Sometimes he’s a producer and director whose films — “Jungle Book,” “Elf,” and “Swingers,” to name a few — inspire hope, laughs and occasionally both. Other times, especially while traveling the world, Jon Favreau is Pete from “Friends” or That Guy from That Movie. Above all, he’s a “Creator.”
Where it started:
Favreau’s dad made sure his son had a proper film education. He’d take him to revival houses around New York City, watching classics that the future director never would have picked for himself at the time, like “West Side Story” and “The Thin Man.” “When you’re young, and your dad tells you, you should check something out, you watch it with a very open mind and you imprint upon it.”
Paying it forward:
“I remember getting a phone call from Jerry Seinfeld out of the blue on my answering machine — him just saying how much he enjoyed [‘Swingers’]. He had no reason to call me. I had done a guest spot on his show years before…I really try to do it for others, remember to take the time to do it to others that are starting out because you don’t realize how much you need a little more momentum, something to just get you through.”