![Find Birdman on Amazon](https://www.scripts.com/images/script/49_birdman.png)
Birdman Page #6
JAKERiggan, listen to me--
Riggan comes to a halt and faces Jake.
RIGGANNo. You listen to me. Get him the f*** out
of my play. Did you see him out there?
JAKEIt was a preview! Nobody gives a sh*t about
previews. Nothing matters until that old
bat from the New York Times is sitting in
that audience on opening night.
RIGGANWe're getting rid of him. I’m not going to
stand up on that stage and--
JAKEShut up! Just shut up for once and
listen to me. As soon as we announced he
was taking over, the advance doubled. We
can't afford to lose a preview. We can't
afford to lose money. We can't afford to
lose Mike. This is about being
respected, validated, remember? That's
what you told me. That's how you got me
into this sh*t. Now, you're the
director. Get him under control.
(A beat. As a friend.)
These are not the nineties anymore.
Jake storms away. Riggan heads toward his dressing room. Out
of nowhere, Mike barrels into him, pinning him against a wall.
RIGGAN(Startled.)
Holy F***!
Mike presses up against Riggan, breathing down his neck. After a
painful silence...
MIKE(Like he's possessed.)
You were good...
RIGGANMeet me in front of the theater in
10 minutes.
Mike chuckles and slaps Riggan gently on the face before he
disappears into his dressing room. Riggan begins walking
again. We follow him into...
10/29/14 / 35.
INT. RIGGAN'S DRESSING ROOM - THEATER - CONTINUOUS1414...his dressing room. He goes into the bathroom and quickly
washes his face.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
What the hell was going on up there?
We pan over to see his ex-wife Sylvia (43), standing in one
corner, staring at Riggan. She is elegant and simply beautiful.
RIGGANI didn't know you were here tonight.
SYLVIAThat guy's an a**hole, huh?
Riggan dries his hands with a towel and comes out of the
bathroom.
RIGGANWhat are you doing here?
SYLVIASam and I are going to grab a bite
after she's finished with--
RIGGANNo, I mean here. Now.
SYLVIAWell. I know how much this means to
you, so--
RIGGANI appreciate that.
A beat.
SYLVIASo, how's it going?
RIGGANThe play?
SYLVIANo, you and Sam.
RIGGANIt's good. (A beat.) It’s the same.
SYLVIADo you talk to her?
10/29/14 / 36.
(CONTINUED)
RIGGANWe talk. We-- I don't know, it's been crazy
around here.
SYLVIAYou understand where her head is at right
now.
RIGGANOf course.
SYLVIAShe's trying to stay away from everything
and everyone that got her into rehab in the
first place, but...
RIGGAN...I know, Sylvia...
SYLVIA...But that's all she had. So she's--
RIGGANI really do get it.
SYLVIAI know you're caught up in all this stuff,
but--
RIGGANStuff...
SYLVIAYou know what I mean.
(Beat.)
Riggan... You don't have to be a great
father right now, you just have to be one.
RIGGANYeah.
Suddenly, Laura opens the door and sticks her head in.
LAURA(Noticing Sylvia.)
Oh, sorry.
She closes the door. Awkward silence.
SYLVIASo how is that going? Is she and
Sam--?
RIGGANI don’t wanna talk about it.
10/29/14 / 37.
(CONTINUED)
He goes to a small fridge, takes out a beer and closes it.
SYLVIAYou're drinking?
RIGGANI'm having a beer.
SYLVIAOkay...
He sits and sips in silence for a moment. Then he begins to
take out the wig.
RIGGANSo, what's going on with you?
SYLVIAMe? Nothing. Everything's the same I guess.
I'm going back to teaching.
RIGGANI’m thinking about refinancing the Malibu
house.
SYLVIAWh-- I’m sorry?
RIGGANI’m thinking about--
SYLVIANo, I heard you. I just need a second to--
(A beat.) That's gonna be Sam's house. Why
would you-- (A beat.) What? For this play?
RIGGAN(Honest and vulnerable.)
I need the money.
SYLVIADo you have any idea how crazy that sounds?
RIGGANWhat do you want me to say? My health
lasted longer than the money... Go figure
that out.
Riggan seems pensive and lost.
SYLVIARiggan...
(Beat.)
What’s going on?... Look at me.
10/29/14 / 38.
(CONTINUED)
Riggan gently looks up to Sylvia.
RIGGANI have a chance to do something right. And I
have to take it. I have to.
SYLVIAIt’s funny. I was sitting here waiting
for you, and all of a sudden I couldn’t
remember why we broke up.
Silence. Then, as if he hasn’t heard what she said.
RIGGANThe last time I flew here from LA, George
Clooney was sitting two seats in front of
me. With those cuff links, and that...
chin. We ended up flying through this
really bad storm. The plane started to
rattle and shake, and everyone on board
was crying... and praying. And I just sat
there-- Sat there thinking that when Sam
opened that paper it was going to be
Clooney's face on the front page. Not
mine. (A beat.) Did you know that Farrah
Fawcett died on the same day as Michael
Jackson?
She smiles sadly. She kisses him on the head and goes to the
door.
RIGGAN (CONT’D)
Why did we break up?
SYLVIA(Looks him in the eye.)
You threw a kitchen knife at me...
Riggan is smacked by that memory. His eyes on the floor.
SYLVIA (CONT’D)
...and one hour later you were
telling me how much you loved me.
(Beat.)
Just because I didn't like that
ridiculous comedy you did with Goldie
Hawn didn't mean I did not love you.
But that's what you always do. You
confuse love with admiration.
She smiles sadly. He looks at her. As Sylvia opens the door,
she turns back to Riggan...
10/29/14 / 39.
(CONTINUED)
SYLVIA (CONT'D)
It's your house, so do what you want with
it. Just make sure you're there for our
daughter.
RIGGANI will.
SYLVIAYou're not Farrah Fawcett, Riggan.
She exits. Painful silence... until...
BIRDMAN (V.O.)
We should have done that reality show they
offered us. "The Thomsons." That would’ve
been good. Crazy, druggy, wise ass daughter.
Milfy wife with the perky tits. People would
have watched that.
RIGGAN(To the poster.)
Shut up.
Riggan stands up and grabs his jacket. He opens the door and
goes out to...
INT. HALLWAY - THEATER - CONTINUOUS1515...the hallway.
BIRDMAN (V.O.)
Where are we goin'?
RIGGAN(Almost whispering.)
Leave me alone.
Riggan walks between crew members. Annie interrupts him.
ANNIEThe sun bed is here.
RIGGANWhat does that mean?
ANNIEIt means there's a sun bed out there
being delivered to in here.
RIGGANWho ordered a sun bed?
10/29/14 / 40.
(CONTINUED)
Translation
Translate and read this script in other languages:
Select another language:
- - Select -
- 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
- 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
- Español (Spanish)
- Esperanto (Esperanto)
- 日本語 (Japanese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- Deutsch (German)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Français (French)
- Русский (Russian)
- ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- עברית (Hebrew)
- Gaeilge (Irish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- اردو (Urdu)
- Magyar (Hungarian)
- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
- Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Italiano (Italian)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Türkçe (Turkish)
- తెలుగు (Telugu)
- ภาษาไทย (Thai)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Čeština (Czech)
- Polski (Polish)
- Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Românește (Romanian)
- Nederlands (Dutch)
- Ελληνικά (Greek)
- Latinum (Latin)
- Svenska (Swedish)
- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Citation
Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Birdman" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 1 Sep. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/birdman_49>.
Discuss this script with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In