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Louis C.K. on how he landed his role in 'Blue Jasmine'

By KAREN BUTLER, United Press International
Image of Sally Hawkins and Louis C.K. in "Blue Jasmine," courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Image of Sally Hawkins and Louis C.K. in "Blue Jasmine," courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

NEW YORK, July 29 (UPI) -- Louis C.K. says he never expected to land a role in Woody Allen's drama "Blue Jasmine" when the writer-director invited him for a meeting at his New York office.

"I got a call that Woody wanted to meet me," the actor and comedian recently told reporters in Manhattan. "I just wanted to meet him. I always have very low expectations. I was like: 'I'm going to get to meet Woody. He won't pick me, but I'll get to meet him. Before he dies.' So, that's what I figured I had coming."

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C.K. said he arrived for his meeting with Allen and, as he waited to be introduced to the filmmaker, was awestruck looking at photos of the Oscar winner with legends such as Muhammad Ali.

Then his attention focused on Allen's hat, which was sitting on a table.

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"I'm looking at Woody's hat that he wears to work and thinking, 'Even if they tell me he's too busy and I never meet him, this was worth it,'" C.K. said. "And then I went into this room and there he was and I remember thinking, 'He looks just like Woody Allen.' And he was so nice to me and he said, 'I like your stand-up and I know you can act, but I don't know if you can be this guy because this is a mean, tough guy.'"

C.K. said it turned out he didn't have it in him to play the character, and both he and Allen immediately recognized that when he auditioned.

"I left and I think I cried," C.K. recalled. "I was so emotional about it. I had just met Woody. He was nice to me. And I didn't get the part and I'll never see him again."

However, C.K. said shortly after his audition, he received a letter from Allen offering him another part in "Blue Jasmine."

"There were three scenes and they just made me laugh and I thought, 'This guy is a total jerk-off, but I can totally play him.'"

The rest, as they say, is history.

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So, has collaborating with one of America's most celebrated filmmakers inspired him to seek out more roles on the big-screen?

"I never go out for movies and stuff any more," insisted the Emmy Award-winning star of "Louie."

"I have a pretty good rhythm of doing stand-up and doing my TV show and I spend time with my kids and so I never really want to go live on somebody else's movie set," he explained. "And I never get the part, so I don't go out for stuff. This came out of nowhere. I had no interest in being in anything. I get offered stuff and just don't want to do it. You have to go live in Shreveport, La., for half these movies. I don't think that's worth anything. And I have custody of my kids half the time and I want them to count on being with me."

Starring Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Andrew Dice Clay, Peter Sarsgaard, Sally Hawkins and Bobby Cannavale, "Blue Jasmine" is in theaters now.

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