Few screenwriters these days are as well known as Diablo Cody. Her colorful backstory and distinctive dialogue made her a rare behind-the-scenes star when she broke out with “Juno” eight years ago, and her work, while not always as successful as that hit film, (which also won Cody an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay), has always been fascinating and worth a watch.
Cody’s been back in the limelight recently after penning Jonathan Demme’s Meryl Streep-starring “Ricki & The Flash” (read our review here), and tells the Hollywood Reporter that despite her success, there’s one thing she’s unlikely to be doing again, and that’s directing a movie. Cody’s first feature as a helmer, 2013’s “Paradise” (starring Julianne Hough, Russell Brand and Octavia Spencer) was critically slaughtered (our review called it “a cloying after school special”), and it was released straight to DirectTV without much fanfare.
And Cody says the experiment won’t be repeated: “I am retired from directing. I don’t think I possess the leadership qualities required to be a director.” On one hand it’s a shame, as we need more distinct voices, especially female ones, directing movies, but on the other, if “Paradise” was the evidence, it seems that Cody agrees with the critics on how her sole effort turned out.
Still, Cody’s got plenty going on: she’s currently writing the “Barbie” movie for Sony, and has appeared on several podcasts of late, with an hour-plus interview on the Nerdist as well as the Rotten Tomatoes podcast. Listen to both below, and you can check out “Ricki And The Flash” in theaters now.