Moviefone Editorial

Tag: comedy

  • ‘Dear Santa’ Interview: Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly

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    Premiering on Paramount+ and digital platforms November 25th is the new Christmas comedy ‘Dear Santa’, which was directed and produced by Bobby Farrelly (‘Champions’) and written and produced by Peter Farrelly (‘Green Book’).

    The new movie reunites the Farrelly brothers with ‘Shallow Hal’ star Jack Black (‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’), and in addition features Robert Timothy Smith (‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’), Brianne Howey (‘Batwoman’), Hayes MacArthur (‘The Way Back’), Keegan-Michael Key (‘Wonka’), P.J. Byrne (‘The Wolf of Wall Street’), and Post Malone as himself.

    (L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk ‘Dear Santa’.

    Related Article: Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson Talk Basketball Comedy ‘Champions’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bobby and Peter Farrelly about their work on ‘Dear Santa’, developing the screenplay, getting the movie greenlit, reuniting with Jack Black, directing children, the movie’s tone, P.J. Byrne’s unusual performance, casting Post Malone, and their favorite Christmas movies.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    (L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk ‘Dear Santa’.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Peter, can you discuss developing the screenplay with the other writers and the themes you wanted to explore with this movie?

    Peter Farrelly: Well, it wasn’t my idea. It came from Kevin Barnett and Pete Jones, guys we collaborate with a lot. They just came in and said, “What about this? A kid writes a letter to Santa, but he misspells it and instead writes it to Satan.” I was like, “Yeah, let’s do it.” That’s a good movie. It’s a comedy first. It’s like there was a devil in ‘Damn Yankees’ but it never got dark, and that’s what this is. And no better person to play the devil than Jack Black who’s innately lovable. You know his heart is in the right place. I’m not saying Satan’s is, but this Satan’s heart is in the right place.

    MF: Bobby, is a Christmas movie about Satan a difficult project to get greenlit?

    Bobby Farrelly: Well, it is a movie that we worked on for many years. It took 10 years to get the script right. So along the way, we did have studios who were interested in the concept, but we never felt like it was at the right place. So finally, Jeremy Kramer, over at Paramount who had been working with us for years on this, shepherding, got Pete’s and Ricky Blitt‘s new script, and he thought, “You know what? This is it. The time’s right, let’s do it.” So, Paramount did it, and here we are. The trick is doing it in a way where it’s fun and it’s not too dark, and it’s a Christmas story, and then it has a nice happy message and that sort of thing. We didn’t want to turn it into a horror movie by any stretch of the imagination.

    Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Peter, was it more difficult to get this movie made than some of your past films?

    PF: They’re never easy. There are no easy movies to make. But Jeremy Kramer, he took the bull by the horns and really made this thing happen because it wasn’t easy. After ‘Dumb and Dumber’, you would’ve thought we could walk in anywhere and make a movie. No. They’re like, “Yeah, well that was a Jim Carrey movie. You guys are lucky to be at the party.” So, you’re still going to fight to get your next movie on, which was ‘Kingpin’, but it’s not easy. They’re never easy. So, no matter what you do, it’s hard in this space.

    MF: Peter, can you talk about creating the right tone for the screenplay?

    PF: I don’t think the tone is dark. I would never describe it as dark. I mean, it’s a light telling of the thing. It’s slightly edgy for a PG-13 movie and this is a goofy Satan. This isn’t ‘The Exorcist’. This is a goofy Satan who’s moved by a kid’s niceness to become nice. The message is quite uplifting, I think, at the end.

    (L to R) Director Bobby Farrelly and Jack Black on the set of Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Director Bobby Farrelly and Jack Black on the set of Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Bobby, can you talk about finding the right tone for the movie on set?

    BF: It feels like when (Satan) shows up, it feels like this might get dark, but it’s Jack, and he plays it in a way where he’s very likable and you go with him. He’s won over by the kid and what a nice kid he is and the spirit of Christmas and all that. So, he changes much more than the kid changes. The kid doesn’t get swayed at all by him. In fact, to the contrary, Jack’s character has an arc to him.

    MF: Bobby, what was it like directing young actor Robert Timothy Smith, and is there a trick to getting a great performance from a child actor?

    BF: Well, we’ve directed some kids in the past, but never this many. What I learned about kids is first, you treat them like everyone else because they are just as talented as any adults we’ve ever worked with. It’s a shorter day. There’s a lot of things that must happen. They must go to school, and you can only work so many hours and all that. But boy, they’re good actors, and they can keep up with the adults even if they improvise or go off the page. It was a joy. It was a lot of fun working with this talented young actor and the kids around him. Kai Cech who plays his girlfriend and Jaden Carson Baker, who plays his best friend, Gibby, those guys were all great, and they’re nice kids too, so it was a lot of fun to work with.

    (L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Peter, why was Smith the right young actor for this role?

    PF: That kid, he reminded me of a young Albert Brooks. His delivery is very adult, but it’s like a nebbish kind of Woody Allen. I thought the kid was good.

    MF: Peter, what was it like working with Jack Black again after ‘Shallow Hal’ and can you talk about what he brings to this role?

    PF: Well, again, because he’s supposed to be like a goofy Satan, you want somebody who’s lovable and not dark and somebody who everybody is familiar with. He’s the way he was in ‘School of Rock’ where he was a little edgy, and he is dealing with kids, but he’s also adult because he’s trying to teach the kids something, but he’s not teaching in this one. But in any case, you need somebody like that, and that openness and that likability carries the movie. I hate to think what would’ve happened if we’d made the movie with somebody who has a dark element.

    (L to R) Robert Timothy Smith, Jaden Carson Baker, Jack Black and Post Malone star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Robert Timothy Smith, Jaden Carson Baker, Jack Black and Post Malone star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Bobby, what was it like working with Post Malone and when you cast a popular musician in a movie to perform one of their own songs, are you able to request the song they sing or did Malone choose the song himself that he performs in the concert sequence?

    BF: Here’s the thing. You can write him into the script, but he’s probably going to be out touring or doing something. Those guys are busy. But we were able to get him to come in and he was touring, but we were able to get him to come for three or four days into his schedule, because he read the script and he said, “This is going to be fun.” So, he came and totally delivered it. I love that song that he plays in the movie. It’s called ‘I Like You’, and it was perfect for what we needed our young Liam character to be dancing to on stage. So, it was the perfect song. He was more than happy to do it. We were super lucky to get him. And boy, was he fun to work with. He’s like, “You guys all have to play beer pong with me.” All right. Everyone’s playing beer pong. We worked it into the movie with Robert Timothy Smith’s character. It was a lot of fun. Post, that’s a thing that he does. Anyone he meets, he wants to (play beer pong) after the show. He wants to just do a little bit of that. That’s his version of shooting pool or something. He wants to play a little bit of beer pong, and so we worked it into the story when he was there.

    MF: Bobby, actor P.J. Byrne’s gives an unusual performance with a very specific accent and almost speaks like an English gentleman from the 1800s. Did you direct him to speak like that or did he come up with that on his own?

    BF: You know what? I got to give P.J. his due. He came in with that sort of take on the professor, and as soon as he did it, I was like, “I love it. Absolutely perfect.” P.J.’s, that kind of actor. He has a definite defined take on how he’s going to play it. It wasn’t necessarily how we saw it, but that’s why we hired him. We knew he’d deliver.

    (L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    (L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    MF: Peter, what is the secret to making a great Christmas movie?

    PF: Well, I would say the secret is heart, having heart, but then ‘Bad Santa’ is one of my favorites, and it didn’t have a ton of heart. But it did have some. I guess I’d have to say my favorite Christmas movie is ‘Elf’. I loved ‘Elf’. I could watch ‘Elf’ every year. It’s a fun one to watch. In fact, when we were making ‘Green Book’, we were doing it in December. Viggo Mortensen rented out a whole theater and the whole cast and crew went to watch ‘Elf’ because he loves that movie. It’s interesting, if you look at ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, there’s some dark little bits in there. Yet ultimately, it’s an uplifting movie, and that’s what we wanted this to be.

    MF: Finally, Bobby, what is your favorite Christmas movie?

    BF: I loved ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, which is one of the original Christmas classics. But I just loved the way it did have some real drama in it, and real storytelling. It wasn’t a comedy for most of it, but boy, it had a sweet, happy ending. That’s the formula I wanted to follow with ‘Dear Santa’. It’s a tight balance between telling a dark story here or telling a story that’s got a lot of heart and a lot of happiness and ends with a big up note.

