Woody Allen launches a podcast

When I went to see King Kong, they showed the trailer for Match Point, Woody Allen’s new very un-Woody-like infidelity drama starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johannson (left). When the words “From Director Woody Allen” came up on the screen, there was this immediate wave of weird reaction noises, ranging from nervous laughter to flat-out confusion (huh?!). It sounded like a herd of cows braying at the moon.

Well, it seems that the Woodman is full of surprises. To promote Match Point, he and the film’s stars have recorded a series of podcasts for DreamWorks. While much of it covers typical press-junket-style Q&A territory, there are a few insights about Allen’s notoriously minimalist shooting process, including the revelation that his actors are not allowed to rehearse before filming begins. As a result, on Johansson’s Day 1, she had to hurl herself into a very tricky scene of seduction, in which she was supposed to be drunk. Check it out — and report back!