Marley & Me is the new family comedy starring Jennifer Anniston and Owen Wilson based on John Grogan’s bestselling novel, Marley & Me: Life with the World's Worst Dog. Anniston and Wilson shared what it was like working with puppies especially the lead Marley, a dog named Clyde and how their chemistry made their on screen marriage believable.

Q: Can you talk about the challenges of working with the dogs? Did having your own dogs help you?

Anniston: I think it only helped because I wasn’t afraid of dogs, but honestly he (Clyde) was so easy to work with. The younger Marley’s were a little more challenging for the trainers, but we had a ball; we never had a hard time.

Q: Was there any scene in particular that was tricky to shoot?

Anniston: The scene where we are taking him to get neutered was challenging because of being in the car. The trainer was fantastic. There was a lot of action for the dog.

Wilson: Clyde was always good at getting his stuff. Getting the puppy to imitate (scenes) such as going to the bathroom took a long time. He had a little stool that he had to sit on, that they were then going to green screen.

Q: This movie portrays a happily married couple which is not typical in films, can you comment on that?

Wilson: It is true; it seems that every time you see a marriage it’s a struggle. In our scenes you’re saying that everything is ok, and you really believe it. I think it was more early on in rehearsal that we were on the same page about the way things should go. The thing about chemistry is you get along with a person and then if the movie does well; you had great chemistry. 

Q: How did you physically get ready for the movie?

Anniston: Well, I trained five hours a day. Actually, I didn’t do much. Physically, to show the passage of time there were wigs and certain extensions of hair additions such as a bang piece for a more youthful look. But that’s basically it.

Q: Why did you want to do this project? And do you think you should have waited until you have your own children to portray a mother?

Anniston: No, I wanted to be in the movie. I have been pregnant in so many movies, it’s ridiculous. The reason I wanted to be in the movie was because it wasn’t the girl trying to get the guy or the guy trying to get the girl or the chase, and then you end the movie where they ride off into the sunset.  This is the sequel to that. Basically, you get to see the ins and outs of a relationship. You see them over 15 years and it has this human thread that takes you through, and to have it be funny just because life is funny. I just loved and responded to the material.

Q: Can you talk about the final scenes as Marley’s life comes to an end?

Anniston: Those were really hard. That was the last two weeks of shooting for me, so it was fortunate that they came at the end because you don’t always get to shoot in order. Those were the days I couldn’t read the script in the trailer because I was bubbling over with emotion and I was hoping I could look at the lines on set and remember them.

Wilson:  I knew those scenes were coming up and I was kind of nervous. I thought;  I hope I feel something and they don’t have to get out those fake tears they use. That was on stand-by. I didn’t really need it, as soon as you see Copper, the dog playing the old-man Marley; it was hard not to get emotional. That was what was nice about the movie; the situations didn’t feel like they were contrived, everything seemed relatable. It wasn’t difficult to understand, it makes senses what he is feeling.

Q: How much time did you get to spend with the Grogans? And how did you get into their roles?

Anniston: I think that was the material, it was on the page. I think that was something that was extremely important to us. Because this book had such a large audience and fan base, and then they’re two people who are here, on the planet, and you want to honor their story.

Wilson: They came to visit very early on, and it was very strange. It was a little bit nerve racking to wonder what he was thinking about me playing him. They came a few times, and John especially was easy to get along with.  But I think what you (Anniston) said, about it being on the page, and it making sense.

Q: Why do you think the appeal of the story is so widespread?

Anniston: It’s a true story. And it’s a very simple story, and I think people go to movies, and they escape with big crazy plot lines. And here is a movie where people are actually going, 'that’s me' or 'I did that.'  Or 'I walked through that,' and even if you don’t have a dog or you haven’t been in a marriage, it’s the simplicity of it.

Wilson: It’s strange; it’s not just in America. I remember talking to John Grogan, and in Argentina they loved the book. I guess there is something in the story that has a universal appeal that people are able to connect with. Remember the story about the parrot, Alex? And now there’s a book that is out, Alex and Me. First, it was in The New York Times and then they ended up doing three articles about it, and a bestselling book. It’s just the wanting to connect.

Q: Dogs live in the present, have you learned to do that?

Wilson: I think that’s the great thing about having a dog is it forces you to be in the present, because that’s definitely where they’re spending their time.