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    What is the plot of ‘Dear Santa’?

    A young boy (Robert Timothy Smith) accidentally mixes up his spelling and sends his Christmas list to Satan (Jack Black) instead of Santa.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Dear Santa’?

    • Jack Black as Asmodeus/”Santa Claus”
    • Robert Timothy Smith as Liam Turner
    • Jaden Carson Baker as Gibby
    • Kai Cech as Emma
    • Brianne Howey as Molly Turner
    • Hayes MacArthur as Bill Turner
    • Keegan-Michael Key as Dr. Finklman
    • P. J. Byrne as Mr. Charles
    • Post Malone as himself
    Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, 'Dear Santa'.
    Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.

    Other Farrelly Brothers Movies:

    Buy Farrelly Brothers Movies on Amazon

     

  • ‘Brothers’ Interview: Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage

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    Opening in select theaters on October 10th before premiering on Prime Video October 17th is the new comedy ‘Brothers’, which was directed by Max Barbakow (‘Palm Springs’).

    The new film stars Josh Brolin (‘Avengers: Endgame’, ‘Deadpool 2’), Peter Dinklage (‘Game of Thrones’, ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’), Taylour Paige (‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’), Glenn Close (‘Fatal Attraction’), and Oscar-winners Brendan Fraser (‘The Whale’) and Marisa Tomei (‘My Cousin Vinny’).

    Related Article: Peter Dinklage and Juliette Lewis Talk ‘The Thicket’ and Making a Western

    (L to R) Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage star in 'Brothers'.
    (L to R) Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage star in ‘Brothers’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage about their work on ‘Brothers’, how the project came together, playing brothers, their relationship with their mother, working with the rest of the cast, and Brolin’s intimate scene with an Orangutan.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    (L to R) Jady (Peter Dinklage), Cath (Glenn Close), and Moke (Josh Brolin) in 'Brothers'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    (L to R) Jady (Peter Dinklage), Cath (Glenn Close), and Moke (Josh Brolin) in ‘Brothers’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Peter, can you talk about how this project came together and what it was like playing Josh Brolin’s brother?

    Peter Dinklage: Well, we all created this mad world together. I mean, (screenwriter) Macon Blair, executed it, as in his brilliant way as he does, so it never felt like, you’re up for this next movie and here’s the screenplay. It was more organic than that, with Josh and me and Macon. So, I don’t remember sitting down and reading the screenplay for the first time. In a way, it just seeped into my DNA. So, Josh and I wanted to make a comedy, we wanted to play brothers, and we just had this somewhat flimsy idea of wanting to make this. Everything followed suit, which we were really shocked and surprised that people fell for it. Suddenly we have Glenn Close playing our mom. It was incredible. But I just loved making this movie. Let us entertain you and whatever madcap way it comes about, here we go. I love just breaking the rules of that normal, traditional process, what people think you need to do, the steps you need to take to make a movie. It’s not necessarily true. That’s how you get Glenn Close.

    MF: Josh, can you talk about the dynamic between these two brothers and what was it like working on that relationship with Peter?

    Josh Brolin: I mean, I think when we pitched this idea, we pitched it to several different places. Because Peter and I didn’t really know each other before, that dynamic and that volley started to surface while we were doing that. I think we were figuring out the movie as we were pitching the movie, even though we had a general base idea. I mean, it all came out of people saying, “God, you and Dinklage look alike. You guys should do a movie together. Look at how big your heads are.” Then, me calling Peter and saying, “Hey, do you want to do this thing?” He was like, “Yeah,” immediately. Then you go, “Okay. So, we have this blank canvas. What do we do?” You bring in Macon Blair and you start throwing around ideas and sitting around breakfast tables and saying, “What if it was this? What happened in your family that’s interesting?” What Macon was so good at is just there’s this umbrella of absurdity over it all. How absurd it is in the family dynamic. The family dynamic is absurd anyway, so what about those movies that used to really exploit that and that we grew up on? ‘Cannonball Run’, Peter mentioned earlier, or ‘48 HRS‘, or ‘Midnight Run’. Whether it’s family members or not, what is the absurdity of how we behave toward each other? I think that that’s what this spring-boarded from.

    (L to R) Jady (Peter Dinklage) and Cath (Glenn Close) in 'Brothers'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    (L to R) Jady (Peter Dinklage) and Cath (Glenn Close) in ‘Brothers’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    MF: Peter, can you talk about how the dynamic between these two brothers changes when their mother arrives and what it was like having Glenn Close play your mom?

    PD: Glenn Close is a monster. I highly advise not getting anywhere within 20 yards of her. She’s one of the greats. It was insane to be finally working with her. I never knew it would happen, but I was kicking myself every day. I like the idea that Macon had of, I’m grifting Josh’s character just to get the family back together. I’m conning him. I’m pretending we’re going one direction, but it’s to get back to our mother, who we both love, but it’s a complicated relationship, as it is with most of our moms. But really, my character is sort of the glue that’s trying to put the family back together, which is lovely and sweet. But at the end of the day, he also wants to get something out of it. Get the riches. He’s got dollar signs in his eyes. He can’t help that. But it was so much fun making this movie. We were down in Atlanta for a couple of months during COVID, where everybody was masked except for the actors, so you play a game of, what does the lower half of people’s face look like? It’s like Bizarro when you finally see them without the mask. We all lived through that, and it was just fun in that time to make a comedy as zany as this with these incredible people. I think it was just such a soothing bomb to what we were all going through. You don’t want to make a movie about COVID during COVID. You want to make a movie like this.

    MF: Josh, can you talk about your character’s relationship with his wife, and how his brother’s return and the journey they go on together jeopardizes his marriage?

    JB: What it does is it challenges his loyalty to his family, which always comes up. In my own family, I think you spend time with your family and there’s irritations and you leave, and you go, “Okay. We had dinner together. I’m not going to do that again for two years if I can help it.” Yet two weeks later you’re back. You know what I mean? You can’t say no. There’s just something that is enmeshed that you can’t break. I think Jady knows that. When he comes and he has this manipulation with his mom and they get together to get Moke back on the team, because he’s the guy who’s the great safe-cracker, and it’s just once that innate thing happens, you can’t let go of it. It’s almost like an addiction. It’s a weird addiction factor with your family. I love watching that dynamic, especially between Peter and me.

    (L to R) Moke (Josh Brolin) and Jady (Peter Dinklage) in 'Brothers'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    (L to R) Moke (Josh Brolin) and Jady (Peter Dinklage) in ‘Brothers’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    MF Josh, there was one scene in this movie that I thought was one of the funniest scenes I’ve seen in a film in a longtime, and that was the scene where you appear with an Orangutan. Can you talk about shooting that sequence, and did you know right away that it would be so hilarious?

    JB: I knew it was a winner when everybody read it. I know that everybody who read the script mentioned that scene. Again, it was the first scene that they all mentioned. It’s one of those things that you start to get nervous about doing it because if they love reading it so much, is this going to translate? But listen, we had fun with it and whatever it ended up being, it was 1000% conviction. For better or worse, we lent ourselves to what was written.

    MF: Peter, you also have a very funny scene where you “rage dance” with Marisa Tomei. Was that scene improvised or in the script?

    PD: The tone of this movie, it’s so crazy, that to have a traditional sex scene just seemed like to fly in the face of the rest of the movie. So, to have these oddball people, these prison pen-pals, dance to hardcore speed metal, that’s their most intimate moment. That’s their most intimate thing they can think of, it’s so Macon Blair, our writer, and me and Marisa, it’s just such in the spirit of the film to have that juxtaposed with the sexier scene of Josh and the Orangutan. Literally Marisa and I didn’t need an intimacy coordinator, they did, Josh and the Orangutan. You know what I’m saying? So, that’s the fun part of it.

    (L to R) Jady (Peter Dinklage) and Farful (Brendan Fraser) in 'Brothers'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    (L to R) Jady (Peter Dinklage) and Farful (Brendan Fraser) in ‘Brothers’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    MF: Finally, Peter, can you talk about the personal rivalry between Jady and Farful, and what was it like working with Brendan Fraser?

