• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS

5 Minutes for Mom

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Snack
      • Lunch
      • Appetizer
      • Dinner
      • Dessert
    • Ingredient
      • Apple
      • Beef
      • Blueberry
      • Chicken
      • Chocolate
      • Cranberry
      • Peach
      • Pumpkin
      • Squash
      • Strawberry
      • Tomato
      • Vegetables
      • Zucchini
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Baking
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • No Bake
      • One Dish
      • Slow Cooker
    • Type
      • Breads and Rolls
      • Cakes and Muffins
      • Condiments
      • Cookies and Bars
      • Drinks
      • Food for Kids
      • Gluten-Free
      • Main Dish
      • Pies and Crisps
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Wraps
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies
      • Soup
  • Crafts & DIY
    • Crafts
    • DIY
    • Kids Crafts
    • Printables
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing
  • Family Life
    • Giveaways
    • Lifestyle
    • Marriage
    • Motherhood
    • Parenting
    • Pet Care
    • Special Needs
    • Time Management
    • Travel
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas

We Bought a Zoo Screenwriter Connects with Mom Bloggers

December 20, 2011 by Jennifer Donovan

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail

On these press junkets, it’s always interesting to hear what those who are the subject of so much press — actors, directors, producers — think about bloggers being a part of the press. Sometimes they are a bit flippant (as Jim Carrey was), and they are sometimes curious and clueless (like Blythe Danner and Julie Andrews), but talking to We Bought a Zoo screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna was not only a deep conversation about parenting — which is also a big theme of the movie — but she connected with us writer to writer.

“You’re all storytellers.”

She took the real story of Benjamin Mee and his We Bought a Zoo book (linked to my review), and wrote an incredibly moving story (with a little help from genius writer/director Cameron Crowe). She’s also written a few other hits that might be favorites of yours, like me: 27 Dresses and The Devil Wears Prada. So when you get the chance to pick that kind of brain, it’s sort of amazing.

On Writing:

One thing that she said about writing is that “It’s a very solitary job. When you’re starting with a book, whether you know the person or not or whether you are actually in contact with them or not, there is someone there with you already that you’re in conversation with, and it mitigates the loneliness.”

Unlike most writers who work online, she does have her own office space, because that’s what works for her, but when asked about her day as a working mom, she said “I wonder if it’s any different from you guys. I take people to school and then I sit somewhere. And then, I’m like, ‘Ah, I don’t really have time to go to lunch.’ Our babysitter picks the kids up from school, and then I come home at 5:30 or so.”

On Parenting:

“You have to build different kinds of emotional bridges to them that they are comfortable with and that acknowledge them. Children never fail to astonish me with how perceptive they are.”

On Matt Damon, star of We Bought a Zoo:

She actually pictured him as she was writing the screenplay.


“There was just this moment or two of the early drafts where I just thought, ‘That’s who I have in my mind,’ because he’s very funny. He has a twinkle in his eye. And the material is already very dramatic and I thought, ‘That sense that he has a lot of dignity and intelligence and warmth and all these things that I felt like were really important to the character.’

It wasn’t really a conscious thing. It sort of flowed into my brain and then it became as I was writing, it became Matt Damon. And it never happens, ever happens that anyone that would drift into your brain would be in the movie.”

This wonderful movie We Bought a Zoo opens December 23. Read my review for more info. Check out the We Bought a Zoo official website as well.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail
Cook N Recipe Organizer Helps You Organize ALL Your Recipes
Wordless Wednesday – The Joy Of Christmas Photo-Taking

About Jennifer Donovan

Jennifer Donovan has been a part of the 5 Minutes for Mom team since 2007. She writes product reviews, covers events, and manages the 5 Minutes for Books weekly column and website. She lives in Houston and blogs at Snapshot about life with her family.

Reader Interactions


Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

3 Comments

  1. Capability says

    December 24, 2011 at 7:13 am

    I like “building different types of emotional bridges to your children” – such a great way to approach it.

    Reply
  2. jana says

    December 21, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    have you checked out cameron crowe’s We Bought A Zoo movie??? heard you can win a trip for 4 to the san diego zoo. check it out https://www.facebook.com/Weboughtazoomovie?sk=app_252032334854668

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Bringing Moms Together

We are Janice and Susan, twin bloggers and work-at-home moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.

Meet Us…

Work With Us…

Subscribe via Email

to be first to read new posts

Trending Now

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Among Us Costumes – How To Make Pretty DIY Among Us Cosplay Outfits

Among Us Costumes – How To Make Pretty DIY Among Us Cosplay Outfits

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

browse around

  • Posts by Susan
  • Posts by Janice
  • Favorite Recipes
  • Favorite Crafts
  • Giveaways
  • All Posts

Footer

Recipes

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Good Morning Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

Good Morning Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Crafts/DIY

Animal Ears – How to Make an Easy No Sew Animal Ears Headband

Animal Ears – How to Make an Easy No Sew Animal Ears Headband

Free Halloween Printables For Kids

Free Halloween Printables For Kids

Easy Cat Costume – How To Make A Gorgeous Black Cat Costume

Easy Cat Costume – How To Make A Gorgeous Black Cat Costume

Giveaways

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Mom

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Mom

School Supplies List and Back to School Shopping Guide

School Supplies List and Back to School Shopping Guide

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Us
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2023 5 Minutes for MomTheme by Melissa Rose Design and Once Coupled