First Look: Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock

How involved is he in the film?

Not really, but he came on set the first day and was part of
the ceremony. They're reissuing the book this summer.

And you wrote the screenplay with him? Or did you adapt the
book yourself?

No, no, I wrote the screenplay.

How did you decide on Demetri Martin?

Just when you see it, you'll understand. It was really
hair-raising, 'cause I just went out on a limb. I just
believed in this guy. Honestly it was my teenage daughters. We
all just kind of hang out and do homework together, and work
together at home. And one day we're taking a break and went on
to YouTube and you see his "Demetri Martin Jokes With the
Guitar" sketch and he's got masses of views.

So someone might have been cast from being popular on
YouTube?

That's correct. I just started looking at his stuff. It was
kind of hard because he'd never been in a movie, but Ang came
in and read him, and put him on tape and it was cool. But
it's like, "Oh, no. It's on me if it doesn't
work!" [
Laughs

]

And Liev Schreiber plays…

Liev Schreiber plays Miss Vilma, who's a friend of a friend of
the village who stumbles on what's going to be Woodstock and is
helping do security at the hotel. The locals aren't happy about
the festival and are spray-painting slurs on the motel.

And is he a drag queen or a transsexual?

I think he's a drag queen.

Was the music that came out of Woodstock part of your
life?

No, I never went to Woodstock.

But I mean, the music itself.

My brother had the album, and I always remember the album being
around. And it really represented an idea of what it was like
to be a teenager. But I can't claim to be part of the Woodstock
generation… I am slightly too young, I guess, fortunately.