    PD: One of the nicest human beings on this planet is Brendan Fraser. He had just come from the movie, ‘The Whale’, so I think he had to get something out of his system. He had to get off that couch and run around in Atlanta with us. You need a bad guy, and nothing better than a bad guy than a crooked cop trying to grift me, the anti-hero that is Jady. I think he screamed all his dialogue. I sort of was in scenes with him and he was so pitched at 11, there were times where I was like, “Is this going to work? Is this too much?” But that’s the genius of Brendan Fraser because it worked perfectly. He knew that, as an actor, and it’s always difficult to tell if it’s going to match the rest of the tone of the movie. Our movie is so all over the place tonally, that Max (Barbakow), our director, just made it all work. It was incredible. But Brendan is incredible. He’s so much fun to work with and he made it so much more fun, those scenes of torture and humiliation.

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    What is the plot of ‘Brothers’?

    A reformed criminal’s (Josh Brolin) attempt at going straight is derailed when he reunites with his sanity-testing twin brother (Peter Dinklage) on a road trip for the score of a lifetime. Dodging bullets, the law, and an overbearing mother (Glenn Close) along the way, they must heal their severed family bond before they end up killing each other.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Brothers’?

    • Josh Brolin as Moke Munger
    • Peter Dinklage as Jady Munger
    • Glenn Close as Cath Munger
    • Brendan Fraser as Farful
    • Taylour Paige as Abby Munger-Jacobson
    • M. Emmet Walsh as Judge Farful
    • Jennifer Landon as Young Cath
    • Marisa Tomei
    (L to R) Cath (Glenn Close), Moke (Josh Brolin), and Jady (Peter Dinklage) in 'Brothers'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    (L to R) Cath (Glenn Close), Moke (Josh Brolin), and Jady (Peter Dinklage) in ‘Brothers’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    List of Josh Brolin Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Josh Brolin Movies On Amazon

     

  • ‘The 4:30 Movie’ Interview: Director Kevin Smith

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    Available on digital beginning October 1st is ‘The 4:30 Movie,’ directed by Kevin Smith, and starring Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, Reed Northrup, Siena Agudong, Jason Lee, Kate Micucci, Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez, and Ken Jeong.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘The 4:30 Movie’

    Director/Writer Kevin Smith behind the scenes of the Romantic Comedy, 'The 4:30 Movie', a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
    Director/Writer Kevin Smith behind the scenes of the Romantic Comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie’, a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking over Zoom with ‘Clerks‘ and ‘Chasing Amy‘ writer and director Kevin Smith about his new film “The 4:30 Movie,” a semi-autobiographical, warmly nostalgic look at a teen romance that blossoms in the seats of a local movie theater in the summer of 1986.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Kevin Smith.

    Director/Writer Kevin Smith behind the scenes of the Romantic Comedy, 'The 4:30 Movie', a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
    Director/Writer Kevin Smith behind the scenes of the Romantic Comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie’, a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.

    Moviefone: To begin with, how are you feeling about the response to the movie so far?

    Kevin Smith: So good, man, no complaints. It’s a nice byproduct when people like the movie. Never the aim but never not the aim. It’s never like, “I want to make something people hate.” But it’s nice when you make something and people are like, “Yeah, good on you.”

    (L to R) Reed Northrup, Nicholas Cirillo and Austin Zajur in director Kevin Smith's ‘The 4:30 Movie'. Photo: Saban Films.
    (L to R) Reed Northrup, Nicholas Cirillo and Austin Zajur in director Kevin Smith’s ‘The 4:30 Movie’. Photo: Saban Films.

    Moviefone: Are the events of this film sort of ripped right from the pages of the Kevin Smith biography?

    Kevin Smith: Yeah. I mean, look, the events of every movie I’ve ever made are pretty much ripped from the pages of the Kevin Smith biography with the exception of ‘Dogma.’ Even parts of that are pretty autobiographical. I’m not a very inventive storyteller or filmmaker. I crib from real life all the time, and this movie is absolutely no exception. The first scene [in which the teen lead calls the Chinese restaurant where his crush works], that long phone conversation, that literally happened and that’s almost verbatim the things that I said in terms of making a big order and then saying “Six and a half almond cookies and your hand in marriage.” Stuff like that came right out of real life. There are moments where Brian David, our main character, is riding around talking into his tape recorder — I lifted that from recordings of me doing the exact same thing. I cribbed liberally from my real life to make this flick. But to be fair, I do that with all the flicks.

    (L to R) Reed Northrup as Belly, Austin Zajur as Brian David and Nicholas Cirillo as Burny in the Romantic Comedy, 'The 4:30 Movie', a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
    (L to R) Reed Northrup as Belly, Austin Zajur as Brian David and Nicholas Cirillo as Burny in the Romantic Comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie’, a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.

    Moviefone: You filmed this in the theater that was your local cineplex as a kid — which you ended up buying and turning into Smodcastle Cinemas. Was the theater in danger of closing before you jumped in?

    Kevin Smith: In fact, the other day was the two-year anniversary of us taking over officially and it becoming Smodcastle Cinemas. This was a movie theater I grew up going to in my childhood. My father would take me there, I’d go there with my family, I’d go there with my friends on the weekend. It’s in the neighboring town, Atlantic Highlands [New Jersey], right next to where I grew up. Post-COVID, like many movie theaters, they fell on pretty hard times. There are multiplexes all around us with better seating and bigger, better quality but this was our local community theater. Me and my friends got together and bought it to keep it going. It’s over 100 years old so we were like “Let’s try it for another 100.” But when we bought it, one of the first things I realized is I got a free set. I can make a whole-ass movie here. This is a location for heaven’s sakes. Naturally being the guy who made ‘Clerks,’ it’s like “Do I make a movie about what it’s like to work in a movie theater?” I never did that myself so that would be like pretending or stolen valor. So I was like “You know what I can do? Tell a story about all the times that I hopped theaters as a kid.” Our parents would drop us off for the matinee and then come pick us up at 10:00 at night, and only give us two bucks to go to the movies, man. You pay for one movie and then you snuck into another and then you snuck into another and you kept going. So I figured with this location I can tell that story. There’s something cheeky about making a movie in a movie theater about movies and stuff. It’s not so much cheeky as affectionate. Obviously, movies have been a big part of my life. So much so they shaped my adulthood. Where I saw them, where I ingested those movies, that gets the shout-out this time around. I’ve been shouting out movies my whole life and it’s time to shout out where I saw those movies. At the same time, it could be a free commercial for Smodcastle Cinemas — two birds, one stone, or two birds, one seed as my kid said.

    Ken Jeong as Manager Mike in the Romantic Comedy, 'The 4:30 Movie', a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
    Ken Jeong as Manager Mike in the Romantic Comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie’, a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.

    Moviefone: Finally, is it your policy as the owner now to look the other way if people sneak in and out of the auditoriums?

    Kevin Smith: 100%. In the end credits of ‘4:30 Movie’ I tell people, “Smodcastle Cinemas, go visit. Pay for one movie, hop around, go see as many movies you want. If you get caught tell Ernie I said it was okay.” As a film exhibitor I know how tough it is to get asses in seats, man. We had ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ open a couple of weeks ago, I asked Smodcastle keeper Ernie O’Donnell, the guy that runs the place, “How’d we do with ‘Beetlejuice’?” He goes, “Friday we had 50 tickets, Saturday we had 100.” That’s the whole day. That’s good for a brand-new movie for us. Really the stuff that tends to do well at our theaters is retro screenings. So like “Hey man, I’m going to show ‘Tusk’ and Justin Long’s here. Hey, we’re going to show ‘Mallrats’ and Jason Lee’s here.” I could sell out those screenings and stuff. But when it comes to just selling real movies on the daily they’ll prefer to go to other movie theaters that have the better seating and s**t like that. So anything to get people to head to our theater is a good thing. Hopefully, them going, “What, there was a movie shot here?” is just one more reason for them to come visit. This is a temple that taught me my craft. The thing that I would eventually spend my life doing, my vocation, was born by sitting in those seats. I sat in those seats with people that I dearly love, some of whom are not even around anymore, like my father. Keeping it alive, man. It started as like, “Hey, I’m a filmmaker, this makes sense having a movie theater.” Quentin [Tarantino]‘s got one. It’s a little harder to run a movie theater in suburban New Jersey in terms of getting talent to come out. When you’re in Hollywood people just live here. But I’ve been able to bring Hollywood to the theater over the course of the last two years. No more so than when we brought cameras in and started rolling. Now for the rest of my life, or as long as we own that movie theater, I’ll always be able to play ‘The 4:30 Movie’ there on a Sunday at 4:30 from now until the end of time. It’ll never stay in other movie theaters. Maybe they’ll do retro or rep house screenings of it one day. But in our theater it will always live. Very rarely does a movie theater get to be like, “The whole movie was shot here.” We’ll showcase that forever.

