Back before Jonathan Safran Foer was "Jonathan Safran Foer," a film character played by Elijah Wood, there was simply Jonathan Safran Foer, best-selling author of "Everything is Illuminated." How does it feel to roam the set of a film where nobody knows who you are yet your name is shouted through the scenery? "It's weird, like hearing your voice on the answering machine, but times 1,000," the author told asap at the time. "I was just walking around, and you hear, 'OK, can we get Jonathan's grandma and Jonathan's brother up to Jonathan's room? Jonathan's room looks like crap, can someone clean it up?'" asap caught up with Foer again as the movie hit screens across the country.

asap: What did you think of the movie?

Jonathan Safran Foer: I haven't actually seen the film. I'm not really sure when I will, as I'm going out of town for two weeks right when it comes out. Maybe I'll see it on the plane?

asap: How very un-Hollywood of you.

JSF: I'm not really a red carpet kind of guy. I like shag rugs.

asap: Do you think Elijah Wood looks like you?

JSF: I don't think he looks like me. I don't even think he looks like a human, the way they dressed him. But that's probably good, as it keeps you looking.

asap: Who would you have cast as yourself?

JSF: Alf, maybe. He hasn't been in anything good since his eponymous series. Is Jonathan Lipnicki still alive?

asap: Will we see your latest book, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," on the big screen?

JSF: You're asking the wrong guy.

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Lisa Tolin is asap's Sections Editor.

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