B.L After making so many films, when do you know it's right to star in one of your own films or when to step back and just direct?
W.A I read the film. When I am completely finished with it, I think to myself if I'm good casting for the lead role ... or if I could really do much better than myself and then I try and get somebody else.

B.L The story for The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is so clever and unique, where did this idea come from?
W.A. The idea just came spontaneously. I have no particular interest in hypnosis and I've never been hypnotized but being a comedy writer by definition, a certain amount of funny things occur to you and that's how you make your living. So, it just occurred to me spontaneously.

B.L You have varied in some of your acting choices for this movie, it's not your usual cast of Woody Allen players.
W.A. I've used Charlize Theron before but Elizabeth Berkley, and Helen Hunt of course and Dan Aykroyd are just people that I've liked and wanted to use for years and this gave me an opportunity.

B.L How do you direct a cast and how much freedom do you allow them to create their characters?
W.A. I hire very gifted people. I tell them that they don't have to have any respect for the script whatsoever, that they can ad lib all over the place. If they don't want to say something I wrote, they should just throw it away. If they want to say something, fine. If they want to add to it, fine. I don't get in their way and then they make me look good.

B.L. Oh come on. I think that you have a little to do with it.
W.A. When you hire someone like Dan Aykroyd or Helen Hunt or people I've used over the years, Goldie Hawn, or Tracey Ullman or Diane Keaton or whoever ... I just hire them and then don't speak to them except to correct them if they are really doing something very wrong. I have to say “Could you do that a little less emotionally?” “or more” but most of the time they read the part, they are intelligent and they know what's required. They do it better than I could ever teach them to do it. Much better and so then I look good when it's over. People say the dialogue is great and they are so real and each person is so wonderful because I didn't ruin them. I didn't screw them up.

B.L. Do you ever think to yourself, I'm a really lucky guy to get all these great actors in my films?
W.A. Well, they like to do my films because I give them good parts and I get out of their way and let them do it. I don't make them wear costumes they don't want to wear. I don't force them to walk where they don't want to walk. I give them a lot of freedom. I have a lot of respect for the actors and so it becomes a pleasant experience for them. They get their way, like children. They get what they want and they get, as I say, good parts. The roles are not infantile.

B.L. I know your devotion to New York, but I can't believe that after all the films you have made you have never considered shooting anything in Canada?
W.A. Well ironically, I just finished shooting a scene for my next film which is supposed to take place in Canada. Since I've never been to Canada, I built the set in a studio. Of course I made sure there was lots of snow and moose.