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    What is the plot of ‘The 4:30 Movie’?

    Three teenage friends (Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo and Reed Northrup) map out an afternoon outing to the local cineplex in the summer of 1986, but their plans to sneak into a new R-rated movie could be disrupted by the irritating theater owner and a host of other characters — not to mention one of the boys bringing his dream girl to the cinema as well.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The 4:30 Movie’?

    • Austin Zajur as Brian David
    • Nicholas Cirillo as Burny
    • Reed Northrup as Belly
    • Siena Agudong as Melody Barnegat
    • Justin Long as Stank
    • Jason Lee as Brian’s dad
    • Kate Micucci as Melody’s mom
    • Genesis Rodriguez as Usher
    • Ken Jeong as Manager Mike
    (L to R) Siena Agudong as Melody Barnegat and Austin Zajur as Brian David in the Romantic Comedy, 'The 4:30 Movie', a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
    (L to R) Siena Agudong as Melody Barnegat and Austin Zajur as Brian David in the Romantic Comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie’, a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.

    Other Kevin Smith Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The 4:30 Movie’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Kevin Smith Movies on Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Jackpot!’

    John Cena and Awkwafina in 'Jackpot!'.
    (L to R) John Cena and Awkwafina in ‘Jackpot!’. Credit: Image Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Copyright: @ Amazon Content Services LLC.

    On Prime Video on August 15th, ‘Jackpot!’ finds Paul Feig back in the sort of action-comedy territory that served him well for the likes of ‘Spy’ and ‘The Heat.’

    Yet his latest, like a couple of his other recent efforts, has been sent direct to streaming, signaling just how tough it is for filmmakers’ work to find theaters outside of giant franchise or indie films that score a release. Still, it’s entertaining enough.

    Does ‘Jackpot!’ succeed in the movie lottery?

    John Cena and Awkwafina in 'Jackpot!'.
    (L to R) John Cena and Awkwafina in ‘Jackpot!’. Credit: Image Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Copyright: @ Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Though it doesn’t always exploit the satirical nature of its story, choosing instead to focus on frenzied action and gags, the movie certainly offers enough to keep you watching. There is sometimes the feeling that the improvisational style that Feig favors means a lot is thrown at the wall and not all of it works, but there is a solid level of jokes here.

    Related Article: Paul Feig Talks ‘Jackpot!’ and Working with Awkwafina and John Cena

    ‘Jackpot!’: Script and Direction

    Director Paul Feig, John Cena, and Simu Liu in 'Jackpot!'.
    (L to R) Director Paul Feig, John Cena, and Simu Liu in ‘Jackpot!’. Credit: Image Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Copyright: @ Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Writer Rob Yescombe’s backstory is in video game writing, and there are moments when ‘Jackpot!’ certainly has that feel –– it has very much a progression feel as Awkwafina and John Cena’s characters battle their way through different levels of enemies looking to take her down and win the money instead.

    But it’s enough of a framework on which Feig and co. can hang plenty of jokes (and the original concept is sound and funny), and while a lot of the stunt work was likely devised once the script was already delivered, there’s lots of fun just in the basic ideas.

    Feig has worked with action before –– in ‘Spy’ particularly, which remains one of his best movies –– and he knows how to respect both his stunt performers’ suggestions and abilities and his actors’ willingness to deliver the comedy.

    Still, there are certainly moments where it feels like he’s just let Awkwafina in particular shout as chaos reigns around her, and one or two scenes could have benefitted from judicious editing.

    ‘Jackpot!’: Performances

    John Cena and Katie Awkwafina in 'Jackpot!'.
    (L to R) John Cena and Katie Awkwafina in ‘Jackpot!’. Credit: Image Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Copyright: @ Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Cena and Awkwafina are certainly the focus here, with some welcome, wacky support from Simu Liu as the corporate protection agent who has more of an agenda that he lets on.

    Yet around them Feig –– whose resume includes work on shows such as ‘The Office’ –– builds a quality comedy ensemble with people he knows can deliver even in the smallest roles.

    Awkwafina as Katie Kim

    Awkwafina stars as 'Katie' in 'Jackpot!'.
    Awkwafina stars as ‘Katie’ in ‘Jackpot!’. Credit: Image Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Copyright: @ Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Awkwafina came up from YouTube and developed a career stealing scenes as a supporting performer in movies such as ‘Crazy Rich Asians’. Her particularly energy might not always be a natural fit for leading roles, but here you buy her as a frustrated actor and out-of-towner who can’t quite comprehend what is happening to her.

    And she plays wonderfully off of Cena, their buddy comedy energy tempered with moments of vulnerability and their full commitment to the mania of the movie itself.

    John Cena as Noel Cassidy

    John Cena and Katie Awkwafina in 'Jackpot!'.
    (L to R) John Cena and Katie Awkwafina in ‘Jackpot!’. Credit: Image Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Copyright: @ Amazon Content Services LLC.

    It looked for a long while like Cena would simply be following in the footsteps of wrestler-turned-actor types such as Dwayne Johnson, but in the last few years, Cena has really started to come into his own as a vanity free, committed combo of muscular action star and class clown.

    Roles in projects such as ‘Peacemaker’ and, more recently ‘The Bear’ have shown his range, and while ‘Jackpot!’ doesn’t quite demand the same level of performance, it’s also a solid part for the actor.

    His Noel is a welcome mixture of tough guy and bleeding heart, committed to saving lives for reasons that become clear later in the movie. And, as mentioned above, he works really well with Awkwafina, matching her comedy energy levels.

    Simu Liu as Louis Lewis

    (L to R) Agent Hoyt (Monique Ganderton) and Louis (Simu Liu) in 'Jackpot!' Photo: Amazon.
    (L to R) Agent Hoyt (Monique Ganderton) and Louis (Simu Liu) in ‘Jackpot!’ Photo: Amazon.

    Some might see Liu and Awkwafina share the screen and start wondering where the ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel is, since they really do work well playing off each other. As Louis, Liu shows he hasn’t lost his comedy skills (since he got his start on Canadian sitcom ‘Kim’s Convenience’), playing the preening, corporate sleaze who makes money protecting lottery winners.

    Ayden Mayeri as Shadi

    (L to R) Shadi (Ayden Mayeri) and DJ (Donald Elise Watkins) in 'Jackpot!' Photo: Amazon.
    (L to R) Shadi (Ayden Mayeri) and DJ (Donald Elise Watkins) in ‘Jackpot!’ Photo: Amazon.

    Ayden Mayeri enjoys what could be a welcome breakout role as the vacuous, vengeful Shadi, a wannabe performer who runs possibly the worst Airbnb in Los Angeles. Together with bumbling boyfriend DJ (Donald Elise Watkins, who is also funny), she’s more than just a one-note comedy character, turning into a real villain as the story continues.

    Supporting cast

    Murray Hill and Dolly De Leon in 'Jackpot!'.
    (L to R) Murray Hill and Dolly De Leon in ‘Jackpot!’. Credit: Image Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. Copyright: @ Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Feig’s eye for talent (both established and new) stands him in good stead for this movie. You have the likes of Seann William Scott and Dolly De Leon in the amusing opening scene featuring a previous lottery winner and the seemingly harmless grandma who takes him down. It could be seen as a parody of action movies or something that appears on ‘Saturday Night Live’, but it launches you into the film’s world successfully.

    ‘Jackpot!’: Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Noel (John Cena) and Katie (Awkwafina) in 'Jackpot!' Photo: Amazon.
    (L to R) Noel (John Cena) and Katie (Awkwafina) in ‘Jackpot!’ Photo: Amazon.

    Would ‘Jackpot!’ truly have worked if it were released into theaters? Comedy has certainly struggled in the last few years, with much of it moving into the streaming world. And it was always a riskier prospect for studios despite the huge success of titles such as ‘The Hangover’ and even Feig’s own ‘Bridesmaids’.

    Still, as it stands, it’s certainly worth checking out of an evening and will certainly make you chuckle.

    ‘Jackpot!’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘Jackpot!”?

    In the future, a ‘Grand Lottery’ has been newly established in California – the catch: kill the winner before sundown to legally claim their multi-billion-dollar jackpot. When Katie Kim (Awkwafina) moves to Los Angeles, she mistakenly finds herself with the winning ticket. Desperate to survive the hordes of jackpot hunters, she reluctantly joins forces with amateur lottery protection agent Noel Cassidy (John Cena) who will do everything in his power to get her to sundown in exchange for a piece of her prize. However, Noel must face off with his slick rival Louis Lewis (Simu Liu), who also seeks to collect Katie’s commission at all costs.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Jackpot!’?

