote a script when she felt there wasn’t one to suit her tastes: “Oh you mean ‘Groupies’? After ‘Wedding Crashers’ I was just surprised as to the lack of comedic female material there is. So I had to start working and getting stuff out there for myself. ‘Groupies’ is pretty close to being ready and I’ve got another movie called ‘Life Coach’ which I’ve been working on. Hopefully one of them will go soon. It’s more frustrating being in development than it is just to be cast in something. It’s a lot of things involved.”