PLUME: How daunting was it, stepping into something that was the follow-up to such a landmark piece of cinema?

BALABAN: I didn’t think about it. I think it’s much harder to be the director of the thing that everybody used to love, than it is to just be an actor. I don’t think that matters too much. So, no, I wasn’t daunted. It was a good job, and I was happy to be there, and I liked my part, and the people were friendly. It was nice. I got a lot of work done on it. I actually started sort of thinking about becoming a producer during that movie, because I was sitting at MGM a lot and having meetings and trying to be aggressive.

PLUME: Successfully at the time?

BALABAN: Not too. But I suppose it was, and then my mind started turning in that direction.

PLUME: What were the projects that you were trying to launch at that time? What were you really focused on?

BALABAN: Things that seemed important at the time. I set up some development deals to make new remakes of old movies, or something. And, you know, got a few deals going and began learning a bit about the process, I suppose.

BALABAN: Oh, there aren’t that many of those, but yeah, it’s true.

PLUME: To essentially play the role on both Seinfeld and The Late Shift…

BALABAN: Yeah, I think that’s mined its course. I don’t think there’ll be too many more of those, but I had a good time. He was a nice man and he was a friend of mine.

PLUME: As an actor, what is that like to play someone you know is obviously based on a friend of yours?

BALABAN: Well, first of all, on Seinfeld, there was no problem, because he was the head of NBC, so obviously this wasn’t happening unless he wanted it to happen - you know what I mean? And also, I wasn’t playing him, I was simply playing a head of a network, basically. But I wasn’t called Warren Littlefield. When I went to do The Late Shift, I did call Warren and said, “They’ve asked me to do this, if you prefer me not to, I’ll be happy not to do it.” He said, “No, do it. It’s fine.”

PLUME: And did you tell him about the scene on the toilet?

BALABAN: Well, it was in the book, so he knew about everything, because supposedly it had actually happened. I don’t know if it all really did, but I do know that it was in the book, so he knew what he was agreeing to. And of course, if I didn’t do it, somebody else would have played it. He did say, “Try to get them to get you really expensive ties. I wear very nice ties.”

PLUME: And did you?

BALABAN: No. I tried to, but you know - it’s television. You can’t see your tie on television.

PLUME: If you were to look back at one role that you most enjoyed and one project that you most enjoyed doing - what would you choose?

BALABAN: There are too many of them to say any one in particular, but I would say that probably the last thing I directed, which is the Off-Broadway play, The Exonerated. It’s one of the most satisfying things I’ve been involved with as a director/producer. Certainly Gosford Park, in the world of movies, is the most satisfying experience in a movie that I’ve ever had, because of being on both sides of the camera with something that was so beautifully done, and to work with Robert Altman is a once in a lifetime experience. It was everything that I had hoped and imagined it would be. That’s pretty much a highlight. And also, as an actor, I loved being in Christopher Guest movies.

PLUME: What are the projects that you’ve always wanted to do, but have yet to be able to?

BALABAN: Well, there’s not one thing in particular. I would like this spring to produce and direct a movie that I love. There is one that looks like it’s coming together, and if so we’ll talk about it. I would absolutely love to be directing features more regularly, if I love them. It looks like it’s getting more possible that that will happen. I would have loved if my television series became itself, because it was so much fun to be having a half-hour improvised sitcom with friends of yours that you could just play - not that it’s not a tremendous amount of hard work, but I really enjoyed it.

PLUME: What is the current title of it?

BALABAN: The Burbs. It’s just a working title.

PLUME: Where is Exonerated currently playing?

BALABAN: We’re playing at 45 Bleecker Street Theater. We change casts every week or two. It opened with Richard Dreyfuss, Jill Clayburgh, and Sara Gilbert. Last week it starred Mia Farrow, Gabriel Byrne and Aidan Quinn. This week it stars Amanda Plummer and Aidan Quinn. Next week, it stars Bebe Neuwirth and Chad Lowe. The week after that it stars Ally Sheedy and Richard Dreyfuss. I can tell you through January, but it would be boring… Just a wide variety of great people are coming.

PLUME: Is there going to be any effort to document the show?

BALABAN: Yeah, there’s some talk we might end up doing the show on television, but I don’t know that that will really happen. And we’re planning an international tour, but I don’t know that we’re doing it, though.

PLUME: So do you still feel like a wandering, existential Midwesterner?

BALABAN: Yes … Totally. Sure.

PLUME: Would you say that the positive is outweighing the negative of that at this point in your career?

BALABAN: Yes. And also, you am what you am, you know?

PLUME: As a wandering Midwesterner, have you finally found a goal?

BALABAN: Yeah… well, my goal is to keep moving forward. That’s my goal, basically.

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