Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com, Text by Peter Knegt/indieWIRE (September 6, 2008)
"I'm not even sure it's an undertone," joked
Ethan Coen at the press conference of "
Burn After Reading" at Toronto's Park Hyatt Hotel this morning. Half of the film's writing, directing and producing duo had been asked by a Toronto reporter about "Burn"'s "dark undertones," particularly as portrayed through its characters. "They are pretty terrible [people]," he said. The film -- which is having a generally warm but occasionally confused reception in Toronto -- premiered last night. Ethan Coen (left) is pictured at the film's post-screening party with the film's co-star
Tilda Swinton and distributor
Focus Features'
John Lyons. Swinton was also at the press conference, and remarked on her recent tendency to work with two of "Burn"'s leading men. "I'm working on having George Clooney in every contract," Swinton joked. "It's tough - but I'm trying. But I have the consolation prize of having
Brad Pitt in two different films." Speaking on their upcoming "
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Pitt responded: "I'm working on stealing Tilda away from George."