John McClane has had some cool sidekicks. If anyone could top Reginald Veljohnson, it was Samuel L. Jackson. Now he's got the Mac guy at his side. Justin Long plays a computer hacker in Live Free or Die Hard. When McClane is sent to bring him in as a witness, the Die Hard stuff starts happening. As McClane takes care of business, Long can only nervously crack wise.
CraveOnline: Did you ever get teased by anyone on the crew about playing a computer geek in this movie and being on Mac commercials?
Justin Long: Mostly behind my back. In terms of people making fun of me, they did for many reasons. I think lower on the list, not just the geek thing. There was a whole effeminate thing, the whole I have three testicles. No, I don't think anybody ever really [teased me]. Everyone was bugging me about getting an iPhone. I remember one day when it was announced, everyone went, "I want an iPhone." People that had never talked to me were like, "Hey, Justin." But people do often come up to me. The funny thing about people recognizing me with the Mac thing is they're always very casual about it. They never seem at all impressed. They're just very like, "Oh, there's a tree, there's a bowl, there's the Mac guy, there's…" It's very nonchalant about it. I don't know why they wouldn't be. People also ask me a lot of questions about computers. I play a hacker in this movie and I have to deliver a lot of exposition about like "Well, the algorithm is contracted into…" I'm very, very computer illiterate. So I just think it's sort of funny that for somebody who is as retarded as I am is playing the smart hacker guy. I get the worst of both worlds. I look like a geeky hacker but I don't know anything about computers.
CraveOnline: So is it Macs or PCs in the movie?
Justin Long: I think they're PCs. I'm sure they were aware of it. It's nice doing it. It's a great job for me but people are very passionate about airing on one side or the other. It's serious. I can't really even relate to the people. I suppose I have to. I have to choose a side. But I think they probably made a conscious [decision]. I don't think they'd want Macs everywhere in the movie. Listen to iPods while we're running away from things.
CraveOnline: How'd you like doing the big action stunts?
Justin Long: I had never done a movie like this. It was just crazy for me to see how long and involved all these stunts and sequences were. You see the movie, you sort of forget what you're doing. You forget what the means to the end is or what the end is going to be, and then you see it, and all those weeks and weeks of waiting and setups and da da da, just fades in seconds of film. These scenes that I freaked out about where I was doing push ups and trying to get in character to deliver all these lines, they're just like Bah and then cut to another guy and back to me, going Bah! It really is, I have a friend who works on the show CSI: Miami, I was freaking out about the character and he said, "You're not going to have time to look good or bad. It's just going to be like a quick shot of you going Bah and then that's it." So it's amazing, just considering all the time, and you guys are probably used to it but I had never done a movie like this and it was overwhelming to be a part of it. And then you see it and it's like, "That was really fast. It was over."
CraveOnline: You're a funny guy. Did you improvise any lines?
Justin Long: Yeah, they always wanted us to do a bunch scripted, but the script was sort of in a constant state of flux so there was definitely [room for improv]. Bruce did it too. There was a lot of that going on. In those moments of sort of like extreme, I'm always scared for my life, it's kind of hard to stick to [the script]. You kind of have to bring something a bit more natural. Some of the dialogue was not exactly solidified. I'm just surprised he left a lot of it in. I was really, really surprised.
CraveOnline: Did the Willis daughters ever visit the set?
Justin Long: I had the good fortune of meeting them. They’re all very smart. They’re very elevated and very aware and wise. They both made fun of us [me and director Len Wiseman] but in a very witty, mature way. They were all very funny. They very aware and smart, so someone did a good job.
CraveOnline: You seem to excel at these funny supporting roles, but you started to get your own lead parts too. What are the pros and cons of you doing a lead verses a supportive character?
Justin Long: There are more cons I would say because obviously there is a lot more work. My favorite actors are the ones like Phillip Seymour Hoffman or Sam Rockwell. Guys that will kind of do small character parts and then balance it with the neurotic every man guy. I don’t know.
