Veteran stars team up for 'Last Vegas'

Morgan Freeman (from left), Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro and Kevin Kline in “Last Vegas”

LAS VEGAS – Even though I’ve interviewed virtually all the “A List” stars of the past quarter-century — including “Last Vegas” stars Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline — it was a bit awe-inspiring to walk into a hotel suite to face all four of the Oscar winners, all at one time.

The quartet — along with fellow Academy Award-winner Mary Steenburgen [See separate blog entry with her at suntimes.com/voices] — were back in Vegas to chat up their new comedy (opening Friday), they had filmed in Sin City last year.

The premise: Four lifelong pals, originally from Brooklyn, reunite for a bachelor party in Las Vegas to toast Douglas’ nearly-70-year-old-character’s first-ever wedding — to a 32-year-old.

As hard as it is to believe, Douglas, DeNiro, Freeman and Douglas have never before worked with each other.

It seemed like a good idea to ask them which of their new co-stars other movies they would have liked to have been in — given the chance to rewrite history.

ROBERT DENIRO:

[Turning to Douglas] You know, I would have enjoyed being in “Romancing the Stone” with you. hat picture was very funny and I liked it a lot. I think I could have fun being in that with you.

MICHAEL DOUGLAS: [To DeNiro]:

What? You’d want to play Kathleen [Turner’s] part? [All four burst out laughing at that point, thinking about DeNiro portraying Douglas’ female counterpart and romantic interest in the movie.]

DENIRO:

Yeah, maybe I would have been better trying to kill you in “War of the Roses”!

DOUGLAS [To DeNiro]:

Seriously, you scared the crap out of me in that remake of “Cape Fear.” I would have loved to have had a part in that, just to see you up close in all those wild scenes.

MORGAN FREEMAN:

That’s a tough question. There are so many of these guys films I would have loved to be in. When I heard about this movie. I told [the producers] ‘You could send me the phone book, and I’ll do it.’

But, as for Bob [DeNiro], I think I would have loved to be in either ‘Raging Bull,’ or ‘Goodfellas’ or — just for fun — ‘Analyze This.’

I don’t know about being IN it, but [turning to Kevin Kline] I loved ‘A Fish Called Wanda.’

[Which brought a resounding, ‘Yes!’ from Douglas and DeNiro.]

KEVIN KLINE:

Well, my friend, I have to tell you, I would have loved to joined you in what I consider one of your finest performances — it was in the theater and not on screen — but your ‘Coriolanus,’ to my mind is the definitive ‘Coriolanus.’ The best I have ever seen.

DOUGLAS:

Oh. Oh. I almost forgot [turning to Freeman], I’ll bet all of us would have given anything to be in “Shawshank Redemption” with you.

[Not surprisingly, that brought a big smile from Freeman and vigorous nods — indicating ‘Yes!’ from DeNiro and Kline.]