What's Up, Jason Butler Harner? All About Angelina, Annette & Our Town

You don’t have to be a theater fan to recognize Jason Butler Harner. He turned up as a lawyer on the second episode of the new TV series The Good Wife and a villain in the pilot of Fringe, played the Secretary of the Treasury in John Adams and the murderer of Angelina Jolie’s child in Changeling. Of course, Harner has also worked in theaters across the country, notably as Ivan Turgenev in The Coast of Utopia trilogy and now the Stage Manager in the not-to-be-missed off-Broadway revival of Our Town. Broadway.com chatted with the friendly, versatile actor about anchoring a classic play and his many famous leading ladies.

Why did you sign on to replace David Cromer in Our Town?
I fell in love with the production. The play is obviously an American classic; sometimes you think, “If I have to go see that show again, I’m going to shoot my face off,” but when it’s done as well as this, you understand why it’s stood the test of time. It's just beautiful.

What’s special about this production?
It’s not hokey and sentimental, but it’s also not snarky and sarcastic. A friend of mine said, “It’s the first play I’ve seen in a long time where people are just talking to each other, and the audience gets to observe it in a profound way.” It’s very simple and yet theatrical, and the acting is amazing.

Let's talk about some of the amazing leading ladies you’ve worked with. First, Elizabeth Marvel [Harner played Tesman opposite Marvel as Hedda Gabler off-Broadway in 2004].
Oh god, I love her! Liz and I happen to vibrate on a similar frequency. I love her fierceness. I love her honesty. Being onstage with her is electric and exciting and a little naughty. We will go for the jugular together.

What about Sally Field [Amanda Wingfield opposite Harner as Tom in a 2004 Kennedy Center revival of The Glass Menagerie]?
The fact that Sally has stayed so sane and so grounded, particularly with the career she’s had, is astounding. It’s always about the work with her; she doesn’t want to be treated like a star. It still kills me that that production didn’t come in [to New York]. I keep in touch with Sally. Her son is at NYU, and they’re going to come see Our Town.

Next, Annette Bening [Renyevskaya opposite Harner as Trofimov in The Cherry Orchard at L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum in 2006].
The funny story with her is that I had to get my appendix taken out during previews. I was in the emergency room with my best friend Amy Ryan, and all of a sudden Annette and Warren Beatty were on the phone. Warren is very interested in medical things, and he and Annette asked me intricate questions about my pain and my bowel movements! I was laughing, even though it hurt. I only missed two shows [after surgery]—I was not missing that opening night!

Last but not least, Angelina Jolie [his co-star in Clint Eastwood’s 2008 drama Changeling].
Another really grounded, approachable woman, not afraid of her power or her vulnerability. I like to tell a dirty joke or two, and she appreciated that. We had a couple of unscripted moments. In one scene, I lunged to kiss her and she slapped me and pushed me against a grate. Obviously, Angelina is lovely, but the people who make that movie [special] are Amy Ryan and Frank Wood and Michael Kelly and Denis O’Hare—New York folks who are able to convey a sense of period and style without lathering it on.

Why do you think Clint Eastwood uses so many theater actors in his movies?
We joked that none of us have been able to afford plastic surgery, so we look real [laughs]. With Clint, you get two takes. There’s no rehearsal, and he doesn’t even say “action” or “cut.” You have to be ready to just walk in and do it.

You’ve created a nice balance of stage and film work.
I’m not a person who romanticizes what being an actor should be. I have three lines in The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 about having to go to the bathroom, and it’s the most money I ever made. But I had gotten a little down about what I was doing. When Our Town presented itself, I said, “This makes no sense” [financially]. I still owe $73,000 to NYU! But the day I went to see it, a friend found out he had stage four cancer. A bunch of my friends are having babies. I'm trying to figure out when I'm going to have my babies. It just hit me: “Maybe this play is exactly what I need to be doing right now.” And I have to tell you: I am so happy! I think the play is important, the production is important and the company is important. I love being the person who facilitates that experience for the audience.