    • Awkwafina as Katie
    • John Cena as Noel
    • Simu Liu as Louis Lewis
    • Seann William Scott as Rugged Man
    • Dolly de Leon as Grandma Tala
    'Jackpot!' premieres on Prime Video August 15th.
    ‘Jackpot!’ premieres on Prime Video August 15th.

    Other Paul Feig Movies:

    Buy Paul Feig Movies on Amazon

    Please click on the video player below to watch our exclusive interview with director Paul Feig about ‘Jackpot!’

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  • Every Shawn Levy Movie, Ranked

    Shawn Levy attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024.
    Shawn Levy attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.

    Director Shawn Levy‘s string of consecutive hits has made him one of the most popular filmmakers working today.

    Levy began his career making successful comedies like ‘Just Married‘, ‘Cheaper By the Dozen‘, ‘The Pink Panther‘, ‘Date Night‘ and ‘The Internship‘, but it was his work on the ‘Night at the Museum‘ trilogy that really made him a top director in Hollywood.

    Since then he has dabbled in other genres with films like ‘Real Steel‘, ‘This is Where I Leave You,’ ‘Free Guy‘ and ‘The Adam Project‘, not to mention executive producing Netflix‘s juggernaut series ‘Stranger Things‘.

    Now Levy is entering the MCU with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘, which opens in theaters on July 26th and reunites him with frequent collaborators Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

    In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down every movie Shawn Levy has ever directed, including his latest.

    NOTE: For this list, we are only including movies Levy has directed, and we are not including his vast television work.

    Let’s begin!

    16. ‘Big Fat Liar‘ (2002)

    Paul Giamatti and Frankie Muniz in 'Big Fat Liar'.
    (L to R) Paul Giamatti and Frankie Muniz in ‘Big Fat Liar’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    After one of his class papers is stolen and turned into a movie, a young student (Frankie Muniz) and his best friend (Amanda Bynes) exact a hilarious, slapstick revenge on the Hollywood hot shot (Paul Giamatti) who has taken credit!

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    15. ‘The Pink Panther‘ (2006)

    Steve Martin as Inspector Jacques Clouseau in 2006's 'The Pink Panther.'
    Steve Martin as Inspector Jacques Clouseau in 2006’s ‘The Pink Panther.’ Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing.

    When the coach of the France soccer team is killed by a poisoned dart in the stadium in the end of a game, and his expensive and huge ring with the diamond Pink Panther disappears, the ambitious Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline) assigns the worst police inspector Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin) to the case.

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    14. ‘Address Unknown‘ (1997)

    1997's 'Address Unknown'.
    1997’s ‘Address Unknown’. Photo: Leucadia Film Corporation.

    A 16-year-old boy who had thought that his fathers death was an accident suspects otherwise when he receives a 10-year-old lost letter his father had written just before his death.

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    13. ‘Just in Time‘ (1997)

    After his wife’s death, Michael (Mark Moses) loses track of whats important. Thats why its strictly business between Michael and Faith (Rebecca Chambers) the attractive nanny he’s hired to take care of his troubled 7-year-old daughter Lily (Brittany Alyse Smith). When Faith helps Lily deal with her mothers death she earns a place in Michaels heart. But to keep Faith in their lives Michael has to decide whats really important to him.

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    12. ‘Cheaper by the Dozen‘ (2003)

    Steve Martin in 'Cheaper by the Dozen'.
    Steve Martin in ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    The Baker brood moves to Chicago after patriarch Tom (Steve Martin) gets a job coaching football at Northwestern University, forcing his writer wife, Mary (Bonnie Hunt), and the couple’s 12 children to make a major adjustment. The transition works well until work demands pull the parents away from home, leaving the kids bored — and increasingly mischievous.

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    11. ‘Just Married‘ (2003)

    Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher in 'Just Married'.
    (L to R) Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher in ‘Just Married’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Tom Leezak (Ashton Kutcher) and Sarah McNerney (Brittany Murphy) fall in love and plan to get married, despite opposition from Sarah’s uptight, rich family. When they do get married, and get a chance to prove Sarah’s family wrong, they go on a European honeymoon and run into disaster after disaster. They have to decide whether the honeymoon from hell and a few pre-marital mistakes are worth throwing away their love and marriage.

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    10. ‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian‘ (2009)

    Ben Stiller and Amy Adams in 'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian'.
    (L to R) Ben Stiller and Amy Adams in ‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Hapless museum night watchman Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) must help his living, breathing exhibit friends out of a pickle now that they’ve been transferred to the archives at the Smithsonian Institution. Larry’s (mis)adventures this time include close encounters with Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams), Abe Lincoln (Hank Azaria) and Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest).

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    9. ‘Date Night‘ (2010)

    Tina Fey and Steve Carell in 'Date Night'.
    (L to R) Tina Fey and Steve Carell in ‘Date Night’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Phil (Steve Carell) and Claire (Tina Fey) Foster fear that their mild-mannered relationship may be falling into a stale rut. During their weekly date night, their dinner reservation leads to their being mistaken for a couple of thieves—and now a number of unsavoury characters want Phil and Claire killed.

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    8. ‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb‘ (2014)

    Mizuo Peck, Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Rami Malek and Patrick Gallagher in 'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb'.
    (L to R) Mizuo Peck, Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Rami Malek and Patrick Gallagher in ‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    When the magic powers of The Tablet of Ahkmenrah begin to die out, Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.

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    7. ‘The Internship‘ (2013)

    Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in 'The Internship'.
    (L to R) Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in ‘The Internship’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Two recently laid-off men in their 40s (Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson) try to make it as interns at a successful Internet company where their managers are in their 20s.

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    6. ‘The Adam Project‘ (2022)

    Walker Scobell and Ryan Reynolds in 'The Adam Project'.
    (L to R) Walker Scobell and Ryan Reynolds in ‘The Adam Project’. Photo: Netflix.

    A time-traveling pilot (Ryan Reynolds) teams up with his younger self (Walker Scobell) and his late father (Mark Ruffalo) to come to terms with his past while saving the future.

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    5. ‘Night at the Museum‘ (2006)

    Ben Stiller and Robin Williams in 'Night at the Museum'.
    (L to R) Ben Stiller and Robin Williams in ‘Night at the Museum’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Chaos reigns at the natural history museum when night watchman Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) accidentally stirs up an ancient curse, awakening Attila the Hun, an army of gladiators, a Tyrannosaurus rex and other exhibits.

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    4. ‘Real Steel‘ (2011)

    Dakota Goyo and Hugh Jackman in 'Real Steel'.
    (L to R) Dakota Goyo and Hugh Jackman in ‘Real Steel’. Photo: Walt Disney Studios.

    Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is a washed-up fighter who retired from the ring when robots took over the sport. After his robot is trashed, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son (Dakota Goyo) to rebuild and train an unlikely contender.

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    3. ‘This Is Where I Leave You‘ (2014)

    Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Jane Fonda, Jason Bateman and Adam Driver in 'This Is Where I Leave You'.
    (L to R) Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Jane Fonda, Jason Bateman and Adam Driver in ‘This Is Where I Leave You’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

    When their father passes away, four grown (Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Corey Stoll and Adam Driver), world-weary siblings return to their childhood home and are requested — with an admonition — to stay there together for a week, along with their free-speaking mother (Jane Fonda) and a collection of spouses, exes and might-have-beens. As the brothers and sisters re-examine their shared history and the status of each tattered relationship among those who know and love them best, they reconnect in hysterically funny and emotionally significant ways.

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    2. ‘Free Guy‘ (2021)

    Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer in 'Free Guy'.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer in ‘Free Guy’. Photo: 20th Century Studios.

    A bank teller (Ryan Reynolds) discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, and decides to become the hero of his own story. Now, in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way before it’s too late.

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    1. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘ (2024)

    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine'.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ delivers the ultimate, iconic, cinematic team-up throw-down on July 26th.

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  • ‘Space Cadet’ Interview: Emma Roberts and Tom Hopper

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    Premiering on Prime Video beginning July 4th is the new comedy ‘Space Cadet’ which was directed by Liz W. Garcia and stars Emma Roberts (‘Madame Web’), Tom Hopper (‘The Umbrella Academy’), Poppy Liu (‘The Afterparty’), Desi Lydic (‘The Daily Show‘), Gabrielle Union (‘Strange World’), and Dave Foley (‘A Bug’s Life’).

    Related Article: Director Alejandra Márquez Abella Talks ‘A Million Miles Away’

    Emma Roberts and Tom Hopper talks 'Space Cadet'.
    (L to R) Emma Roberts and Tom Hopper talks ‘Space Cadet’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Emma Roberts and Tom Hopper about their work on ‘Space Cadet’, their first reaction to the screenplay, their characters’ relationship, singing karaoke together on screen, and working with director Liz W. Garcia.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Roberts, Hopper, Poppy Liu and director Liz W. Garcia.

    Emma Roberts in 'Space Cadet'.
    Emma Roberts in ‘Space Cadet’. Credit: Eric Liebowitz//Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Emma, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay, and what was it like playing a character who has such a positive attitude?

    Emma Roberts: I love the script for ‘Space Cadet’. I read it and immediately fell madly in love with the character of Rex, and it was fun to get to play someone so optimistic and upbeat and also a little bit tiring.

    MF: Was it emotionally draining playing a character as upbeat as Rex?

    ER: I mean, a little bit, but also it was fun. I’ve been doing a lot of much darker stuff the last few years, and so it was fun to play someone that I felt like the audience will connect to and feel uplifted by and inspired by, because I just feel like we’ve all been through a lot these last few years. So, to do a movie where there is no real darkness, it really is light and fun and something you can watch with your family and friends and siblings and not be embarrassed that you’re watching it with them, was fun.

    Tom Hopper and Gabrielle Union in 'Space Cadet'.
    (L to R) Tom Hopper and Gabrielle Union in ‘Space Cadet’. Photo Credit: Eric Liebowitz//Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    MF: Tom, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and your approach to playing Logan?

    Tom Hopper: First reaction was that it’s very fun. I read a lot of scripts, and there’s very few that make me laugh and make me think all at the same time, and then also have a character that is compelling and that I would have a good time playing. So that was my first reaction, and certainly one that I took into wanting to have the meeting with Liz Garcia. Then in terms of Logan, for me, someone like Logan is an example of what I think a lot of people end up doing, which is they become their job. They identify purely by their job rather than who they really are as a person, and they fit into that mold. That’s what’s happened to Logan. I think he’s very much by the book. Then, I think there is a more human side and more fun side of Logan that is then brought out by Rex and that’s why he’s so compelled by her, but also scared of her as well, because she represents the thing that he’s kind of shut down and pushed away. So, he is kind of fighting that thing to bring that back to life, which I think is kind of a lovely message of the movie that the Logan character brings, is that we should all kind of try and do that sometimes.

    MF: Emma, how would you describe Rex’s friendship with Nadine?

    ER: We were channeling our ‘Romy and Michele’. I loved that duo. I remember when Poppy and I were walking into the high school reunion and we were like, “It’s ‘Romy and Michele’”. We had to. It’s one of my favorite movies.

    Emma Roberts in 'Space Cadet'.
    Emma Roberts in ‘Space Cadet’. Credit: Eric Liebowitz//Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    MF: Emma, can you talk about Rex’s relationship with Logan, what she sees in him, and what was it like for you working with Tom?

    ER: Tom Hopper is a literal joy. He is the real Rex. He comes to work every day and is just the happiest guy there and just uplifts everyone. But he was so fun, and I loved Rex and Logan’s relationship because obviously it’s super unlikely and I especially love their karaoke scene together. I think people are going to love it because I know when the Counting Crows comes on, I lose my mind. So, I think people are going to love that little throwback that they give.

    MF: Tom, how would you describe Logan and Rex’s relationship, why he’s attracted to her and what was it like for you working with Emma?

    TH: I think it is an unusual match. But like I say, underneath it, they’re probably more similar than they realize. But I had a great time working with Emma. I think from what was on the page to what it became, I think I’m really pleased with how it turned out. Emma was a great scene partner. She brought her A game every day, and she’s just so full of life. She comes to life on set and on screen, and it’s very easy to work with.

    Emma Roberts and director Liz W. Garcia in 'Space Cadet'.
    (L to R) Emma Roberts and director Liz W. Garcia in ‘Space Cadet’. Photo Credit: Eric Liebowitz//Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    MF: Was it fun shooting the karaoke scene and singing Counting Crows’ ‘Mr. Jones’ with Emma on screen?

    TH: Yeah. We started rehearsing that the hour after I landed in New Jersey. We went and rehearsed that straight away, along with two other songs, because we didn’t know which song it was going to be at that point, because they were still figuring out the rights for the song. But when it turned out, I was pleased it turned out to be that song, because that was my favorite one of the three. But yeah, it was an experience. We just sort of dove in head-first together, and it was a lot of fun. It was a good way to get to know each other quite quickly.

    MF: Finally, Tom, what was your experience like collaborating with director Liz W. Garcia on set?

    TH: Liz is wonderful as a director. She’s so collaborative. I knew from the first meeting I had with her that we were going to get along. Her manner and her energy were perfect for this movie. Plus, she’s the writer as well, right? So, when it came to suggesting stuff on set, she had full reign to be able to just move things around and say, “Oh, say this, or say that.” For me, I love that. When a director is just going to get their hands dirty, and comes in and you collaborate and you say, “Oh, what about if I did this?” Or “What about if I did that?” I think that’s when comedy particularly is great, because you get to just play, and you get this sort of synergy with the director. She’s great for that. She’s amazing. It’s always super helpful having the writer as the director, for sure. Sometimes you get that leeway with a director that’s not the writer, because they’ve been given free reign of the script to move it around on the day. They don’t have to go and check with the writer. But it’s always amazing when it’s a writer/director. They’re not married to their words, and they’re very open to you to come with suggestions and make it real for you. So, if they’re fully behind that, then that’s a match made in heaven. That’s great.

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    What is the plot of ‘Space Cadet’?

    Tiffany “Rex” Simpson (Emma Roberts) has always dreamed of going to space, and her “doctored” application lands her in NASA’s ultra-competitive astronaut training program. In over her head, can this Florida girl rely on her quick wits, moxie and determination to get through training and into the cosmos before she blows her cover?

    Who is in the cast of ‘Space Cadet’?

    • Emma Roberts as Rex Simpson
    • Tom Hopper as Logan O’Leary
    • Poppy Liu as Nadine Cai
    • Kuhoo Verma as Violet Marie Vislawski
    • Desi Lydic as Dr. Stacy Kellogg
    • Gabrielle Union as Pam Proctor
    • Dave Foley as Rudolph Bolton
    Andrew Call), Desi Lydic, Josephine Huang, and Yasha Jackson in 'Space Cadet'.
    (L to R) Andrew Call), Desi Lydic, Josephine Huang, and Yasha Jackson in ‘Space Cadet’. Photo Credit: Eric Liebowitz//Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Space Cadet’:

    Buy Emma Roberts Movies On Amazon

     

  • ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead’ Cast Interview

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    Opening in theaters on April 12th is the remake of the classic 90s’ comedy ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead‘. Directed by Wade Allain-Marcus (‘Black Box‘), the new film stars Simone Joy Jones (‘Anything’s Possible’), Nicole Richie (‘Good Burger 2’), June Squibb (‘Nebraska’), Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams (‘Drugstore June’), Jermaine Fowler (‘Coming 2 America’), and Gus Kenworthy (’80 for Brady’).

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Road House’

    Simone Joy Jones and Nicole Richie in 2024's 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.'
    Simone Joy Jones and Nicole Richie in 2024’s ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Simone Joy Jones and Nicole Richie about their work on ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead,’ their reaction to the screenplay, their love for the original, their characters, and the humor of the movie.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Jones, Richie and director Wade Allain-Marcus.

    Simone Joy Jones in 2024's 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.'
    (Left) Simone Joy Jones in 2024’s ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.’ Photo: BET+.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Simone, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and the idea of making a remake of the 90’s comedy?

    Simone Joy Jones: First impression was, “Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m belly laughing reading the script.” There’s a lot of times you’re like, “Oh, that’s going to be funny once that person’s there. That’s going to be funny once it’s all happening.” I was like, “No, it was funny off the page.” Which I was like, “Okay, amazing.” With this specific remake, I was just so excited about Wade’s Vision. He came with all the fabric of how the film was going to be made, and I was like, “I’m on board.”

    MF: Nicole, were you a fan of the original and what does it mean to you personally to be in this remake?

