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ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Speaking of the Beatles, were you surprised that Brett used more modern music in the film, like the Beastie Boys.
HANK AZARIA: I think that part of his message is: This is relevant for today, especially with what's going on right now, and where's the spirit of protest? It's what's going on right now because it can certainly can apply.

There are some obvious things, but what specifics in the film do you think resonate with what's going on right now?
The Iraq War. No one took to the streets over it. It certainly would have been appropriate. If anybody even hinted we should...you were called un-American and not supporting the troops.

Do you think some of the more comical tactics that Abbie used back then would have worked today?
I don't know. It was certainly entertaining and he certainly had a genius touch for attracting attention. It would have been amazing to see Abbie Hoffman running around as we entered this war.

I wonder, though, whether it would deflate the conversation or maybe it would be exactly what opponents of the war need to get the administration's attention.
Maybe now, with some of the spirit of this coming back, a more sobered, measured, intelligent, follow through-able version of this would be great.

Have you been following the presidential race? Are you into it?
I have been. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's an amazing year. It's an amazing race, if you will, which I also watch. As a Democrat, I'm happy that the debate is going back to how we can fix what's wrong, as opposed to staying the freaking course.

What else are you working on?
I'm finishing up in The Farnsworth Invention right now, Aaron Sorkin's brilliant play. I'm about to play Abraham in the Lee Eisenberg movie that Harold Ramis is directing called The Year One, with Jack Black and Michael Cera. Then, I'm going to go play an Egyptian pharaoh come to life in Night at the Museum 2, with Ben Stiller. And Run Fatboy Run [David Schwimmer's feature directing debut, also starring Hot Fuzz's Simon Pegg] is coming out at the end of March.

I also heard something about a possible sequel to The Birdcage?
There's always talk of that every once in a while, and then it never really happens. But I would be beyond thrilled to do that again. Somebody wrote a sequel to it like 10 years ago that arrived at my doorstep; it featured Agador but it wasn't very good. It never got off the ground. I just had dinner with Mike Nichols [The Birdcage's director]; he didn't mention anything about it. But it would be fun. They'd really have to figure something clever out, but I'd do it in a heartbeat.


Posted Feb 28, 2008 | Order Article Reprints
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