John Krasinski has an in depth interview with Playboy that came out last week, which I’m just seeing now. He’s promoting his upcoming horror movie, A Quiet Place, with his wife, Emily Blunt. Krasinski wrote, directed and stars in the film. I love horror, especially post-apocalyptic films, and plan to see this. It strikes me as an allegory for protecting his family from fame, like they have to work to stay under the radar or become targets.
In our Oscar fashion coverage of Emily Blunt, many of you were speculating that she’s having problems at home. I thought she looked unhappy because her dresses weren’t great and because John stayed home with their kids. They have daughters Hazel, four, and Violet, one and a half. They seem like hands on parents who have a hard time finding caregivers they trust.
John praises Emily in Playboy and says she understands him better than anyone else. He also likes that she lets him get out of his comfort zone (my words). All of this may be PR, but again I’m not getting the impression that their relationship is in trouble. Here’s part of his interview, which is much longer so I would recommend you read it at the source.
While swimming in Costa Rica aged 17 he saved a girl’s life
There was no one to help me. I just went out and tried to save her. And then of course when I got out there, I was in a crosscurrent with her. It was one of those moments of “Oh my God, you just made a poor choice and it might cost you your life.” But I didn’t think about it like that. It was just this survival instinct. It was really weird—like the girl was asking me to let her die. But I got her back. When I got within 20 yards or so of the shore, some surfers came out. Granted, not everybody needs to have life-or-death experiences, but that changed my entire life. All of a sudden I grew up.Whereas college should have been my defining moment, Costa Rica was. It just ripped all the protective layers apart and allowed me to get hurt. And you know, not to keep circling back to A Quiet Place, but there is something about that—at some point you have to let your kids get hurt. That’s very palpable in my life right now with my girls. I hope I’m brave enough to be as good as my parents were.
On his wife getting him
I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by incredible friends and family who keep me on track and don’t let me spin out into my own universe for too long—namely, and most important, my wife. I think my wife gets me. Not just to sound adorable, but the truth is she gets me more than anyone else has ever gotten me. And so she allows me to, for lack of a better term, bottom out for a second and get really scared. Like right now in the editing process, some stuff works amazing and some stuff doesn’t. And when it doesn’t, I get really nervous, like, “Will I ever get to this place?” And she says, “Yeah, just keep at it. One step at a time.”He tries to be humble
That was kind of the directive from my parents: Just be a good person. That to me is so much of a compliment, as much as people saying, “Wow, man, amazing performance.” Just being a good person, I think in this day and age, is really all we should be striving for, because that’s how anything will get done.On The Me Too and Times Up movements
First of all, I believe I can’t add anything to the conversation. There’s so much that has been said and is continuing to be said, and all the things that need to be said are at least out there and on the table now.The sexual-harassment stuff is the disgusting by-product that is shaking people up and making people awake, but I hope we don’t stop there. I hope we have 50 percent women in the workplace in power positions. I think it’s a conversation about power more than anything else. To me, that’s what’s so palpably powerful. It’s not as a father of two daughters or the husband of a wife who’s a strong feminist woman in the business. It’s as a human being.
For someone who is close friends with Matt Damon, he sure is aware that he can’t define women’s experiences for them. He also isn’t using the “as the father of daughters” line and he’s mildly calling out those who do.
There’s a theme throughout this interview of John feeling scared at different points in his life, taking risks and pursuing that feeling, which is a key component to success. So he appreciates the fact that Emily doesn’t try to stop him from doing that. This reminds me of Matthew McConaughey’s recent comment that he’s grateful to his wife for letting him be himself. I hope to have a relationship like that. Also, I need to take a lesson from John and just push through the fear to achieve my goals. Maybe I can learn to like that adrenaline rush too.
Photos credit: Getty and Instagram/John Krasinski
He seems really genuine and happy – same with her. Nice to see it.
His career didn’t flourish the way Carell’s did but he seems really nice. Hope this movie is good because I do like the general idea.
…Is it wrong of me to try and find any faults in what he says? He just really seems like a kind, sweet man. I believe him when he talks about how much he loves Emily. I want him to do well with his work. I don’t know, you guys. John, please don’t turn out to be a pig!!!
I said something similar below. It is so. f*cking. depressing. that we have to add that caveat at the end of our comments about a seemingly good guy. But such is the time that we are living in….
I really like him. He DOES strike me as one of the “good ones” but you know, I’ve made that mistake before. Sigh.
Everything he said about just being a good person really resonated with me–maybe because being a good person appears to be a rarity these days…
I believe he is. It sounds like he came from a very stable family and childhood and carries that with him into his marriage. He has a strong wife with strong career ambitions, yet doesn’t seem to be threatened by that. And just the fact that he’s at an age where he recognizes what is important as far as your character shows a lot about him, especially in a cutthroat business like Hollywood..
Yea it sucks we have to question at all. But judging on what he’s done up until now…I cant fault what he said. Esp since he essentially called out those stupid statements about having daughters/wife. No its about being a decent human
I’m with you on his “good person” comment, it resonated with me, too. It seems so simple, a no-brainer, really, but now more than ever it really does seem like being a good person doesn’t count for much anymore, as you said. That is depressing.
