Jeff Marker recently attended a media event for "Swing Vote," which included interviews with the movie's stars, Kevin Costner and Madeline Carroll. Below is the full interview with Carroll from all media outlets at the event, including Marker.

Question: So, how was it to chew up and spit out Kevin Costner, Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane all in the same movie?

MC: It was really fun, you know. They all are really nice, cause I didn't know how we were gonna be, but then just being in character ... It was really funny cause Stanley Tucci would add in extra lines. Like in one part, he says, "You don't know my mother," and he added some little things to make it even funnier, so it was really cool working with him. And Nathan Lane is just, like, amazing. I had a certain idea of what his character would be like when I read the script, and when he came he had something completely different that was absolutely perfect. And then, Dennis Hopper, just seeing him was unbelievable. Because it was like a comeback type thing, I guess, since he hadn't done something in a while. So it was cool watching him. He was really nice and quiet. Oh, and Mare Winningham. When we did that one part where, at the end, I don't know if you've seen it ... but when she was telling me she didn't want to be my mom. Every single take, everybody was crying. It was so cool.

Q: How do you bring tears to the set on cue? It was incredible watching you cry.

MC: When I read it, I felt bad for Molly. And I had to think how devastated I would be if my dad didn't show up. So it felt like the kind of thing where you have a school project and you need to turn it in and you had to do the questions on the internet that morning and your mom was going to bring it, so and like you're nervous that she wouldn't show up ... I just had to think about what would upset me, I thought about my family, and all I had to do was bring it to life as if it were what Molly was thinking.

Q: How many takes did you do of the class presentation?

MC: We just did a couple different angles, so it wasn't that long.

Q: How do you think you're like Molly?

MC: Well, in some ways I am like her and some ways I'm not. Like, she's really, really smart, definitely, but I'm not really that smart. I don't know, she's like so interested in politics and saving people and stuff, and I'm really interested in saving people, too, because in Thailand there's people being sold and bought and human traffic. And I think that they need help because there's people that can help, and they can't vote, people in Thailand. So we need people that can and, like, have all the stuff to vote for them, because we need a president that'll take action and help with that because they can't help themselves.

Q: There's a stereotype that maybe a lot of young people don't pay attention to politics, but clearly you do. Do you think that maybe there are more young people interested in world affairs?

MC: Yeah, I do. Definitely, I mean, I think that they really do need to pay more attention because one day they're gonna be running for office, so I think it's pretty important, don't you?

Q: What did you learn about politics in this movie?

MC: Mostly the importance. Because before last year's election, with George Bush and John Kerry, I really didn't pay much attention to that. And now, with the new election, there's so much going on that we do need to pay attention. There's all kinds of arguments going on about who's going to be president, but it's kind of scary if you think about it, because at some point we need to come together and make one decision. So how are we gonna solve the problem, you know?

Q: What projects do you have coming up?

MC: I have a couple of projects I'm trying to decide whether to do or not do right now.

Q: We were just asking Kevin about the chemistry that you and he shared, and he was telling us the kind of trust that you built. How was that for you, coming onto your first real big role and being opposite somebody who's as big a star as him? Was that hard for you?

MC: I really didn't know what he was going to be like, like I said, but he was amazing. I mean, when you see him, he's a nice guy. So it was cool just reacting from him. And he would always have barbecues at his house and stuff like that to help bond a little bit better. But whatever he would do, I would do the opposite so we'd have that kind of father-daughter thing.

Q: You're really good with comedic timing in this film. Have you had any training with comedy?

MC: This is my first comedy. I haven't had any training. I just read it and me and my mom were talking about it. I didn't think I was doing such a great job until I got on set, until I started doing things with Kevin. So it was fun.

Q: Do you think you're funny in real life as well?

MC: Uh, I think I am. [laughter]

Q: Do you look at anyone's career and think, "I'd like to go that direction"?

MC: There's a lot of people, you know? Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, the guy from "Shawshank Redemption." Kevin, even. He's done so many different things. People, I think, are very critical, and they criticize people a lot. I loved "Waterworld," but not a lot of people liked it. But I loved it. So, I think as long you're proud of your own work, then that's what matters.

Q: Do you have TV interviews lined up, because you'd be great on talk shows.

MC: We're trying to get something ready. We're gonna do something in L.A., like the Tonight Show, but I don't know.

Q: Do you get nervous in those kind of situations?

MC: It's not, like, nervous-nervous, it's more like nervous-excited. Like, have you ever had the feeling like with butterflies and you're like, "Ah!" and you can't wait to do it? So, it's more like that.

Q: You seem very aware of social situations and this script is obviously saturated with all of that. Did you find that by reading it you learned a lot about politics and the government?

MC: I really didn't read a lot about it, I mean I mostly saw it on the news, but the script really taught me a lot, just reading the script, because I don't have a clue. I mean, I don't know what's going on. Especially in that scene where we read the letters and people are sick and they can't help themselves. It really taught me a lot about what we do need to do. We're not really doing anything right now. Everybody's tied up with the war ...

Q: You said you wanted to pay more attention to the election this year. What issues do you think are most important?

MC: People are talking a lot about Obama and Hillary and McCain, and everything that's going on. I don't know. Some people are excited about an African American president, some people are against it, cause of what happened when he ... he went to a racist church or whatever it was. So, I don't know what's going on. I mean, it's really confusing. There's a lot of things need to be resolved. There's a big war and people are dying, but then again there are people out ... I don't know.

Q: What is your favorite part about making movies?

MC: My favorite part is meeting people and doing things like I've been doing. There were a lot of props in our movie, and it was funny. Kevin snacks and his favorite snack is a snowball. He eats those all the time on the set. It's really funny to see him walking around, cause you wouldn't think he would like that, of all things.

Q: What kinds of roles do you like to play?

MC: I loved Molly. She's amazing. She's one of the very few roles out there that are like that. There's a lot of dirty things out right now for little girls, and I'm like, ‘Come on, are you kidding?' I love action movies. I love all the Angelina Jolie gun-type things. I think that's really cool.

Q: Would you want to do your own stunts and everything?

MC: Oh, yeah. That would be so fun.

Q: Do you prefer to do movies that you're mainly surrounded by adults, or do you like to do stuff where you're with other kids?

MC: I like movies with adults, too, I mean I love being with kids, I'm a social butterfly. It's cool, though, because every adult has some kid left in them.