Russell Brand Interview, Get Him To the Greek

Get Him to the Greek reunites Jonah Hill and Russell Brand with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller in the story of a young record company executive with three days to drag an uncooperative rock legend to Hollywood for a comeback concert. The comedy is the latest film from hit producer Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Funny People).

Russell Brand plays British rocker Aldous Snow, a brilliant musician and certifiable rock-‘n’-roll legend, who due to a bad break-up and nose-diving career, has fallen off the wagon and is now a walking disaster. Weary of yes men and scared he’s entered the “greatest hits” twilight of his career, Snow’s in the midst of a nihilistic downward spiral. When he learns his true love, model/pop star Jackie Q (Rose Byrne), is in Los Angeles, Aldous makes it his quest to win her back…right before kick-starting his return to world domination.

MoviesOnline sat down with the incredibly funny and charming Russell Brand at a round table interview in Los Angeles to talk about his new movie. He told us about the pressures of continuing the Aldous Snow role, his wild adventures hanging out with Puffy in Las Vegas, and what it was like to fulfill his rock star fantasies on stage at the Greek. He also updated us on his upcoming film Arthur. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: I know you’re a West Ham fan.

RB: I certainly am, I certainly am.

Q: That’s a shame.

RB: It is a shame, isn’t it?

Q: Did you take this as a chance to show your dramatic side?

RB: Actually, no. I assumed that the movie would be comedic throughout. It would be a rip roaring roller coaster ride of giggles, chuckles, guffaws and laughs. When I arrived on set and suddenly I was expected to do crying and shouting, initially I spoke to my management and said, “Look, they’re asking me to show genuine emotions. Is that in my contract?” They then said that acting done properly encompasses a whole variety and range of emotions and by then it was too late. I had agreed to it so I was forced to do it. But in retrospect, I thought I was too serious. When it was going on, I was thinking I just want to be saying things that are funny all the time. I don’t like saying things that are not funny, but then when I watched it, I think it makes me look quite cool and deep. That’s what I was hoping for.

Q: Are you a method actor?

RB: Very method, methodical. What I did was I heard that Daniel Day Lewis went and lived as a cobbler for three months in Italy. I immediately got a job as a plumber in Havana. It went well for a while. I infiltrated Fidel Castro’s secret network of spies. I’m still working for him now and unless you lot start being a bit more communist, there’s going to be some gunfire, let me tell you.

Q: Did you feel any pressure to continue the Aldous Snow character?

RB: Well, do I feel that? No, I did not feel any pressure at all. I mean, I knew there had to be some continuity because they liked that character and my relationship with Jonah. That’s why this film was being made, so if I said, “Well, now I see him as a Frenchman,” they would have quarreled with that analysis. So I knew yes, there had to be some continuity but in a way, this is a very distinct and separate film. I think it’s different. Like has already been observed, it has a different sort of gravitas and emotional intensity to it. I suppose what I think is this. If you’re a comic actor, like I’m a comic actor, at the beginning of your career you tend to operate from a certain sphere. Let’s say Jim Carrey or whatever, it’s not like after he’d done Ace Ventura and you see The Mask, you don’t think, “What the hell is going on?” And Woody Allen or Pryor or the comic actors I like. They tend to operate, certainly at first, within a recognizable strata. So I thought stay in that strata, don’t get out of your depth. Like say, for example, I’d taken all my research from Havana and put that into a part, that I’d been sort of a socialist with a glint in his eye, a romantic proper socialist from the good old days of socialism, Kalashnikovs and real change, sexy Che Guevara change, people would’ve said, “Well, this isn’t appropriate.”

Q: Did you hang out with any rock stars to get inspiration for this?

RB: I do hang out with some rock stars just because they’re my friends. Noel Gallagher, he’s one. I’ve hung out with Pete Doherty a bit. Winehouse, she’s my mate. She’s more blues I suppose. Carl Barat out of the Libertines, he’s a mate of mine and contributes to the soundtrack. So I count some rock stars among my friends. Noel Gallagher especially is a mate of mine and from him I learned this kind of inherent nonchalance that rock stars have. I was so troubled by this nonchalance I took to inquiring as to why it was going on. “Why are you so nonchalant, Noel?” Then there followed a brief time while I explained the word nonchalant. Not really, Noel Gallagher is a brilliant man and poet but I did have to explain that word. Then he said, “It’s because I know that anywhere I go, whatever happens to me, no matter what people say, as long as I’ve got the guitar and the ability to play, people will pay 10 quid to come and see me.” So I thought that’s good. Aldous Snow is a person that knows that people will pay money if he’s got his gift, whereas a comedian or whatever, you tend to be more neurotic about stuff like that.

Q: Did you have childhood rock star fantasies and did getting on stage at the Greek fulfill those?

RB: I did. Do you know what I did? Say sometimes you’ve got to do a kissing scene with a good looking woman. What I do is I go, “I’m just gonna kiss her” and not even act. Then it’s free kissing of a woman. So with a rock star, I thought, “Just be a rock star now.” It’s not like anyone could go, “Cut, who the hell do you think you are? That was embarrassing.” They’ve got to go with it because it’s the film. So I just completely released a lot of childhood fantasies, although a good many of my other childhood fantasies have been rightly repressed as they are dangerous. They involve a utopia in which there is no money and everyone is topless.

Q: Did you contribute to any of the songs or have a favorite?

RB: I improvised a few raps. I’d like to add hip hop artist to my ever growing - - No, them songs were written by Jason Segel, this fella Mike Viola, Carl Barat out of the Libertines, Jarvis Cocker wrote a couple. So no, I’ve changed the odd words to make it sound more English because sometimes the American writers would use anomalous language. Like Bangers, Beans and Mash, you do not have beans with bangers and mash. You’d get tomato ketchup in the mash, it’d be horrible. Gravy is what you want. So Jason Segal wrote that one but you cannot criticize Jason Segal for this one minor fault given that he gave me a career.

Q: Are you looking forward to playing Arthur? Do you know who’s playing your costar?

RB: Yes, I know all of these things. I am looking forward to playing Arthur. I’m excited about it because I love Dudley Moore. My dad’s from the same place as him, Dagenham. I’m from like 10 miles away from there, Grays. Even Danny over there is from Romford. We’re all from the same place. It’s all all right. Helen Mirren is playing the John Gielgud role, the Oscar winning actress Helen Mirren playing the John Gielgud role as a nanny because remember, I’m much more a person that tends towards feminine things. I like women and that so I’m easier around women. Not that I dislike men. You’re a wonderful bunch but women I prefer. I think it’s these reasons. Boobs and vaginas. So Helen Mirren. The love interest, that role will be reprised by Liza Minnelli. She will be revisiting the role and I am going to have an on set romance with that woman. I’m going to turn her spine to chalk.

Q: When do you start shooting?

RB: July. Actually, the role is being taken by the brilliant actress Greta Gerwig from the film Greenberg with Ben Stiller. She’s a very, very wonderful actor. I’m thrilled to be working with her. She’s excellent. She’s an amazing actress.

Q: What do you think of the British elections?

RB: I think that democracy is fraudulent and has failed us again. Great Britain is not a conservative country. I think the lib dems have betrayed the people who do vote, among whom I do not count myself because voting is a ridiculous illusion and a waste of our time and money. If it changed anything, they’d ban it and I don’t trust none of them. I think David Cameron, his face looks like an egg that’s been painted by a child.

Q: And he’s been educated beyond his intelligence, as Skinner says.

RB: That’s what Dennis Skinner said, yeah. Let that beast loose on him.

Q: Are you still working on Drop Dead Fred?

RB: The script is being developed. I think these things happen in Hollywood and sometimes lead to something and sometimes to nothing. Through certain things I’ve learned, I have no attachment to the outcome but will patiently just see what happens. But I would love to be a childhood imaginary friend. That’d be cool.

Q: Will there be a sequel to My Booky Wook?

RB: I’ve written it. 85,000 words, finished it. It took ages. Writing is boring, isn’t it? And hard and you have to do it on your own, all the typing. But I’ve written it. It’s good.

Q: Is it Booky Wook 2?

RB: Booky Wook 2: This Time It’s Personal.

Q: Do you live in the states now?

RB: A lot of the time I am as a matter of fact, yes. But like from July, I’ll be living in New York where Arthur is shooting. Sometimes I’ll be in London ‘cause my mum. Then other times I’ll be here, to sort of live here a bit, yeah.

Q: In the movie you move around and made a lot of references to it, being in various places.

RB: It was peripatetic, constantly walking, moving endlessly. It was a pain in the ass.

Q: Are you more responsible about getting to a place on time?

RB: No, I’ve outsourced responsibility to others. There’s other people who are in charge of that. Danny makes sure no one can beat me up. Nick, my manager, makes sure I get places on time. Tom, my assistant makes sure I do stuff. There’s all sorts of people that do stuff. That’s one of the best things about having some money is a lot of the things I didn’t like doing, I don’t have to do them no more.

Q: What do you think about marital fidelity? Are you ready for that?

RB: Yes. You have to be. That’s one of the things about this institution of marriage, I’ve recently had explained to me by my wife. You must be faithful and I don’t have a problem with that. I’m really, really in love.

Q: Is it hard?

RB: Well, I mean, you know, it’s sort of odd isn’t it because there is certainly a compromise. You just can’t maraud through life f***ing whoever you like, which is a shame because in fact I actually could do that. That’s the compromise.

Q: What do you think of her being named Maxim’s hottest woman alive?

RB: Well, on one level it’s superficial and meaningless, but in another way, it flatters my male ego because I think oh, well, I’ve attained this so I have value as a person. But on another level, I recognize it’s meaningless, so it depends on the mood that I’m in. At the moment, I feel real puffed up.

Q: Do you think this character will resurface again?

RB: This character keeps resurfacing like a corpse abandoned in the Thames. We will never be free of it, never, unless we tie concrete to his ankles and abandon him in some deeper body of water. I think perhaps it will return again and again. Perhaps it will be like the new James Bond or Sherlock Holmes, constantly played. 16 movies, Basil Rathbone will have a go, Sean Connery. That’s my feeling.

Q: What was your first meeting with Puffy like?

RB: Man, he made me go to Vegas. There was no Faustian discussion but there was an immediate Faustian pact. Puffy took us to Vegas, took me and Jonah individually. My trip to Vegas went thusly. We went and Ricky Hatton was fighting, right? Puffy goes, “Could you get us tickets to the Ricky Hatton fight?” Something about Puffy when he asks you a question, he makes you want to say yes. You know, like “Yes.” I couldn’t. What am I going to do? I got Ricky’s number off Noel Gallagher but Ricky Hatton two days before a fight with Manny Pacquiao is busy training for the fight with Manny Pacquiao. So I was ringing up Ricky’s answer phone. “Ricky, hello. Uh, good luck with the fight. Could I get some tickets for that boxing match that you’re in? Okay, bye.” Right, he didn’t answer, reply or respond so then Noel, “Noel, get us these tickets.” In the end, one of my mates got us tickets. Then Puffy goes, “These tickets have got to be nearer to the front.” There are special rules. There’re special rules for it. I didn’t know that. You’ve got to be nearer to Jay-Z who was also there. So I didn’t get the special tickets. Actually, I did, off someone I think who owned Planet Hollywood or something. Then I was on a private jet with Puffy. Puffy told me specifically that I was to wear a long fuchsia scarf for the journey. He goes, “I want you to arrive at that airport two hours late wearing a fuchsia scarf dragging behind you on the tarmac.” I said, “That’s bloody specific. Normally it’s just a passport.” But he was particular. So I couldn’t get one but I did get a bronze cowboy hat, not material bronze, the color. A bronze cowboy hat would be dangerous for my vertebrae. I’m not a Neanderthal. So I got a cover hat that was the color bronze. I regretted it as soon as I sat down next to him but it was two late to take it off. It had affected the hair underneath it. So I was wearing it for ages. Anyway, we went to the fight. Then when Ricky, bless him, Manny Pacquiao, a folk hero and a fine fighter, so Ricky went down in the second and Puffy jumped on a chair. There’s like 25,000 mancs in that room and I’m standing next to a geyser jumping up on a chair while Ricky was on the deck. I was self-conscious because Jay-Z is here, Puffy is there on a chair, Ricky’s there on the floor, 25,000 mancs just there, me there. This is not a good look. So I just tried to play it low key. It’s difficult to do that in those circumstances. It’s made me go a bit against boxing. It’s violent.

Q: Did Rose really hit you?

RB: No, that’s true, I want it out. Rose Byrne hit me in the face and it wasn’t in the script. It didn’t say because if it was, I’d have prepared for it. It’s not in the script, she hit me. We’re in a scene, we’re arguing and Rose just went [SMACK]. THAT HARD! That’s too hard! That’s not in the script. I complained to Nick, the director. He said that I was making a fuss.

Q: It should have been a stage hit.

RB: Yeah, go like that and then you go ughhh.

Q: No blood.

RB: No blood. Actually I found some in my stools the next day. I think I hemorrhaged internally as a result of it.

Q: What’s your favorite scene? That you’re in?

RB: Well, that goes without saying. You needn’t add that caveat. The ones I’m not in, I immediately go to sleep in any film. This is the first time I’ve been able to stay awake for 70% of one. My favorite scene in the film is…

Q: Vegas?

RB: That is pretty funny, isn’t it? That furry wall stuff. Let’s go for that.

Q: I don’t want to put words in your mouth.

RB: Why stop at words?

Q: How about the threesome scene?

RB: Yeah, that was kinky, eh? Yeah, there’s one bit where my bum was at. I had to take my trousers and pants down in the shot and they were shooting from behind me. The cameraman, Casey, the camera’s there and I pulled my trousers and pants down. I didn’t mean to pull my underpants down, it was a mistake. I carried on acting, trying my best to do good acting and the cameraman, Casey, in the middle of the scene, in a sensitive, closed set situation went, “Can we stop now ‘cause this is horrible.” I thought he was talking about my bottom. I felt shy about it.

Q: Was there anything else dangerous?

RB: Here is a list of things that went wrong with me for which I’m still considering legal action. In the scene where I’m on the stage of the Greek performing, there is a shower of sparks, right? They put me in the wrong place one time and the shower of sparks all landed on me. I just thought, “Should this be happening?” I thought about continuing to act but it’s hard when there’s all those hot things landing on you. It was being stabbed. It was a peculiar storm of fire. So I asked if it could stop now and then there was a break for it. It was quite good. I got a lot of attention immediately after. “Oh, sorry, that should never have happened to you. Are you all right?” I laid down on a couch for a while, just milked it. Another time, I was in Trafalgar Square and I got pushed into a fountain. That was weird. Then another time, Rose Byrne hit me. Another time I had to do a threesome. The whole thing actually is the sort of thing that people describe after being released from Guantanamo Bay.

Q: Are there any scenes that didn’t make it into the film?

RB: Yeah, some good ones, man. There’s a scene where we were in, me and Jonah Hill, in Central Park in New York running around dancing, wearing wicked outfits. Like I was wearing my proper little shorts and the headband, sort of like Bjorn Borg sort of fitness gear, really cool. That’s not in it unfortunately but I think it’ll be a DVD extra.

Q: Did you shoot it in Central Park?

RB: Yeah, yeah, yeah, we did. That same cameraman did another thing. Like we were getting out of the car to begin that scene and that same cameraman, Casey, I got out and Jonah was in front of me so I was back there and I should’ve been lining up parallel to Jonah so the camera could see both of us but I was a bit behind him, I don’t care. He goes, “Russell, you’re getting lost behind Jonah.” And I said, “Oh, I do apologize. Sorry, I was in the moment.” He went, “Get out of the f***in’ moment.” I was trying my hardest.

Q: What group or artist do you wish would do a comeback?

RB: Smiths. Morrissey. Johnny Marr, everybody. Mostly Morrissey and Marr.

Q: Favorite concert you’ve gone to?

RB: Morrissey, Albert Hall. I took too much heroine, made me feel a bit ill but Morrissey was still brilliant.

Q: Have you stolen any clothes from the wardrobe?

RB: Yes, I’ve got these golden boots and these leather trousers. I stole them.

Q: Did you wear any of your own clothes?

RB: No, no, but Lisa, who gets me all these clothes. She incorporates the way that I naturally look into the clothes I wear in a film. Say Arthur, I went in for a fitting the other day for a suit. I ain’t wearing no suit that’s too loose. They went, “Oh, but…” No, make just them trousers tighter. I like to look a certain way. I don't care if it’s a film or not. It’s still me.

Q: Instead of piano, will you play guitar?

RB: No, I think what that will become is probably singing.

[picks up and kisses the recorders]

Q: You don’t know where those have been, Russell.

RB: Oh my God.

Q: Adrien Brody kissed that last.

RB: I like him though. He’s nice. Oscar winner. Now there’s a real Oscar buzz around this part I played, Aldous Snow. It’s too early to indulge this OSCAR BUZZ. Come on. Let’s nip it in the bud because it’s too much, it’s my first lead. Just go easy with the Oscar buzz is all I’m saying.

Q: One time Robin Williams took all our recorders.

RB: What did Jim Carrey do?

Q: He knocked them over once.

RB: Are you now putting me into this panoply of manic depressive comedic geniuses?

“Get Him to the Greek” opens in theaters on June 4^th.