Jay Duplass on Directing ‘The Baltimorons’ Without Brother Mark, Their ‘Conscious Uncoupling’ and the Film’s Pandemic Origins

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Jay Duplass couldn’t help himself.

52-year-old native of New Orleans, well recognized for his creative partnerships with his younger brother Mark and acting roles in Amazon’s “Transparent” and FX’s “Dying for Sex”, was working on a movie script featuring a larger budget and broader scope compared to the low-budget comedies he and his sibling were famous for (“The Puffy Chair,” “Cyrus”, etc.). He then met Michael Strassner, an actor-comedian whom he discovered through his funny Instagram videos. This encounter sparked a chain of creative events, leading him to endure the chill of December in Maryland while directing “The Baltimorons”. This film revolves around an improv comedian (Strassner), who has been sober for six months, accidentally cracking a tooth on Christmas Eve and spontaneously embarking on a night filled with adventure and unforeseen romance with his dentist (Liz Larsen).

At the Fremont Theater on Sunday, I was bestowed the 31st Annual San Luis Obispo International Film Festival’s Spotlight Award before screening my film. The moment I met Strassner and Larsen, I sensed a profound, untapped energy between them. It was as if the universe was urging me, ‘Create this movie, create it now! Disregard budget concerns. Let it be intimate. Let it be authentic. Ignore the naysayers who claim independent film is extinct, or that cinema itself is dying, or that traditional theater distribution is obsolete.

To date, the unconventional decisions that led Duplass to create “The Baltimorons” – his first solo-directed film in 14 years and one without his brother Mark as co-director – have proven successful. The movie garnered the Audience Award at the SXSW Film Festival in March, received positive feedback from critics, and subsequently, Duplass sold the U.S. and Canadian rights to IFC Films and Sapan Studio, set for a theatrical release later this year.

Despite their self-proclaimed “conscious uncoupling,” Duplass brothers, namely Jay and Mark, continue to be business partners at their flourishing East Los Angeles-based production company, Duplass Brothers Productions. This creative powerhouse has a multitude of projects under its belt, including the HBO series “Togetherness” and “Somebody Somewhere,” as well as the feature documentary “Not Going Quietly.

Duplass stated that the separation from being co-directors was a significant step, challenging yet meticulously executed with mutual concern. However, he emphasized that this process took an extended period.

The Baltimorons” was born during a creative slump that Duplass faced following the pandemic.

Duplass shared that creating anything during that period was extremely challenging. Upon emerging, he felt the familiar Hollywood sensation – not about past achievements, but recent ones. He found it surprising when his work didn’t gain much momentum, realizing that it’s tough to garner attention for any movie today, given the competition isn’t just peak TV; we’re battling against TikTok as well. Strikes ensued, he turned 50, and he began accepting the fact that making a film would be more challenging than ever. He then decided to revisit his ‘The Puffy Chair’ roots and wondered if there was someone he knew whose life story or origins he could use as a starting point for a new project. This person should be exceptionally talented, and Duplass had recently made friends with Michael Strassner, the star of this film, who is on his way to becoming a major movie star.

If someone posed the question about his ideal film project with endless resources, regardless of topic or genre, Duplass found it challenging to come up with an answer.

He mentioned that his upcoming project is the one he’s been eagerly anticipating. It’s the one that will finally come to fruition. Once it’s underway, he plans to pour all of his energy into it. Essentially, he won’t be setting anything aside for a rainy day. There are ideas in his mind that require around $30 million, but he didn’t label this specific project as the one requiring such a substantial investment.

During the concluding question of the conversation, Mark Duplass expressed strong opinions when asked about a hypothetical three-brother cage match involving the Duplass Brothers, the Coen Brothers, and the Safdie Brothers.

Duplass commented that the Coen Brothers seem overly gentle, perhaps due to their age or softness. He contrasted this with the Safdie Brothers, who he described as brutal yet unfit. In his own words, the Duplass Brothers need discipline and exercise to avoid constant depression, and they maintain peak physical fitness.

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2025-04-30 22:48