John Goodman's collaboration with famed directors Joel and Ethan has spanned decades, which was apparent during the NYFF press conference for Inside Llewyn Davis.
You don't often think of the Coen Brothers films without thinking of the legendary John Goodman. The Coen's 6th collaboration with John Goodman (also the trio's first in a decade), Inside Llewyn Davis, will have its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival next week. The film tells the story of a struggling folk musician in the early 1960s just before Bob Dylan transforms the musical scene.
As with O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the Coen brothers again incorporate Homeric themes in their depiction of the journey taken by their protagonist Llewyn Davis a character based on singer-songwriter Dave Van Ronk. Oscar Issac gives a star-making performance as Davis, a musician on a quest to find success on his own terms. Inevitably, the actions of those around him especially the women in his life impact his own personal odyssey (there is even a cat named Ulysses!). Along the way, he encounters the enigmatic Roland Turner, played by Goodman, a jazz musician who takes Davis along with him from New York to Chicago to help pay for gas.
The Coen Brothers were at ease at yesterday's press conference with John Goodman and Oscar Issac at Lincoln Center, and the quartet took many questions from the audience. Goodman was effervescent as usual, lending his own distinctive charm to the proceedings. Here are a few of his best quotes and what we learned from yesterday's conference.
"I did internally. My interior monologue was scored." Unfortunately, John Goodman doesn't get to show off his pipes in Inside Llewyn Davis, and he had a cheeky retort when someone asked him why he didn't sing in the film: I did internally. My interior monologue was scored.
During the conference, Ethan Coen revealed that famed music producer T-Bone Burnett was the first person to whom they sent the script of Inside Llewyn Davis once it was finished. The Coens previously worked with Burnett on the soundtrack of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which won multiple Grammys, including Album of the Year.
Much like O Brother, Where Art Thou?, there is a interesting mix of traditional and original music performed throughout the film. Llewyn Davis is a man who struggles with his own authenticity and will sing only standards like Hang Me, Oh Hang Me and The Death of Queen Jane. No doubt T-Bone Burnett will have another hit album when the soundtrack is released later this year.
"I thought that was understood. I must work harder." When a woman in the audience asked whether John Goodman's character of Roland Turner was supposed to represent a Siren, Goodman's retort was classic: I thought that was understood. I must work harder. During the conference, Ethan Coen said, we thought of the film as a odyssey that doesn't go anywhere. Cleverly, Goodman revealed nothing, though his character is the most foreboding presence Llewyn encounters on his trip.
A loud, windbag jazz musician with a bad wig, Turner is crass and completely oblivious of other people, though when he feels that Llewyn is being disrespectful of him (and he is), he tells him of his practice in the black arts, especially his knowledge of Santeria. Much like Odysseus, fate and chance seem to work against Llewyn during many parts of his journey.
"I mainly read their scripts for the pictures." When asked about a particularly striking visual sequence in the film, Oscar Issac revealed that the Coen Brothers print out the days' storyboard and short list on the back of the sides for the cast and crew. Goodman, a veteran Coen Brothers player, quipped that these illustrations keep him coming back for more: I mainly read their scripts for the pictures.
One of the gems of a press conference between friends is the intimate stories that are uncovered during the course of the conversation. When asked about their collaborative process over the years, Goodman was hesitant to go into an in-depth explanation, but provided an example of the shorthand that has developed over the years: The shorthand part is hard to explain, so I won't try. Sorry. It's something we've always fallen into, I think, since Raising Arizona. One time, they asked me to do a take when I was driving an automobile and I said, Oh, you mean a Spanky take! They knew what I was talking about Spanky from the Little Rascals and it's those kinds of little things that make the days go ever so much faster."
The Coen Brothers also were eager to share their own tales, and Joel recalled a particular instance on Barton Fink where he asked Goodman to open a door with a little more ropey snot on this take. Goodman, not needing any further explanation, simply replied, I'm your boy! Hopefully, we don't have to wait another decade for their next collaboration.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
John Goodman's collaboration with famed directors Joel and Ethan has spanned decades, which was apparent during the NYFF press conference for Inside Llewyn Davis. 
