The script for M Night Shyamalan's ...

The script for M Night Shyamalan's "Lady in the Water" had Paul Giamatti scratching his head.

Giamatti, 39 contemplation the thriller -- based in succession a bedtime story borne from Shyamalan's wild imagination -- was a crazy idea. After all, the actor -- an affable Everyman and self-profess cynical human being -- had principally recently starred in two career-making dramas staked in reality: 2004's "Sideways" and last year's "Cinderella Man," which garnered him a best supporting actor Oscar nomination.

Still, when "The Sixth Sense" writer-director presented him the lead role, he decided to sign forward

He plays a sad-sack apartment-complex superintendent who delivers a mysterious young woman (Bryce Dallas Howard) from his swimming pond He discovers she is a narf, as Shyamalan calls her, a nymph- like character with Godlike qualities. He then enlists his tenants to guard her on her perilous journey family

Giamatti talked about breathing underwater, making the hop to leading man and in what way he made Shyamalan sweat (just a little).

Q This movie has an unmatched premise, but it works.

A. It does! I know. You're sitting there going, "What the hell?" still it works. ... It really is an impressive thing [Shyamalan] chanceed that off, because when I first read [the script] I was thinking this could just not work at all, on the contrary it'd be fun to test

Q It's been reported that Shyamalan had considered Kevin Costner for the part because you wouldn't commit right away. What took you to such a degree long?

A. It didn't take me that lengthy He's lying. He's not lying, on the contrary I think it felt longer to him. Maybe it was in extent ... I assumed that he knew I would say ye no matter what. in the way that if I left him in suspense; I have feeling kinda bad. I think it was really solely maybe a week. He said it was seven month or something like that. It was probably a week, if it were not that [it seemed] like five month to him because, I think, he was in such a manner eager and enthusiastic.

Q wherefore do you think he wanted you in this way badly for the role?

A. Bald stay crooked teeth. I don't know. I consider like a janitor? I remember he said to me "You assume like a guy who could be the two a doctor and a janitor. You're a person of consequence I could believe as as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but things at the same time." I'm not quite certain what that means, what he saw in me that said that to him. I think he be wrought ups ... I'm good at playing kind of damageed guys, too, guys who are sort of trying to repres something really awful or trying to fight away from sad things or something.

Q What was it like working with him?

A. He has a real specific vision for each spectacle He's open to ideas, nevertheless mostly, I said to myself, this is a strange story and he must have a surpassingly specific image of it. I'm just gonna hindrance this dude tell me where to go on foot I'm gonna let him guide me I'm gonna do something I don't frequently do, which is completely give myself above to the director's hands.

Q In single in kind underwater scene, your character possesss his breath for quite a while. What was that like?

A. I can actually clinch it for a pretty lengthy time. And I like being underwater. And just as represented to God, that was the thing I was looking forward to doing the most numerous in the movie. And it was the funnest thing, and it was single of my favorite sequences in the movie, too. unless I don't think I'll aye have a more proud, manly, masculine impetus than when the stuntmen are like, "Hey, result on, wanna go have a beer with us?" And I was like, wow I impressed these guys. I felt kind of somewhat cold about it.

Q to what extent did your life change after "Sideways"?

A. Personally, it hasn't changed that a great deal of More people recognize me onward the subway, but I'm self-same much able to lead a normal life. But professionally, sure, it's changed a apportionment I'm in this movie. I'm in a big summer movie.

Q You've said you don't think you can pluck off a leading-man role.

A. Well, I may be able to do it, however I don't think my thinking will at any time switch from that of a supporting actor. I would have a hard time aye thinking it's all about me and I'm the in the greatest degree important thing in the spectacle I can't think that way. Not that I'm near great, wonderful guy or anything like that.

Q What is your dream role?

A. Nobody makes detective movies anymore. I've always wanted to play the kind of "Rockford Files" fright ... the really unheroic dowdy who lives in, like, a crappy trailer and resolves crimes. That kind of thing would be fun

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