James L. Brooks Dishes on His 'Ella McCay' Actors

For James L. Brooks , working with actors isn’t just a necessary part of being a filmmaker, it’s the reason he loves the gig. “It’s what I do,” he told The Hollywood Reporter . “Working with actors is why I am there. I care about it.” The veteran writer, director, producer and showrunner has six decades of experience at it. The award-winning 85-year-old — he owns three Oscars, a historic 22 Emmys, a Golden Globe and honors from the DGA, PGA and WGA — is responsible for some beloved classics like Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News and As Good as it Gets (in addition to that little animated TV show called The Simpsons ) and he’s got a new entry heading to theaters Dec. 12 in Ella McCay from 20th Century Studios. It casts Emma Mackey as the title character in the story of what