Robert De Niro, director Barry Levinson and writer Art Linson on the set of What Just Happened? Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

An insider-y comedy about the Hollywood machine isn't anything new, but What Just Happened? churns up some surprises with star turns from Robert De Niro, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro, Sean Penn, and other A-Listers. With Barry Levinson at the helm and producer Art Linson behind the script, you can — and should — expect anything from De Niro running around in tightie whities, to Penn getting his gunshot wound licked by a pit bull, and a good-humored Bruce Willis sporting some extra poundage and a grizzly beard.

At a MoMA screening of the film and a 21 Club after party, the star-studded cast, director Levinson, and writer Linson stepped out to chat, promote and party.

First up, we went mano y mano with director Barry Levinson.

How does one get Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, and Bruce Willis to star in a film together, much less a comedy?

It didn't take too long. It came together reasonably quickly. It was a lot of luck too. Plus, it was a good piece of material and a good story. We didn't have a lot of money and we shot very quickly, but we were lucky to get them.

So what is the phone call to Bruce Willis like?

I just called him up and I said, "Bruce, there is a script." I told him a little bit about his character, and I said, "Now, the bad news is that there is no real money." And he said, "All right. Well, I'll read it." He called me back the next morning, and he said, "All right. I'm in." We didn't have to deal with agents or anything really in terms of big negotiations. It was quick and easy.

Bruce Willis and Robert De Niro in What Just Happened? Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

That's quite a score for you and a foreign concept considering what happens in your film.

Real producers and agents have no power. It's the illusion of power. There is no power. Most people in Hollywood don't have the power. That's part of the product.

And so where is the power?

The power is an illusion in itself. Even the head of the studios is not in charge. There is [someone] above them. There is the corporation above everybody. Everybody else is just trying to get through the day. There are a lot of serious themes in this movie, but it also generates a lot if humor. It's also about emasculation.

What kind of power did you wield to get Bruce Willis to look very unlike Bruce Willis?

Bruce loved the idea of being able to jump into a role and be able to play that kind of character. But that extra weight, it was very quick, though, to come off!

For Stanley Tucci, it was a no-brainer joining the cast. "It was so much fun. I love Barry, he's a great filmmaker. I knew Bob, only socially. John Turturro and I were already friends."