Q&A: Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried

Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum (Credit: Todd Williamson/WireImage)

Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried aren't actually a couple in real life—Tatum married his “Step Up” co-star Jenna Dewan; Seyfried dates “Mamma Mia!” co-star Dominic Cooper—but their natural rapport speaks to the chemistry that powers their latest movie, “Dear John.”

Adapted from a novel by Nicholas Sparks (“The Notebook”) and directed by Lasse Hallström (“Chocolat”), “Dear John” casts Tatum and Seyfried as young lovers who struggle to maintain a long-distance relationship when she returns to school and he returns to the army.

“Dear John” certainly won’t be the last you see of these two in 2010. Seyfried has romance “Letters to Juliet” and erotic thriller “Chloe” scheduled for release, while Tatum stars in Roman epic “The Eagle of the Ninth.”

Tatum, 29, who lives in L.A., and Seyfried, 24, who splits time between L.A., New York and London, sat down together to explain why “Dear John” isn’t a chick flick and why Tatum has a hard-core film in his future.

What would you say to guys who are whining, “Man, my girlfriend wants me to take her to ‘Dear John’ …”
Amanda Seyfried: Grin and bear it, man! Grin and f’in bear it.

Channing Tatum: [Laughs] “Grin and f’n bear it.”

AS: Just let it take over. Let it happen. Let it do what it needs to do. Let it filter through you.

CT: I think you’ll be affected more than you think.

Who wouldn’t be more excited after being told "grin and f'in bear it"?
CT: That should be on the poster.

I appreciated that the movie isn't two hours of people crying or a lot of sentimental clichés. How disappointed were you that you didn’t get to chase each other down at an airport, like, “Don’t get on that plane!”?
AS: Yeah, you know what: I like “The Bodyguard.”

CT: [Whispers] I do too.

AS: It’s like one of my favorite movies. But yeah, it doesn’t need to go that far. I think there’s a way you can have the audience not have to feel that. You don’t necessarily need to be so literal about everything.

What does the term “chick flick” mean to you in relation to “Dear John”?
CT: I think it’s a couples flick. I don’t think it’s a chick flick. It’s not a bro movie. I’m not going to grab a bunch of guys and be like, “Hey, let’s go see ‘Dear John.’” It’s not that type of film. … It's one of those films that you can go to and it doesn’t matter what age you are or what gender you are or what ethnicicity you are…

[Seyfried laughs quietly]

CT: What?

AS: Nothing. You stumbled.

CT: What’d I say?

AS: When you said “ethnicicity.”

CT: Ethnicity. Sorry, I say ethnicicity.

AS: No, no. No no. It’s wrong.

CT: S***.

AS: It’s ok. I caught you now. It’s fine.

CT: Either way, I think it’s something for everybody.

AS: Sorry, I just want to add one more thing. If a movie makes you feel something, if a movie makes you want to change even one little thing in your life to make it better, then we’ve done our jobs.

Savannah’s dad really tries to intimidate John, saying he can bench a fridge. Have either of you had an encounter with a significant other’s friend or family member who warned you to watch out?
CT: [Laughs] That’s actually a good question. Wow, that brings me back.

AS: My dad, he is such a soft man. Even if he has these opinions about my boyfriends, he will be the sweetest guy. He will make you feel like you’re fascinating and awesome, even if he doesn’t like you that much.

And then he’ll put something in your coffee.
AS: No, no no. He’ll be like, [in a squeaky, high-pitched voice], “I kinda like that guy.”

CT: [Laughing] Your [impression’s] really funny, you need to do that again.

AS: Dominic still imitates him.

CT: [Still laughing] That was great.

AS: Dominic still remembers exactly the first impression. My dad’s like… [high-pitched] “You’re incredible! I really had a nice time!” It’s embarrassing. He’s sweet to a fault.

CT: When I met my wife’s father, he’s maybe one of the most charismatic and smart and gregarious [guys]. He played football for Notre Dame.

AS: Is he really tall?

CT: No, he’s just one of the most great-looking… Any girl that meets him, is like, “Your dad’s hot.” It was really intimidating meeting him.

What was going through your head at the time?
CT: “I gotta say something smart. I gotta say something smart. Just don’t look like an idiot right now. Whatever you do, don’t say ethnicicity.”

AS: If you can’t pronounce a word correctly, just don’t use it.

“Dear John” kicks off a big year for each of you. What are you thinking about 2010?
AS: I just hope people respect us by the end of the year.

Why wouldn’t they?
AS: I guess just if they don’t like you in your role, if they don’t like your movie.

CT: We’re just being insecure as actors. It’s a natural thing for the animal of actors; it’s impossible not to be.

AS: We want people to watch the movies and enjoy them…

CT: …and half-not hate us. As actors you do movies and you just pray that people kinda like it.

AS: And they want to see you again. I don’t know. God, why do I sound like I’ve been drinking?

Channing, you’ve said you’re going to write a script about your experiences as a stripper. How’s that going, what’s the title and who’s playing you?
CT: I’m definitely playing me. I don’t know what the title is; we haven’t really started on the script yet.

AS: “G.I. Strip.” “Stripper Joe.”

CT: I don’t know what it’ll be. But it’ll be definitely interesting, I’ll tell you that. I don’t think it’s a movie that’s been done. It’s not a genre that’s been really captured well or really at all.

The stripper movie genre? Have you ever stayed up late watching Cinemax?
CT: This won’t be soft-core. It’ll be hard-core.

AS: Really? You’re going to do hard-core porn in your next movie?

CT: I didn’t say porn. I said hard-core.

AS: He was talking about soft-pore corn.

Amanda, I think you just said soft-pore corn.
AS: [Laughs] You’re right.


We gave Channing and Amanda a short personality test. Here are their answers:
Nickname:
Tatum: Chanimal
Seyfried: Minge

If I weren’t acting I’d be:
Tatum: Animal shelter
Seyfried: radio DJ?

Rock band instrument:
Tatum: Guitar
Seyfried: mic

Twitter or Facebook?
Tatum: N/A
Seyfried: Facebook

iPhone or BlackBerry:
Tatum: iPhone
Seyfried: BlackBerry

Jim/Pam or Ross/Rachel:
Both: Ross/Rachel

Movie you’ve done that deserves a sequel:
Both: “Dear John”


Find local showtimes for "Dear John"