Behind the Scenes: Dermot Mulroney & Ted Danson talk Conjugal Visits & Saving the Ocean

Last weekend at the Big Miracle movie junket we had the chance to hang out with Ted Danson and Dermot Mulroney. They were both such a treat. And pairing these fellows together just brought out their personalities and sense of humor.  Big Miracle hits theaters on February 3rd, 2012. I think it’s a must see family film that is surprisingly fabulous on so many levels. 

The Moms loved these guys and we think the feeling was mutual since we suspect our “Parent Blogger roundtable” is more relaxed, less intense, and just more fun, than the more stressful interviews they need to do with mainstream journalists during the day. So the actors truly seem to just like the break & be willing to spill fun tidbits with us – which we of course devour and love.

When we asked them about their family life they were quick to share details and jest away with us upon our inquires if their wives or children visited frigid Alaska during the filming of Big Miracle. Ted was quick to quip that although Dermot’s 3 children didn’t make the trek to Alaska (given it’s dark there half the time not to mention freezing) that Dermot did enjoy a conjugal visit from his wife but that he had to travel for his. I felt like I was watching a mini comedy act with the 2 guys joking with each other.

Ted’s thoughts on being a Grandfather

Ted reported he had just become a proud grandfather 9 days earlier for the very first time.

Ted Danson: “And I think the reason why I took CSI, which is what I’m doing now, which is in town, with this great cast, great crew, but, to be here in Los Angeles and to be able to be at the birth and to be able to hang around and babysit and do all of that and not be in Anchorage, Alaska. And to be able to work in town at my age is such a treat. I’m so grateful.”

Dermot Mulroney Juggles the Kids like the rest of us

Dermot certainly seemed down to earth when it came to figuring out child care for his 3 young kids as he didn’t report having live in Nannies but instead said that with his crazy schedule – sometimes traveling 10 out of 12 months in a year, that he is lucky to rely on their mother -in-law for extra support.

Dermot: “In the last 14 or so months since the start of this, these are the places that I had to go for work reasons: Anchorage, Toronto, Vancouver, Nashville, Pittsburgh, New York, Bangkok, Thailand for a month, Washington, D.C., and back to Bangkok, Thailand to finish.”

Dermot:  “I have a mother-in-law who’s young and vital, so she’s indispensable. She only has a six-month visa, though. So, she can only be in this country precisely six months a year.

So, we use it like it’s gold. And I had all this business, and this job came up. So, we get her for three weeks and send her back to Italy, because later, if I’m working, I’m going to need her to come back so that we don’t go over the 180 days or whatever it is.

So, the whole thing is this incredibly intricate Web, like I’m sure most of you also have to deal with. I don’t separate myself to any higher plain of complexity.”

The Moms hanging out with the guys below when our interview ended.

On a more serious note, Ted Danson, who plays the “Big Oil” guy in Big Miracle, is actually an incredible advocate for our Oceans.

Ted Danson’s tips on how we can help save the oceans:

His first tip was to download the Seafood Watch app for our smartphones & his second was to sign up for Ocean.org, an organization he founded in 2001,  to become an advocate for our oceans.

Ted Danson: “This app will tell you, wherever you are, it’ll see where you are in the country. It’ll tell you what’s good to eat, what’s not, and why. So, if you start educating yourself on what’s sustainable, you will end up having an impact on the markets, which will have an impact on the fisheries, hopefully.  (Note: You can download Seafood Watch free from the iTunes store here.)

 

But, the truth is, you need to be international advocate. And the best way to do that, from my opinion, is to go to Oceana.org, click here, and say, “Yes, I will become an advocate.”

And then, in your busy, crazy, insane week, you can spend five minutes a week by looking at your e-mail and clicking here and clicking there, and you will send letters that Oceana directs you to that have a huge impact, because this is such an out of sight, out of mind subject, the oceans.

Disclosure: Thanks to Universal Pictures for paying for my travel expenses for this lovely stay in Santa Monica to attend the Big Miracle Press junket. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 


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