Danny Wallace: Yeah, they have absolutely.

 

 

DW: I really didn’t mind. After all, I’d written the book and that’s done and will never change. It’s not like I’ve written Atonement – it’s a warm-hearted comedy. I went into this thinking I don’t know anything about film-making but these guys know what they’re doing. I had great faith in the diretor Peyton Reed and the producers were in it for all the right reasons. I just thought as long as it’s warm and funny and a bit romantic with a central message and a good spirit I’ll be happy. What’s interesting is that, although superficially, there are so many differences – it’s set in LA and not East London – the more I watch it the more the beats of the book match the beat of the film. The message is there and the romance works the same way that it did in my life.

 

 

Essentially it came out of the fact that I was saying no a lot and I didn’t Carrey and Terence Stampreally realise it. My friends would phone up and I would come up with excuses. I realised I was losing people, kind of drifting further and further away. I wasn’t depressed but it had just become a habit. The year before had been one of adventure and fun, meeting people and going out a lot. Then me and my girlfriend of the time broke up and life changed – it became very easy to stay in. I felt safe as well because if you say no to everything nothing will change, nothing will get worse. You lose sight of the fact that you can makes things better. Sometimes it’s better to say yes to all these little opportunities that came along.

 

 

Sometimes a glib remark can strike a chord. It’s just the right thing at the right time. A guy said to me “say yes more”. And I went “yeah, I should.” It seemed to me that’s every self-help book in the world distilled into those three words. As soon as you do that means you’re doing something, getting out there. Your decisions are made for you if you give yourselves up. I said yes to everything…which I wouldn’t recommend.

 

I thought I’d do it for a day and see what would happen. Whatever happens today it’s a yes. If a friend phones up I’ll go to the pub with him, I’ll go to a gig. The first thing that happened was that someone tried to sell me double-glazing. Then I told him I had double glazing and he asked me if I was wasting his time…and I said yes.

 

 

I had to be careful. I told my mate partly because I knew he would work it out and partly to have someone to tell these things to. But I didn’t tell anyone else. Had I told them I would now be dead, or bankrupt or in a gutter somewhere with a bad liver. You refine it and start spotting all these little opportunities.

 

 

Yes, absolutely. After I lent a guy some change and I bought a newspaper. In it was a scratchcard and a scratched off the three numbers and won £25,000. I then managed to mess it up quite spectacularly by scratching out the rest of the panel which invalidated it. But it didn’t matter…because I’d never had the money but I’d won it by saying yes. I’d lost it by being a tw*t.

 

Well, I’d met this cool, rather quirky girl, and we’d really bonded. Then she had to go away and it was through saying yes and being spontaneous that she responded to it. That spurred me on because I wanted to do things with her. One of my male friends thought I had a crush on him because I was always around, I’d take him to a couple of musicals and had a haircut which was similar to his. My ex thought I really wanted her back.

 

 

My agents sent it out and people started reading it and getting interested. There were some people we were talking to who didn’t seem like nice people and were slightly underhand in some ways. I just thought why would I want to work with them when I can work with these great people who do good stuff.

 

Exactly. They kept me really involved. They sent me scripts, took me over there and gave a trailer and a little chair with my name on it.

 

Not really. I wasn’t afraid of that although I thought it could happen. They do very different things with it.

 

 

I treated it as normal because it was so surreal when it happened – my agent would call saying Ben Stiller’s read it but he’s not going to do it but Adam Sandler’s very interested. Will Ferrell might. When Jim Carrey was mentioned I thought “hang on – that’s the perfect choice. I really hope he goes for it because it would be amazing." He strikes a brilliant balance – he has proved himself as not just a great comic actor but a great actor.

 

 

I’d seen her in a few things and I’d always thought she’s ever so slightly indie kid, very hip and cool and quirky but at the same time quite mesmerising. She lends the film a lot of cool. My friends have all fallen in love with her.

 

 

His film Bring It On is a great film – it’s a favourite in our house. You really notice that it’s a great film when you watch Bring It On II. He’s got a really good comic mind.

 

I think so. I’m very lucky. It feels like a family who have all taken this little word. I feel like I’m part of something although a small part. I’m very positive about it – the response has been great.

 

 

I’m saying yes more but I don’t say yes to everything.

Tim Evans