Michael Keaton back on the big screen in "Birdman"
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A movie that's already generating Oscar buzz is "Birdman", opening in limited release Thursday, and starring Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone.
The film includes what is destined to become one of the most famous scenes ever shot in New York City.
A washed up movie star, played by Michael Keaton, locks himself out of the Broadway theater where he is hoping to make a big comeback, while just in his underwear.
"It must have taken a lot of guts to go running through Times Square in your tighty whites," I said to Keaton.
"Uh yeah. I think people in Times Square have seen crazier things, but yeah that's one of those things you see in the script and you don't think much about until it comes time to actually doing it," he replied.
("What was it like?")
"It was great. The insanity of it and the surroundings just feeds you at that point and it just makes the job that much easier, frankly," he said.
For the star who played Batman twice, then walked away from that franchise, there are fascinating echoes of his own life in 'Birdman'.
"Are you doing this play to battle the impression that you're a washed-up comic book character?," his character is asked in the film. "Absolutely not!"
Emma Stone plays his daughter, romanced by her dad's vain co-star, and estranged from her famous father because he was never around.
But in real life Keaton often turned down roles to spend more time as a parent.
"I was a single dad co-raising a son, and I liked being a dad so I wanted to be around and not miss that opportunity," he said.
Keanton worked infrequently until he found the right project.
"It's my chance to do something that actually means something!," his character says in the film.
Means more, Michael Keaton told me, than just about any other part he has played.
The stars of 'Birdman' reveal their favorite superheroes:
