Moviefone Editorial

Tag: dustin-milligan

  • ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ Interview: Simon Rex

    Simon Rex as “Danny” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Simon Rex as “Danny” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    Opening in theaters on February 27th is the new science fiction comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s‘, which marks the directorial debut of Michael Kvamme, and stars Simon Rex (‘Red Rocket’), Dustin Milligan (‘Schitt’s Creek’), Brenda Song (‘The Social Network’), Tony Cavalero (‘The Righteous Gemstones’), Arturo Castro (‘Road House’), Jason Biggs (‘American Pie’), and Doug Jones (‘The Shape of Water’).

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    Moviefone recently had an opportunity to attend Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles, where actor Simon Rex was handing out food at the Tacos 1986 truck in promotion of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’.

    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Michelle Felix.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Michelle Felix.

    We had a chance to speak with the actor about his new film, his first reaction to the screenplay, working with Dustin Milligan and Jason Biggs, crazy conspiracy theories, and collaborating with director Michael Kvamme on set, as well as working with Oscar nominee Rose Byrne and director Stephanie Laing on their upcoming film ‘Tow’, which opens in theaters on March 20th.

    Related Article: Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath Talk ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’

    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Courtesy of Jami Philbrick.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Courtesy of Jami Philbrick.

    Moviefone: To begin with, this is a wild movie, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and why did you want to be part of this project both as an actor and a producer?

    Simon Rex: Well, I laughed out loud every page, which was a good sign. Me and my agent and my manager, after reading it, were like, “This is the funniest script we’ve read in a long time.” There’s not a lot of comedies being made. If they are being made, they’re not that funny lately. I feel like that genre is gone and we need it back. So, when I read this, I knew I had to do it, and my agent and manager were like, “We have to roll the dice and go for it on this one.” Sometimes working with a first-time director, you don’t know what you’re getting into, but I trusted Michael because I knew how smart he was from the script and his background at ‘Funny or Die’ and working with Will Ferrell. He’s just gets it, and I knew he could pull it off. I was happy that he did, obviously.

    (L to R) Simon Rex as “Danny” and Dustin Milligan as “Luke” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    (L to R) Simon Rex as “Danny” and Dustin Milligan as “Luke” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Can you talk about the brotherly relationship between Danny and Luke and creating that relationship on screen with Dustin Milligan?

    SR: So, in the casting process, which was new for me, I usually am the one who’s coming in for what they call a chemistry read to see if you are of the essence of the other actor’s brother or friend or partner. So, we had it down to like five actors, and Dustin was one of them, and when he came in and read, it was just obvious that it worked. He was very grounded and pragmatic. I’m very over the top, and insane, and that’s the odd couple chemistry that you need for it to work. I’ve seen him in ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and I saw him in another movie, the name escapes me right now, but I was a fan of his. I’m like, this dude’s great, you know? He gets comedy, he nailed it, and that’s how we got him. We just cast him old school, in the room, which doesn’t happen anymore, usually it’s self-tapes.

    Jason Biggs as “self” in the comedy 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Jason Biggs as “self” in the comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Jason Biggs plays a crazy and exaggerated version of himself, was he a good sport about doing that?

    SR: Well, that takes a lot of courage and a lot of self-deprecating, self-awareness, and a lot of actors won’t do that. I love that he would because he’s the perfect chef’s kiss for this role, because he’s sort of a throwback to the era of what this movie feels like. It’s like the ‘American Pie’ era. It’s, ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’, ‘Harold & Kumar’, and those fun, lighthearted, wholesome comedies that we don’t make any more in this town. He was perfect in that universe to be synonymous with that era. He’s hilarious, and he’s Jason Biggs. Everyone knows him. He’s a familiar name, so it was perfect. We’re very happy with him. There was a lot of people we were exploring, and some actors wouldn’t be willing to laugh at themselves. I’m just glad he did.

    Doug Jones as “Elder” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Doug Jones as “Elder” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Your character in the movie is a conspiracy theorist. What is your favorite conspiracy theory, not necessarily one you believe in, but one you think is interesting like Stanley Kubrick shooting the Moon landing?

    SR: That’s a good one. There are some very strange parallels there. It’s that thing where I got friends who are conspiracy theorists and they’re like, “There are no coincidences.” I don’t agree with that, but there are some things lately that have been coming to light that have proved me wrong. But my favorite one to answer your question is the “flat Earth” theory because I love how those guys go so crazy. They’ll fly to Antarctica, and they’ll do the measurements, and they’ll be proven wrong, and they’ll still be like, “No, it’s flat.” They just can’t accept the science. That one’s very entertaining, so that’s my favorite one.

    (L to R) Dustin Milligan and director/writer Mikey K on the set of the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    (L to R) Dustin Milligan and director/writer Mikey K on the set of the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: What was it like collaborating with director Michael Kvamme on set to find the right tone for the movie?

    SR: I mean, again, he just gets it. I think people who are that funny are usually very smart in my experience, the funniest people that I’ve worked with are usually intelligent. I think that humor is also a part of being smart and I just knew because of his background, who he’s worked with, and the script that he wrote that his instinct was really on point. That’s a lot of it too, his instinct. It’s just one of those things that you go with your gut. When I met with him and I read the script, it just felt right, and then I’m happy to say that while we were filming, that he knew exactly what he wanted. He showed up prepared, and when you have a director that knows what they want, it makes everything else fall into place. I’ve done jobs where the director is sort of lost. You’re like, “Uh oh, the captain of the ship doesn’t know what’s going on.” This was the opposite. He was extremely on point with everything he wanted and how it would look, and he did all the preparation and he nailed it.

    (L to R) Simon Rex and Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Simon Rex and Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Finally, you also have the movie ‘Tow’ opening in March with Rose Byrne, which is based on a real story. What was it like working with Rose and director Stephanie Laing to bring Amanda Ogle’s story to the big screen?

    SR: It was cool. It’s a great wholesome heartwarming movie. I got to meet Amanda. She was on set with her daughter and working with Rose, she might be the most down to earth, normal, big female actor I’ve ever worked with. She was just extremely sweet and generous and I’m happy for this moment she’s having. I’m rooting for her to win the Oscar. I mean, she won the Golden Globe. She could walk away at this point a winner, but I want her to win it all. Obviously, it helps ‘Tow’ if she does. Working with Stephanie Laing, she’s so calm and I’ve never worked with a director that was this mellow, but in a good way where she was so chill. We shot that movie in 19 days, which is insane and ambitious to shoot a whole movie in 19 days with that cast. We got it, and the movie came out great, and it was a great experience. I want to work with Stephanie more and hopefully I will.

    'Operation Taco Gary's' opens in theaters February 27th.
    ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ opens in theaters February 27th.

    What is the plot of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’?

    Two brothers uncover an alien invasion hidden inside a fast-food chain and must save Earth.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’?

    • Simon Rex as Danny
    • Dustin Milligan as Luke
    • Brenda Song as Allison
    • Tony Cavalero as Kyle
    • Jason Biggs as himself
    • Doug Jones as Elder
    • Arturo Castro as Tiago
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Michelle Felix.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Michelle Felix.

    List of Simon Rex Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Simon Rex Movies on Amazon

  • ‘The People We Hate at the Wedding’s Kristen Bell and Ben Platt

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    Premiering November 18th on Prime Video is the new wedding comedy ‘The People We Hate at the Wedding,’ from director Claire Scanlon (‘The Wrecking Crew’).

    The movie stars Kristen Bell (‘Frozen’) and Ben Platt (‘Pitch Perfect’) as Alice and Paul, respectively, who reluctantly attend their half-sister Eloise’s (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) wedding in England.

    While attending with their mother (Allison Janney), Ben’s boyfriend (Karan Soni), and a man Alice meets on the plane (Dustin Milligan), they disrupt Eloise’s dream of a perfect wedding with their family drama.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kristen Bell and Ben Platt about their work on ‘The People We Hate at the Wedding,’ the film’s family dynamics, Paul’s difficult relationship with his mother, and Alice’s estranged relationship with her sister.

    Kristen Bell stars in Prime Video's 'The People We Hate at the Wedding.'
    Kristen Bell stars in Prime Video’s ‘The People We Hate at the Wedding.’

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Kristen Bell, Ben Platt, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Dustin Milligan.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Kristen, can you talk about Alice’s relationship with her family and could you relate to the family dynamics we see in the movie?

    Kristen Bell: My family is very different. I would say that my family is definitely what keeps me grounded. The cool thing about my family is that there’s a few of them, and I’m talking close family members that haven’t seen anything I’ve been in because that is not my relevance to them. I am the little sister. I am not in ‘Frozen’ or in ‘The Good Place.’ They’re like, “Well, you don’t come watch me at work.” It’s not that they don’t love me, that’s not why I’m important to them. So, my family is very different, and I love that about my family.

    But what I found so interesting is playing someone that has such a dysfunctional relationship with everyone because of a trauma that she’s experienced, and the fact that she just cannot seem to make her life what she thinks she wants it to be. I think that is very relatable to a lot of people, that stagnancy, that like, “Oh, why did I do that?”

    Because the first 20 minutes of this movie, you’re just yelling at my character, “Why would you do that? That’s going to be terrible for you.” There’s something really entertaining, just to put it bluntly, about watching someone make terrible decisions. But we have 90 minutes, so we’re able to give everyone a beautiful arc to be able to realize why family is important.

    Ben Platt, Allison Janney, and Kristen Bell star in Prime Video's 'The People We Hate at the Wedding.'
    (L to R) Ben Platt, Allison Janney, and Kristen Bell star in Prime Video’s ‘The People We Hate at the Wedding.’

    MF: Ben, can you talk about Paul’s issues with his mother and how that affects his relationship with his boyfriend?

    Ben Platt: I think something that a lot of queer people deal with is judging others before they are judged because I think we’re used to a lack of acceptance. I know that many people aren’t as privileged as I have been to have a family that has been fully, openly accepting of who I am.

    Unfortunately, in the case of Paul and his mother, it’s such a misplaced anger and a distance that does not need to be there. Thankfully, spoiler alert, but you could probably tell by the vibe of the film, it does turn out okay and they can find each other again.

    But I think it almost bonds him to his sister Alice, that Kristen plays, even more so. They have such a special kind of shared language and they really exist on the same wavelength, and theirs is my favorite relationship in the film.

    But I think even more so when he feels on the outs with his mother, for the reasons that thankfully he finds are not true, I think he even burrows further into his connection with Alice as his lifeline and someone to commiserate with about it.

    Cynthia Addai-Robinson and Kristen Bell star in Prime Video's 'The People We Hate at the Wedding.'
    (Far L to R) Cynthia Addai-Robinson and Kristen Bell star in Prime Video’s ‘The People We Hate at the Wedding.’

    MF: Finally, Kristen, can you talk about the relationship between Alice and her sister Eloise, and why they aren’t as close as they were when they were younger?

    KB: I think in a family dynamic it’s very easy, especially when there are three siblings. I come from a family of three siblings and it always seems to be that two have teamed up and one is on the outskirts. Again, like Ben was saying, there’s this misplaced jealousy because of years and years of a lack of communication or miscommunications. I think the overall lesson of this movie was you have to be able to communicate clearly and be vulnerable.

    Because there was a lack of vulnerability between these two sisters for such a long time that harbored all this animosity, and so they’re coming at their conflict from two completely different places. It’s just interesting to watch unfold, especially to play the sister that is so jealous of her older sister who seemingly has this perfect life, and everything put together, and everything is so easy.

    That’s low hanging fruit to be able to be angry at. But if you really look at the older sister’s life, you realize it might not have been as easy. But those kinds of conversations are hard and thankfully we have them in this movie.

    Ben Platt and Kristen Bell star in Prime Video's 'The People We Hate at the Wedding.'
    (L to R) Ben Platt and Kristen Bell star in Prime Video’s ‘The People We Hate at the Wedding.’
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