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Shirley MacLaine and Peter Dinklage star in the movie “American Dreamer.”
Extra’s Billy Bush spoke to Shirley and Peter about the dark comedy. This dark comedy follows a disgruntled, underpaid professor whose dream of buying his own house seems out of reach until he makes the deal of a lifetime to inherit his estate. A vast fortune acquired from a wealthy widow.
This was the first time Shirley and Peter had worked together. “This was one of the most amazing experiences of my career,” he exclaimed.
Shirley added: “We really hit it off.”
Peter called the film “a fresh perspective on romance.”
The film, co-starring Danny Glover and Matt Dillon, is based on a true story.
In the film, Shirley plays the widow Astrid. She said, “I liked the way she dealt with her age.”
Shirley is almost 90 years old, so how will she celebrate? She replied, “I’m going to go to the set…I’m going to Atlantic City.”
Shirley, who made her film debut in 1955, reflected on her life as an actress and explained what has changed in Hollywood as streaming has gone mainstream. She explained: I don’t think it’s completely different…”
When asked about the increasing scrutiny Hollywood stars receive, Billy jokes: I have an open personality, so I don’t have much to hide. Sometimes there’s a lot of explaining to do. ”
Shirley also shared her thoughts on the classic American Dream, saying, “I think we should care more about what American democracy means. I think I’ve forgotten what that means, but I think it’s time to get back to the real level of understanding American democracy.”
Peter contributed his two cents and said: “The idea of the American Dream is appealing. But I think the point of this movie is to be careful what you get too attached to, because when you meet someone like Shirley and her character… It completely turns everything you thought about on its head and opens you up to a whole new perspective.”
“American Dreamer” will be released in select theaters and on demand starting March 8th.