    Nicole Richie: I am a diehard fan. I’ve seen this movie no less than 1,000 times. I could tell you everything about it. So, when we shot at the original house, I was walking through just so excited. We’ve got some very special cameos from the original version there, and it felt like I was at Universal Studios. I was like, “I cannot believe that I am here. I’ve been in this living room; I’ve been in this kitchen.” I connect to Rose so much. I quote her all the time. So, it was just so much fun.

    Simone Joy Jones in 2024's 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.'
    (Center) Simone Joy Jones in 2024’s ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.’ Photo: BET+.

    MF: Simone, can you talk about what Tanya learns about responsibility from working with Rose and taking care of her siblings all summer?

    SJJ: I think she just learns that you got to figure it out. I think that’s kind of what I’ve learned in real life of just like, “Okay, nobody knows.” The secret is that nobody knows. So, I think watching her find that out in real time, it’s just so refreshing and it’s awesome to see.

    Nicole Richie and Simone Joy Jones in 2024's 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.'
    (L to R) Nicole Richie and Simone Joy Jones in 2024’s ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.’ Photo: BET+.

    NR: Which is a real confidence that I think only a teenager can have, because you really don’t know. I think obviously as we get older, we know the other side of it and we’re like, “I don’t want to fail.” I do think that there is this kind of blind confidence in Tanya that’s like, “All right, what do I have to lose? I’ve got my whole life ahead of me, so I’m just going to do it.” I really love that.

    Nicole Richie in 2024's 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.'
    Nicole Richie in 2024’s ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.’ Photo: BET+.

    MF: Finally, Nicole, you are very funny in this movie. Was all the humor in the script or did you find some of it on set? Also, could you relate to Rose as a character?

    NR: Thank you. Well, one thing that it was very important for me to remember the whole time is that we are always looking at Rose through a teenager’s eyes. So, the amount of responsibility that she’s talking about as she’s trying to lightly move through everything that’s going on in her head, and she’s talking to Tanya, but she’s also kind of talking to herself and she’s also talking out loud. I think that that’s what teenagers view adults as, nuts. So, I think it was really just important for me to know that that was the perspective and the light that we were looking at her under all the time. What I love so much about Rose is that she’s not going to let anything get in her way. I mean, she really has that forward energy. She knows as the boss and as the head of this company, that it all starts at the top and she wants everyone else to be excited, and she just wants to build her life and keep it moving. I really love that about her.

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    What is the Plot of ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead’?

    17-year-old Tanya’s (Simone Joy Jones) plans for a carefree summer are derailed when her stressed-to-the-limit mom (Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams) takes off for a wellness retreat and puts Tanya and her three siblings in the charge of a crotchety (and racist) old babysitter (June Squibb). The babysitter’s sudden death leaves the kids short on cash and reluctant to pull mom prematurely out of her much-needed R&R, so Tanya is forced to get a job. Posing as an adult, she gets a gig as the executive assistant at a fashion company and overnight is thrust into the world of adulthood and parenting.

    Who is in the Cast of ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead’?

    • Simone Joy Jones as Tanya Crandell
    • Nicole Richie as Rose Lindsey
    • June Squibb as Mrs. Sturak
    • Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams as Mom
    • Donielle T. Hansley Jr. as Kelly
    • Miles Fowler as Bryan
    2024's 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.'
    2024’s ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.’ Photo: BET+.

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  • ‘Mafia Mamma’ Interview: Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci

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    Opening in theaters on April 14th is the new action comedy ‘Mafia Mamma,’ which was directed by Catherine Hardwicke (‘Thirteen,’ ‘Twilight’).

    What is the plot of ‘Mafia Mamma?’

    ‘Mafia Mamma’ follows an insecure American woman (Toni Collette) who unexpectedly inherits her grandfather’s mafia empire in Italy. Guided by the firm’s trusted consigliere (Monica Bellucci), she defies everyone’s expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business.

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    Who is in the cast of ‘Mafia Mamma?’

    ‘Mafia Mamma’ stars Toni Collette (‘The Sixth Sense,’ ‘Hereditary‘) as Kristin, Monica Bellucci (‘The Matrix Reloaded,’ ‘Spectre‘) as Bianca, Sophia Nomvete (‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘) as Jenny, Giulio Corso (‘All You Ever Wished For‘) as Lorenzo, Francesco Mastroianni (‘Dead Uncle‘) as Aldo, Alfonso Perugini (‘The Hand of God‘) as Dante, Eduardo Scarpetta (‘The King of Laughter‘) as Fabrizio, Tim Daish (‘The Invisible Thread‘) as Paul, and Tommy Rodger (‘Goodbye Christopher Robin‘) as Domenick.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci about their work on ‘Mafia Mamma,’ Collette’s character’s transformation, her alliance with Bellucci’s Bianca, and collaborating with director Catherine Hardwicke.

    Toni Collette stars in 'Mafia Mamma.'
    Toni Collette stars in ‘Mafia Mamma.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Collette, Bellucci, Sophia Nomvete, and director Catherine Hardwicke.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Toni, Kristin goes from being an ordinary mom to a mob boss through the course of the film. Can you talk about your character’s transformation and what it was like for you to play that part?

    Toni Collette: It was an honor and it was hugely fun, and I had the time of my life. I mean, I love this movie because ultimately, it’s an empowering story. It’s about a woman, she’s a mom, but she’s so many other things, and nobody ever sees that, and she has no real sense of self. She’s quite shut down and she gets this opportunity to go to Italy and it completely changes her life. So this trajectory of becoming empowered, and having a sense of autonomy and strength is so beautiful. But the context that the story is told in just makes it so unusual, so unique and so much fun because it is hilarious.

    Stars Toni Collette, Monica Bellucci, Eduardo Scarpetta, and director Catherine Hardwicke on the set of 'Mafia Mamma.'
    (L to R) Stars Toni Collette, Monica Bellucci, Eduardo Scarpetta, and director Catherine Hardwicke on the set of ‘Mafia Mamma.’ Courtesy of Bleecker Street.

    MF: Monica, you haven’t had a chance to do a lot of comedy in your career, what was it like for you to be a part of this project and work with director Catherine Hardwicke?

    Monica Bellucci: I’m very lucky that I had the chance to work with this amazing lady because she gave us the freedom to create this beautiful relationship between Bianca and Kristin, and we could build all the affection and connection that carries the two character in their adventure. For me, it was so original to be part of this project. I haven’t done many comedies in my career. I grew up with mafia movies like many of my generation in Italy, ‘Once Upon a Time in America,’ ‘Goodfellas,’ and ‘The Godfather.’ But this was really something completely new, a mafia comedy with a feminine twist. Catherine, she brings really such an elegance with her femininity in the middle of violence. Those three female characters are so beautiful because even Jenny (Sophia Nomvete), Kristin’s lawyer, she’s amazing and we are surrounded by an incredible cast of actors. So really, Catherine, she did incredible work because it is a difficult movie with many scenes, many actors, and she was never scared to try something new, or realizing when you’ve gone too far. So she’s magic.

    Monica Bellucci and Toni Collette in 'Mafia Mamma.'
    (L to R) Monica Bellucci and Toni Collette in ‘Mafia Mamma.’ Courtesy of Bleecker Street.

    MF: Toni, can you talk about the unusual alliance that Kristin and Bianca form together, and what your experience was like working with Monica Bellucci?

    TC: It’s Monica Bellucci for God’s sake! She’s an icon for many reasons. I’ve been watching her for years and she’s a style icon and she’s just the coolest. But she’s so obviously talented and totally professional. She was so grounded, noble and sweet, and I loved making her laugh. There’s so many outrageous things that happened in this movie, and I’d look over at her and she’d just be giggling like, this is so wrong, and so right, all at the same time. I loved working with her. She’s very open and present, and really wanted to do a great job. And who doesn’t want to get a makeover from Monica Bellucci? How lucky am I?

    Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci in 'Mafia Mamma.'
    (L to R) Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci in ‘Mafia Mamma.’ Courtesy of Bleecker Street.

    MF: There is a very funny scene in the movie where you are making wine with Monica and you are both squishing grapes with your bare feet. Was that a fun scene to shoot?

    TC: Yes, squishing grapes, that was a bucket list thing. I got to do it in the film. It does feel amazing, and your skin is better afterwards. You have to be a little careful because it gets a bit slippery. They kept bringing in new grapes because obviously we’re doing take after take. But I had always wanted to do that and I got to do that on top of everything else in this movie with Monica.

    Monica Bellucci in 'Mafia Mamma.'
    Monica Bellucci in ‘Mafia Mamma.’ Courtesy of Bleecker Street.

