But Giamatti is almost as proud about his driving skills on the the classic Continental limousine he used to drive Travers, played by Emma Thompson, in the film. By all accounts it's a bit like flying a plane or a boat.
The quintessential New Yorker says he loves to drive and mastered the controls so much so that he insisted on doing a tricky maneuver on camera-- driving into the confined Disneyland lot and pulling a turn before coming to a stop in front of Walt Disney, who is played by Tom Hanks.
"The stunt guys were like,' You're never going to be able to do this.' But I was like, 'Watch Me!' " says Giamatti. "I made the turn in that huge frickin' car. And I was awfully proud."
Director John Lee Hancock was impressed. "To get through the gates and make the big curve in Disneyland and land it right in front of Tom was a feat. He should be proud," he says.
There were some changes needed to the Continental to bring it back to its 1960s era for its movie close up. Hancock says period bumpers, tires and mirrors had to be added back, along with an engine make-over. You don't want your period car screwing up on the day your expensive talent (Thompson, Hanks, Giamatti) are all working.
"When you have old cars in the movies, the worst thing that happens is when the car doesn't start," says Hancock. "That's not a good use of hours in your day."
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At the end of the film, the vehicle was in far better shape than when the film crew took it over. And Giamatti was an excellent caretaker.
"There's wasn't so much as a scratch," says Hancock. "Paul earned his chauffeur status."
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