I’ve always had two wishes for my sons — that they be good, kind, decent people and that they be happy. No matter what path they choose. Every once in a while when my younger son mades a dumb or selfish decision I panic a little bit…worrying that maybe I haven’t instilled enough “goodness” in him. Then I remember that he is just a teen and that he is indeed a good guy who generally makes good choices. Everyone makes mistakes. It’s owning up to them and learning from them that seems less important these days. Sigh.
I say that about my two, too. All I want is for them to be good, kind people who are self-sufficient as adults and happy. If they get there, I will feel like I’ve done a good job as a mom. Mine are 10 and 5, so it’s early days, but I think we’re raising confident, strong, kind, compassionate kids who will take those qualities with them as they grow.
I love John Krasinski (Jim 4eva!! We’re re-watching The Office, on Season 9 now) and I like what he said here.
What a beautiful couple
Well, I think the risks he’s talking about are mainly his own projects, writing and directing. Even Ben Affleck said he gets severe migraines, which he never had before, because of the stress putting a project together, writing, directing, getting the funding, post-production work, like the editing he’s talking about. It’s all on your shoulders.
John’ did a movie he co-wrote and co-produced and starred in with Matt. And he’s co-wrote and directed a couple of movies. Most of these actors who direct and write, their first projects don’t get the publicity and attention that Angelina’s indies get. So for all the bitching by fans about Angie getting unfairly criticized regarding her foray into directing and writing, most actors, like John and Jason Bateman and Colin Farrell could only dream of that kind of publicity, and instead get far less publicity and the movies little attention, and the reviews haven’t been spectacular either.
I just can’t get past the fact that this was a guy who couldn’t wait to ditch his TV crowd the moment he hooked up with a legit movie star, and who was in that ridiculous Benghazi movie. Something nice: he seems to realize that Emily is a catch and he’s at least saying the ‘right’ thing here.
Bridget, THANK YOU !!!
I have always kept this dude at arms length. He just rubs me the wrong way and it seems that he is changing his PR game now. That John Clancy show on Amazon needs to be a hit for him. He needs a hit and knows it.
I still side eye him for not inviting ANY of his ‘The Office’s castmates to his wedding. Was it because he married on his superstar “friend” George Clooney’s yacht? Makes me go ‘hmmmmmmmm’.
I will always love Jim Halpert though, and wish John, Emily & their kids happiness forever.
Yeah i remember hearing rumblings of him being that way with his TV family. It’s why I never really warmed up to him. Then again, it could just be that he didn’t feel he clicked with them all that much, and not at all to do with him thinking he’s better than them.
True, maybe he never clicked – but someone clicked with every movie star his wife is friends with.
I love them together. That’s a great rule in life: just be a decent person.
The part with BJ Novak is interesting… rivalry?
Ummmm….well, BJ was the first to call out John’s attitude during their time on The Office. I don’t think it is a rivalry, but there is no love lost between the two of them.
Wasn’t BJ the one that got him the job on the Office? I think I remember reading that in Mindy Kaling’s first book but I could be totally off. If so, that’s sad how that relationship transformed, if all of that is true.
My brother lives in LA, he is a completely non famous person, so it’s nothing like that, but he was neighbors with John’s P.A. (this is before children) and my brother, who never gushes about all the people he’s met in his years there, says that these two human beings are the absolute salt of the earth. Genuine and funny. They would sit on the front porch, drinking bourbon and watching all of their dogs play together. Just normal as you please. I love that and I will take it very personally if these two ever can’t make it work.
That’s good to hear.
I loved him on the Office, it’s interesting to watch him transition into the next part of his career. The only thing I side eye him for is doing that Benghazi movie. She seems pretty great, and they seem to compliment each other well.
Love the “father of daughters” comment.
He did a good job with this interview. He does seem genuinely nice, and it’s nice to hear more people say that. All my life, “nice” is the best compliment I can receive or give. I’ve always felt that way. It’s nice to hear others say it as well, because it drives us all to be as nice as we can. Which is less tiring than being angry and rude all the time. 😛
I just love the two of them. They seem like genuinely nice people and I’ve not heard anything that contradicts that.
A Quiet Place looks GOOD. I’ve been excited for this since I saw the first trailer.
Wow. It’s like he’s saying all the perfect things to say.
I liked it, and side eyed it at the same time. Welcome to 2018.
Oh, darn it. They’re about to get a divorce. Interviews like this always precede a split. It’s like denial or overcompensation.
I’ve heard from several sources that John has a drinking problem.
No I don’t like him, sorry. I think he’s so goddamn earnest. And he’s not sexy enough for these spy and soldier roles, he’s just too nerdy.
I agree; I just can’t buy him in those roles at all. He just does not pull it off.
I’m just so proud of these babes, for not only successfully making a movie together, seemingly without any real on-set friction, but for actually making a GOOD movie that way by the sounds of it! I’m sorry I ever doubted, clearly these two are solid.