Writer-director Joss Whedon, 50, created Buffy The Vampire Slayer. His latest movie is the Marvel adventure, Avengers: Age Of Ultron
So, the new Avengers is fun?
Yes, I’m a believer in fun. I’m still processing the idea that it’s done. All these people are reviewing it so really, it must be. They don’t do that unless it’s finished. I loathe it and I’m enormously proud of it.
Are you a perfectionist?
I don’t believe in perfection but I do believe that I could have done some stuff better.
What are you most proud of with the film?
I’m very proud of everybody else who worked on it and that it’s a weird movie. And we got to say some things that you don’t normally get to say in a big summertime blockbuster. For all its messiness, it’s all heart.
What’s the trick to directing so many big actors?
I remember the first day we had: everyone was great. I got in the car after and couldn’t move. It was like I’d been sprinting up the side of a mountain. You just make sure everybody knows you’re watching them. When you’re with someone, you have to have the same energy levels so they don’t get insecure or grouchy because there are seven movie stars.
Which of your projects get the most fan attention?
Firefly, probably. Buffy would be a close second.
What’s the weirdest Buffy reaction you’ve had?
Buffy fans are a very intelligent, passionate and literate lot. It was very weird for me. I thought, we’re going to make this show good but we won’t tell anyone about the metaphor and right away, everybody got it.
What humour makes you laugh in other people’s work?
Jolly, comedy jokes. I’m not much of one for cringe humour. I will hide my eyes like I’m watching a horror. The toast scene in Bridesmaids… I don’t like to see people humiliated, ever.
Do you dream about work?
I don’t usually remember them, I don’t sleep that much. But for more than a week after we locked this movie I woke up every day having had a dream about fixing the post-production.
Do you believe in ghosts?
Oh, no. But I believe there is so much we don’t understand that the notion of ghosts is powerful, as is the notion of the Frankenstein story. We are all Frankenstein – I believe we are all our own ghosts. I leaned into Frankenstein heavily with this movie as I wanted to evoke that classical feeling; robot stories are just Frankenstein stories. They’re about who made us and how pissed off we are we got made.
Where do you travel to for fun?
I’m not like,‘I’m going to go to this weird place you’ve never heard of.’ I have trouble asking what aisle something’s in. When I travel for pleasure I come to London.
What do you like about London?
Everything. It’s the greatest city in the world.
What do you get up to here?
I’ll see as much theatre as I can and if I’m very lucky I’ll go to the ballet. I saw my first production at the Royal Opera House after I’d already written an entire episode of Angel about ballet and I hadn’t even seen a proper one. I’ll see my friends and drink beer.
What are you up to next?
Nothing. Tomorrow I’m doing press in Italy, after that I’m unemployed.
Going down the job centre then?
Yeah. Can I get on the dole? I’m rich, is it weird? No, it’s been 25 years of working. I thought maybe I’ll just figure out who I am when I’m not working and if that gets too scary…
Do you feel like you’re still learning how to be yourself?
Yeah, I’ve been having these revelations but also I’m pretty sure this is like adolescence and everybody else figured this out when they were 17. I knew I was a narcissist but there are a lot of connections I hadn’t made. It’s amazing the things you think you should know. Like relationships. You think ‘I’m going to get this one right because I’m not going to make the mistakes I did with the last one.’ But actually I’m going to make all these other mistakes!
They say you live and learn…
Yeah. My motto is, Live…
Avengers: Age Of Ultron is out now
