A young man who lives next to a magical land makes a promise to the girl he loves that he’ll retrieve a fallen star … and that star ends up being Claire Daines. Michelle Pfeiffer is a witch and Robert De Niro is an effeminate pirate. Don’t worry, it’ll all make sense when you sit down for “Stardust,” which opens this week. The man who brought this vision to the screen is Matthew Vaughn. I sat down with Vaughn, who wrote the screenplay and directed the film, and spoke about the amazing cast in this film, how he got his start and any wedding advice he might have (Vaughn’s wife is Claudia Schiffer and he was the best man at Guy Ritchie and Madonna’s wedding). He also told me I sounded like Ben Affleck and asked if I’m from Boston (first time questions on both accounts).

Bayer: I know the films you’ve worked on, such as “Layer Cake,” but how did you get your start? Tell me your, “In the beginning ...” Vaughn: I began in L.A. I just left school. My parents gave me an around-the-world ticket. As long as you are going in one direction, you can fly as much as you want, valid for 12 months. My parents gave me the ticket and that’s it. No money. I had to get a job where I was going. My godfather owned the Hard Rock Café (Peter Morton). So he did a deal with me, I could get a job as a bus boy. And then I got to L.A., and everyone you meet is in the film business. It was really fun.

Bayer: What did you think of L.A.? Vaughn: Being from London, I loved it. You could go to the beach, skiing, it was just like wow. And it was so cheap compared to London. And I loved film and I was surrounded by all these people who loved movies. I felt like I found my calling. I was offered a job to work for a film company called Limelight, and I started off photocopying scripts. And I learned the business. Making it in L.A. was very tough. I kept seeing these British guys coming over, who made a British film and it was enough to get them into the system. So I went back to London when I was 23, and produced my first film called, “The Innocent Sleep,” which was dreadful, but I was 23. Then I vowed never to make a film unless I believed in the script. When I was 26, I found “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”

Bayer: So with this film, “Stardust,” did you read the novel (by Neil Gaiman) and think this is a book you wanted to make or did someone approach you? Vaughn: I read it and thought I wanted to make this film … as a producer.

Bayer: And this is the first script you have adapted. Did you write with Jane Goldman, the co-screenplay writer, or separate? Vaughn: Basically what happened was I read the book, ran up to Neil Gaiman and said I love it and it would make a really cool film. We did a deal where I would finance a short film for him to direct, “Snow, Glass, Apples,” which is the darkest, most twisted, screwed-up version of Snow White ever. Snow White was a vampire, Prince Charming was a necrophiliac and the dwarfs were her pimps. But then “Layer Cake” happened. Then after that I was on “X-Men 3” and then that didn’t work out. Mainly it was logistical. I had to make a movie better than “X-Men 2” and I felt in the time period given, I couldn’t do it. During the “X-Men” experience I was hanging out with Neil in L.A. and told him I wanted to direct and write “Stardust.” The first draft took me two weeks to write, and I can’t type so it probably would have taken me five days. Draft is a loose term. It was more like a blue print. Neil suggested Jane and she turned it into a proper, brilliant screenplay.

Bayer: It’s an insane cast. Which one was your biggest “get”? Who were you in awe that you could direct? Vaughn: De Niro is the obvious answer.

Bayer: Really? I bet Peter O’Toole is upset with that answer. Vaughn: No, I don’t think he would be.

Bayer: Did you get to drink with O’Toole? Vaughn: We did after … I went to my wine cellar and got one of my best bottles of wine. We got along really well. But De Niro, the whole gangster thing … he’s more scary because he just came off directing “The Good Shepherd,” so I felt like he was looking at me wondering if I knew what I was doing. And it you look at who De Niro has worked with, that’s what’s intimidating. But he was a lovely guy and made me feel very comfortable.

Bayer: You were Guy Richie’s best man at his wedding with Madonna. And you’re married to Claudia Schiffer. I’m about to get married, any advice to the party itself? Vaughn: Try not to drink too much. So you can remember the evening. But at the same time, I drank a hell of a lot at my wedding.

Bayer: Was he your best man? Vaughn: No, my best man was one of my oldest friends from school. We had a pact since we were 7. The weird thing is, you are so pumped with adrenaline, in a way you could drink as much as you want. Getting married is a weird thing. it’s one of the most stressful, but great experiences.

Bayer: Does your wife’s stories from growing up as a super model just always beat your stories? Vaughn: Well, you have to remember, I got to SEE the world. I wasn’t sitting. I mean, look this is my experience with Chicago (sitting in a hotel room). Seriously, when you are doing this stuff, you could be anywhere. If you look at all the famous people I know, they’ve had an amazing life, but they’ve also had a very sheltered life where they aren’t really seeing anything. You see these screwed up celebrities because they aren’t living life properly. I’ve been with people on a movie and I’ve asked them to go to the pub and have a drink, and they can’t because they think we’ll get mugged.

Bayer: Are you doing “Thor” next? Vaughn: I’m talking about doing “Thor,” I’m talking about a lot of things at the moment. Marvel are great guys, the whole “X-Men” experience was great with them, I love comic books and I really want to work with them. We are discussing it.

Bayer: Is your vision for the film dark or light-hearted? Vaughn: Grittier. Much more than “Stardust.” If I made “Thor,” I mean, it would be tough. You can’t have nice Vikings. They have got to be hard men.