McKidd: I think that’s what Grey’s Anatomy does will, it’s willing to go headlong into sensitive subject matters and I think the writers always deal with something in sensitive interesting ways and tell stories in a new way, most of the responses I saw were very responsive, and it was really about two characters struggling, one of them really wants to like the children and one of them doesn’t. Did you get a lot of reaction? Did people comment to you on it?
THR: Last year on Grey’s, you were involved in an abortion storyline, and that received plenty of attention. But the directing, I think I’m gaining confidence in it. But acting is still sort of my first love, really.
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Definitely I think beyond that, I’m interested in doing TV directing, but independent European film, hopefully I’ll be able to do. McKidd: Definitely going to be directing more of Grey’s as we go forward and its been a great experience and I’m very grateful to them for taking a chance on me, I was untested. THR: You’ve directed a few episodes of Grey’s Anatomy do you plan on doing more directing, heading in that direction? People still mention it, I’ve got a lot of fondness for it and it helped all of us get a foothold in this business. I saw it about a year ago, it still works as a movie. THR: Have you watched it recently? Do you still get asked about it? Even when you do a recording session, you don’t do anything else, you don’t get to hang out, but we’ve gotten to reconnect. McKidd: We hadn’t worked together since then, it was a long time ago. THR: You know, given that you co-star with Kelly MacDonald, they really could have sold the film to older audiences as a Trainspotting reunion of sorts. I think the landscapes they created were almost more beautiful than Scotland. The humorous and wildness but warmth still exists, really captured that, kind of a love letter to Scotland in a way.
McKidd: It definitely is a fanaticized version of Scotland but I think that they did capture the essence and spirit of the landscape and spirit. THR: So, as a Scotsman, how do you think they did capturing and recreating the country? McKidd: The lines they would come up with wouldn’t quite ring true to Scottish ear, so they were flexible to us just changing stuff, say this is what I would say, my mom would speak it or my dad say it. PHOTOS: From Toy Story to Brave, a Guide to Pixar’s 13 Films They were blown away – are you making that up or making a real dialect? Pixar is so thorough so they like the idea of a real dialect. McKidd: They asked, what kind of accent should they do? They suggested nonsense Scottish words, but I said I could do that, but a dialogue from my hometown Doric, my grandfather used to speak, a lot of people still speak it, and it’s hard to understand it. THR: Since it was always changing, did you get to have any input into the story, or your characters?
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Certain things change, young MacGuffin was going to be the one was going to be the one Merida picks, but that changed eventually because they decided it was more interesting to keep her free and single to keep her mother and bury the hatchet. McKidd: The main thrust of the story: a mother and a daughter and mother’s power struggle and a mother and daughter’s relationship as they struggle with their own opinions, always been the heart. THR: So what did they initially tell you? They’ve very inclusive and want your input, especially being a real Scotsman, I think they really wanted that authenticity. You do some lines, you go away fo r12 months at a time, they animate, and a few months later you get a phone all saying more lines. The bare bones is there from the outset, you get talked through a rough idea of that finished story is going to be but that certainly changes as that goes forward. You never get an entire script because a script is being workshopped and developed, as the animation happened the story happens.
McKidd: It’s a slow process, you get pages. THR: So did you say yes right away? Or did they send you a script? I love Pixar movies, I’ve been a fan for a long time, I’m a fan of Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson and all those guys and it seemed like a no brainer really, to accept. That was four years ago – these movies take a long time to be built up. One day I’m washing my car or whatever and one day I get a one call saying they want you to do a voice in a Pixar movie. THR: How did you get involved in the film? McKidd spoke by phone with THR about his role in the film, as well as several other projects, including the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy.