In search of Jon Favreau

Basically, I have no life outside of television. This is why I was thrilled and excited when my idea to interview actor-screenwriter and Princeton alum Jon Favreau was accepted for a profile in the 'Prince.' I had read that Favreau graduated from Princeton in several places, including the 'Prince' and in a biography online. My editor supplied me with Favreau's home address and telephone number from the alumni directory.

I was all set to do the interview except that I hadn't yet seen Favreau's most recent film, "Made," which he not only acted in, but wrote and directed as well. "Made" had come out in the summer. It was now the end of September and there wasn't a single theater in New Jersey that was still showing the film.

Still in doubt as to when I would get to see the movie, I decided to try to schedule an appointment to interview Favreau anyway. I called him at home. Halfway into my message on his machine, a man's soft-spoken voice broke through on the other line. His voice sounded exactly like I thought it would, and I could picture him on the other line screening his calls. I explained that I wanted to interview him for the 'Prince.' He said I could call back on Thursday night and he would give me the interview then.

Five minutes after I hung up, I remembered that I'd look pretty stupid if I couldn't ask a few informed questions about his latest work. But there was no way I could get into the city before Thursday night because of Yom Kippur. I quickly called him back to reschedule the interview but he didn't pick up this time. I had to leave an incoherent message on his machine, saying I would call for the interview on Sunday night.

I'm not very good on answering machines and so I felt a little like Favreau's character Mike in "Swingers," who botches a date by leaving multiple messages on a girl's answering machine. Favreau didn't get back to me that night, but I wasn't surprised because he is a big-time movie star — and I am a couch potato.

I assumed that Sunday would work for him and made plans to take the train into the city as soon as Yom Kippur was over. I planned to catch the 8:40 p.m. showing of "Made" at a theater on 13th Street. This would be the second to last showing before "Made" started the long, sad retreat into home video. Although I had to break my fast on the train, pay an exorbitant $9.50 for the movie ticket and cover my own train fair, I managed to see the movie.

At last I felt prepared. Sunday night came. I called Favreau's home again but I only got the machine. I realized that I had probably missed my chance for the interview.

After about a month and a half of my leaving pathetic, pleading messages on his answering machine, Favreau actually called me back this past Sunday. I was pleasantly surprised. I told him I needed a minute to get my notes and set up my phone recorder. I called him back prepared to fire away the questions I had been toying with for the past two months.

Before I had asked a single question, Favreau began to speak. I couldn't have been less prepared for what he told me.

"I think there might be a little misunderstanding," he said. "What Jon Favreau are you looking for?"

My confidence shaken more than slightly, I answered that I was looking for the movie actor and director. He started laughing and replied, "That's what I thought. This is not the first time this had happened. It's a long story.

"Jon Favreau never went to Princeton. I myself, John Favreau did but the movie actor never did. In fact, his name is spelled differently."

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Suddenly his voice didn't sound so much like the voice from the movies. My dreams of interviewing at red-carpet movie premieres were washed away in a torrent of embarrassment.

I listened as Princeton's Favreau explained that someone a number of years ago had screwed up on his research and written that actor/screenwriter Jon Favreau was a Princeton alum.

John Favreau '89 said he believed that various publications, including The New York Times, had simply perpetuated this mistake. For the past seven or eight years, John Favreau has received calls like mine. They followed him from New York to Chicago and back.

Incidentally, the actor Favreau moved from New York to Chicago to start his acting career. Most recently, a different Princeton alum working on her doctoral thesis invited him to speak to her class at Harvard.

Although I seemed to be in good company, I couldn't seem to apologize profusely enough. I thought of the 10 or so messages I had left on this guy's home answering machine in the past month and I felt like a complete tool.

Princeton's John Favreau is a trial attorney living in New York with his wife. He has recently been working on a discrimination case.

Some quick checking online showed that Jon Favreau had gone to Queens College before leaving in 1986. I would like to have Jon Favreau the actor's comment here, but I have no idea how to contact him now that he's not an alum.