    MF: Finally, Monica, how would you describe the bond that Kristin and Bianca form in the movie, and what was your experience like working with Toni Collette?

    MB: We are in a male dominated society, so those women have to protect themselves. Toni, she is fantastic, and really amazing in the movie. I’m so happy that I had the chance to work with her because of course we all know how talented Toni Collette is. But as a person, she was really amazing and for me it was a great moment to be in.

    Monica Bellucci stars in 'Mafia Mamma.'
    Monica Bellucci stars in ‘Mafia Mamma.’

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  • Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey Team for New Comedy Series

    Actors Woody Harrelson (L) and Matthew McConaughey speak onstage at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.
    Actors Woody Harrelson (L) and Matthew McConaughey speak onstage at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage.

    If there’s one thing that Apple loves, it’s recruiting big names to star in its comedies, dramas and movies. Which, we suppose, is the driving force of all the studios and streamers, but Apple in particular has been happy to put its (considerable) money where its mouth is to hire stars.

    And for an upcoming, untitled comedy series, it is looking to reunite ‘True Detective’ duo Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey.

    Matthew McConaughey in director Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar.'
    (Center) Matthew McConaughey in director Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar.’

    Related Article: Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson Talk Basketball Comedy ‘Champions’

    What’s the new Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey show about?

    While Apple has yet to release the title, the company has let slip that the series will be “an odd couple love story that revolves around the ‘strange and beautiful bond’ between the pair.” The series will “see their friendship tested when their combined families attempt to live together on Matthew’s ranch in Texas”.

    And it’ll be a riff on the real-life friendship between the two actors, one that stretches back years before sharing the screen for ‘True Detective’.

    The two previously starred together in 1998’s ‘Welcome to Hollywood,’ 1999’s ‘Edtv’ and 2008’s ‘Surfer, Dude’.

    They regularly take trips together, something that has been described as a “friendship tour”, including as last year’s visit to Dubrovnik to celebrate Harrelson’s birthday, which saw the pair paddle boarding together.

    Casey Metcalfe as Marlon, James Day Keith as Benny, Woody Harrelson as Marcus, Ashton Gunning as Cody, and Tom Sinclair as Blair in director Bobby Farrelly's 'Champions,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Casey Metcalfe as Marlon, James Day Keith as Benny, Woody Harrelson as Marcus, Ashton Gunning as Cody, and Tom Sinclair as Blair in director Bobby Farrelly’s ‘Champions,’ a Focus Features release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features.

    Who created the new show?

    This new series comes from David West Read, who already has one Apple show on the way –– ‘The Big Door Prize’, which stars Chris O’Dowd and Ally Maki, starts on the Apple TV+ streaming service on March 29th. Read is a veteran of ‘Schitt’s Creek’.

    Harrelson is in theaters now with sports comedy drama ‘Champions’ and will be back on HBO in ‘White House Plumbers’, which tells the story of President Nixon’s own political saboteurs and Watergate masterminds.

    McConaughey, last heard in ‘Sing 2’ is back on vocal duty as a version of Elvis Presley in new Netflix animated series ‘Agent Elvis’ which kicks off on Friday.

    This is far from the only star-laden series Apple has either about to arrive or in the works. Climate Change drama ‘Extrapolations’ boasts the likes of Meryl Streep, Diane Lane, Kit Harington, Tobey Maguire, Marion Cotillard, Forest Whitaker, Daveed Diggs and Sienna Miller, and lands this week.

    There’s also thriller drama ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ starring Jennifer Garner and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, dropping April 14th.

    On the movie front, we have ‘Tetris’, starring Taron Egerton out on March 31st and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’, which boasts the slightly well-known star power of Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and newly-minted Oscar winner Brendan Fraser, with Martin Scorsese in the director’s chair. It has yet to set a release date but Apple considering launching it at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

    Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey in HBO's 'True Detective.’
    (L to R) Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey in HBO’s ‘True Detective.’

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  • ‘Party Down’ Season 3 Interviews: Jane Lynch and Ken Marino

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    Premiering on Starz February 24th is the long-awaited third season of the popular comedy series ‘Party Down,’ which was created by Rob Thomas (‘Veronica Mars’), Paul Rudd (‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’), John Enbom, and Dan Etheridge.

    Is ‘Party Down’ coming back?

    Yes! The series, which ran its first two seasons on Starz in 2009 and 2010 is returning for a six-episode revival series premiering on February 24th.

    What is ‘Party Down?’

    ‘Party Down’ is a half-hour comedy that follows a Los Angeles catering company that is comprised of aspiring actors and writers as they work small-time catering gigs hoping for their big breaks. Each episode finds the company’s employees working a new event, and getting into trouble with their rich and powerful guests.

    In season 3, ten years after season 2, most of the catering team have moved on, including actor/bartender Henry Pollard (Adam Scott). After a surprise reunion, the gang find themselves once again stoically enduring the procession of random parties and oddball guests all over Los Angeles.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Party Down’ season 3?

    ‘Party Down’ season 3 stars returning cast members Adam Scott (‘Severance’) as Henry Pollard, Ken Marino (‘Masterminds’) as Ronald Wayne “Ron” Donald, Jane Lynch (‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’) as Constance Carmell, Martin Starr (‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’) as Roman DeBeers, Ryan Hansen (‘Bad Santa 2’) as Kyle Bradway, and Megan Mullally (‘The Disaster Artist‘) as Lydia Dunfree, as well as new cast members Tyrel Jackson Williams (‘Thunder Force’) and Zoë Chao (‘The Afterparty’).

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jane Lynch and Ken Marino about working on the third season of ‘Party Down,’ where their characters are now, and reuniting with the rest of the cast.

    Ken Marino and Jane Lynch star in season 3 of Starz's 'Party Down.'
    (L to R) Ken Marino and Jane Lynch star in season 3 of Starz’s ‘Party Down.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Lynch, Marino, Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Zoe Chao, and series co-creator John Enborn.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Jane, what has Constance been up to in the decade or so since season two?

    Jane Lynch: Well, when we last left Constance, she had just gotten married to a very rich old man in an episode directed by Ken Marino. He died immediately, not Ken, the guy playing my husband. Who actually, the actor did die shortly thereafter. Bless his heart. So I inherited all of his money. You saw me in fact, in the last shot (of season 2) when they say, “Your husband’s dead,” and all of a sudden it hits me, he may be dead, but I’ve got all this money. So anyway, that’s what happened with my character. So when I come back, I’m loaded and happy, always happy, and glad to see my friends again.

    MF: Ken, what has Ron been doing since we last saw him?

    Ken Marino: Ron is just still trying to live the dream and fight through what life hands him, which is a lot of crap. He keeps going, and he pushes through. He’s close to realizing his dream, but as you know, there are a lot of obstacles that he creates for himself, and get in the way. We’ll see what happens.

    Tyrel Jackson Williams, Ryan Hansen, Zoë Chao, Martin Starr, Adam Scott and Ken Marino in season 3 of Starz's 'Party Down.'
    (L to R) Tyrel Jackson Williams, Ryan Hansen, Zoë Chao, Martin Starr, Adam Scott and Ken Marino in season 3 of Starz’s ‘Party Down.’

    Related Article: Jane Lynch Transforms Into Janet Reno for ‘Manhunt: Unabomber’

    MF: What was it like your first day back on set with the entire cast after such a long time?

    JL: Well, that’s what it felt like too. I was thinking, God, am I going to be able to get back into the character? Then I get with all these guys and immediately back in.

    KM: Yeah, it’s a special show. And to get to work with everybody again is a wonderful gift that I didn’t expect was going to happen. So when it actually did happen, I was thrilled.

    MF: Jane, did you rewatch your work in the first two seasons to kind of remind you of who Constance was and how to play her now?

    JL: You know what? I think I did. Usually, I’m a very lazy actor. I mean, if I learn my lines, we’re lucky. But I think I actually did go back and look. I can’t remember exactly doing it, but the only thing I was nervous about was would it come back? Was it really in there? And it was because I was around everybody else who was doing their thing. I think it was a relief for all of us.

    MF: Finally, Ken, what did you do to get back into the role of Ron?

    KM: Ron’s deep in there and I don’t think he ever left. So I think I’ve been holding him in there in hopes that we would get to do another season. And lo and behold, here we are.

    Season 3 of 'Party Down' premieres on Starz beginning February 24th.
    Season 3 of ‘Party Down’ premieres on Starz beginning February 24th.

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