16 Exclusive Photos From the Sets of Big Upcoming Movies and TV Shows

Robert Downey Jr.: ”I was convinced that the sequel had to be about Tony Stark’s inner journey. After an origin story, some people think that the best part of the character’s world has already been blown and doused. I thought: No, that can’t be it. There’s so much left unresolved.” —Josh Rottenberg

Robert Luketic, director: ”We didn’t really test that there was going to be chemistry between Ashton [Kutcher] and Katherine [Heigl]. We just relied on the fact that we had two such likable personalities. You look at them on the screen and you just smile. It turned out they had a lot of chemistry. In fact, they had too much chemistry sometimes [laughs].” —Josh Rottenberg

Peter Jackson, director: ”Saoirse [Ronan] has that X factor. It’s more than just acting skill; she makes you want to watch her. It’s an incredible quality that only the very best film stars have. Saoirse reminds me of a young Cate Blanchett. She’s terrifically gifted and she commands attention — it’s quite phenomenal. Yet when you say ‘Cut,’ she’s a teenager again: full of life and bouncy and funny and incredibly witty.” —Missy Schwartz

Rob Marshall, director: ”Everybody in the cast had musical talent somewhere hidden in their life. Penélope Cruz had proper dance training. But everybody had an enormous amount to accomplish.” —Dave Karger

Mira Nair, director: ”George Putnam [who’s played by Richard Gere] in a sense is credited with beginning public relations as we understand it today. He made [Amelia Earhart] sell, as she did, fashion, luggage, cameras, whatever products that they could to raise money for [her] next flight. So he was the guy who really was the person who made her dreams happen.” —Adam B. Vary

Hugh Grant, on costar Sarah Jessica Parker: ”In New Mexico, I would watch [Sex and the City] every night and call her and say ‘I love this episode.’ I couldn’t enjoy it more…. Sex and the City is funny — but this film is an unbelievable comic performance. I don’t know that enough people know that about Sarah Jessica. Absolute comic genius. I’m in awe of it.” —Jessica Shaw

Dante Di Loreto, executive producer: ”What you don’t see in this shot is the 50 perspiring crew members, because I think it was 105 degrees.” —Tim Stack

Dante Di Loreto, executive producer: ”When our creators write a number [to be performed] on mattresses, we’re never quite sure how we’re gonna pull it off. But so far we’ve always managed.” —Tim Stack

Dante Di Loreto, executive producer: ”They’re a remarkable group of performers. They’re up for anything we can throw at them.” —Tim Stack

Roland Emmerich, director: ”I think for every movie everybody says I love disaster movies. But I actually love a good story. And disaster images just come with it. I think VFX has come a long way. We don’t use models anymore. Nearly anything is possible. We can do stuff much more convincing than ever before. In essence, for me, I always try to put a spin on everything. For example, when we had this idea that the president gets killed in the movie, I said, ‘Oh, not destroying the White House again. I’ve done this so many times.’ And then [cowriter] Harald Kloser said to me, ‘Just come up with a unique way.’ And I said, ‘Okay, it’s like a big wave.’ I had visited Chesapeake Bay; they have this old fleet of warships. Maybe like an aircraft carrier JFK crashes into the White House, like JFK returns to the White House. I like that!” —Chris Nashawaty

Steve Carell, on his costar Tina Fey: ”We’ve never actually worked together. I guess the perception would be because our shows are so close together that there would be an overlap, and we’re both from Second City, but she was a couple of years behind me there, so we never actually performed together. And it’s funny, because I FEEL like we’ve worked together. And on this movie I felt like there was a common ground from day one — a mutual respect and understanding.” —Chris Nashawaty

Steve Carell, on his costar Tina Fey: ”She’s incredibly easy to work with — obviously she’s smart and funny and charming, but I think people are going to be surprised by the depth of her acting…she’s a really good actress. She’s such an excellent improviser, impeccable instincts. I like the whole experience of working with her — we have an easy relationship with one another, both professionally and personally — she’s just a NICE person. And I think it shows. Everything you would expect her to be, she is. Our styles worked together well.” —Chris Nashawaty

Louis Leterrier, director: ”I could see the actors coming in the front door in the morning, and as soon as they came on set, they were almost in a trance from four hours of makeup and costumes.” —Dave Karger

Louis Leterrier, director, on Liam Neeson: ”Liam’s sons were like, ‘You get to play Zeus, that’s cool, Dad, do it!’ That’s why he took the job.” —Dave Karger

Louis Leterrier, director: ”[We had] the hottest week in England this summer, but Liam was such a trouper. He never complained. He always had little fans blowing in his face but he never said, ‘I want to take off this armor.’ He stayed in character as Zeus.” —Dave Karger

Joel Schumacher, director: ”We shot 188 scenes in 23 days. Life on the set was insane. Everybody’s stressed because you’re working at a madcap pace. The combination of the zeitgeists — evening soaps meets rap — the girls on the street didn’t know who to get more hysterical about [Gossip Girl‘s Chace Crawford or 50 Cent].”