The 2026 TV schedule included the first series Aubrey Plaza ever co-created, and it's called Kevin. It premiered for those with an Amazon Prime subscription two months ago, but if you were hoping for another season of the adult animation, Plaza shared some bad news that involved a heartbreaking callback to Parks and Recreation.

The comedy, which follows a cat adjusting to life after his two owners separated, is the latest 2026 TV cancellation. That list already included quite a few shows from Prime Video. Here's what Plaza had to say about her series ending:

Kevin earned mixed-to-positive reviews from viewers, but must have gotten lost in the streaming shuffle given its fate. The series boasted an incredible voice cast including Jason Schwartzman as Kevin alongside the likes of Plaza, John Waters, Amy Sedaris, and Whoopi Goldberg.

It's understandable that Plaza would find the news "disappointing", especially considering the show didn't get much of a chance to find a footing with audiences. As she added in her Instagram post:

Can you imagine if Parks and Recreation had ended after one season? We would have missed out on so many of the show's great bits, guest stars and such! Nowadays, it's pretty universally agreed among fans of the NBC comedy show that it didn't get off to the best start, but because the network believed in it, it became the kind of TV series we still rewatch on streaming all the time.

And it ended over ten years ago. Parks and Recreation may seem like a no-brainer of a show to have as many seasons as it should now. However, when it was actually on the air, the cast and creators have said on many different occasions that they never felt completely safe from cancellation.

Aubrey Plaza makes a sad but very eloquent point about the importance of TV shows like Kevin getting the room to be developed and supported, rather than dying on arrival. However, it sounds like Plaza isn't giving up, and hopes to see the show get picked up by another "owner" so she and her team can continue to produce Kevin.

While the cancellation of Kevin is a tough blow, Plaza is keeping plenty busy lately. She already stars in two movies that are coming out in 2027. She'll be in a comedy called Animal Friends alongside Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa and Dan Levy coming in January, and she's also in Michael B. Jordan's remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, hitting theaters next March. So, there's still plenty to look forward to, as we continue to hope that Kevin finds a new home.

Going home for the holidays always brings a mix of emotions. No matter how grown-up you are, somehow, once you step into your childhood home, you slip back into that awkward kid you once were. That is true for me at the very least, and it is certainly true for Felicity Jones’ character in the upcoming film Oh. What. Fun, which just hit the 2025 movie schedule, complete with some awkward shenanigans involving a bed.

In the 2025 Christmas film, Felicity Jones plays Channing, the eldest daughter of Michelle Pfeiffer's character, Claire, who brings her whole family to her parents' home for the holidays. Channing and her husband, played by Jason Schwartzman, are put up in what appears to be her childhood bedroom. The problem is the room only has a single twin bed in it, and the couple is expected to sleep in it for the duration of their stay.

When I had a chance to sit down and talk with the Oh. What. Fun actress, I had to ask: Why does Channing never bring up the bed situation with her mom? I was a shocked when Felicity Jones told me the entire bed subplot represents something much deeper.

To be honest, I thought that she would tell me that it was because two grown adults put in a single bed was just a funny conceit. Now I know it's deeper meaning, I'm seeing it in a totally different light.

Sometimes it's hard for parents to recognize their children have grown up, have their own lives and families, and want to make new holiday traditions. That’s exactly what Jones’ character struggles with in the film. Honestly, she could use a little of Jyn Erso’s hardened badassness to confront her mother more directly—something many of us (OK me, I'm talking about me) struggle with.

While the single bed symbolizes Channing’s emotional struggles, I was correct in thinking it is also objectively hilarious. As Jones told CinemaBlend:

Ultimately, Oh. What. Fun. is a comedy, and Jones will make you laugh far more often than she’ll make you cry. Don’t just take my word for it—you can see for yourself with an Amazon Prime subscription.

For me, Oh. What. Fun delivered exactly what I hoped it would, it was funny, heartfelt, and it made me feel something. The best holiday movies do this, creating a nice little package of both comedy and heart, all wrapped up in a little bow.

The holidays are full of fun (and sometimes surprisingly creepy) traditions. Whether you are decorating a tree, mailing letters to Santa, or watching some brand new Christmas movies, there is no shortage of ways to celebrate. One trend that has become very popular in recent years, and arguably is the one I find to be the creepiest, has to be the Elf on A Shelf. It’s also a recurring bit in the upcoming film Oh.What.Fun, and star Jason Schwartzman is on the same page with me.

When Oh. What. Fun hits the 2025 movie schedule, you'll get your Elf on A Shelf fix in. In the movie, Jason Schwartzman and Felicity Jones play a married couple who are frequently watched by Jones' childhood Elf on a Shelf, Barnaby. Barnaby is never on a shelf, but pops up in the most unexpected places and is absolutely keeping tabs on Schwartzman’s character.

So, when I had the chance to chat with Schwartzman, I had to ask him about how unnerving Santa and his loyal elf scouts can be. Honestly, I was a little relieved when he was as skeeved out by the idea of Santa (and his Little Helpers) watching you as I was.

Story checks out. Schwartzman said he gets nervous around A-listers like Steve Carell, so why not some pint-sized mischief makers? If you distill the idea of Santa Claus down even further, the underlying concept is basically just a strange man in a red suit watching you all year long. Instead of Santa simply observing from afar, his little “helpers” are inside your house, popping up in unexpected places. The actor also told CinemaBlend:

Maybe the elves are not inherently creepy - perhaps they have just seen too many naughty kids? Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of them join Buddy the Elf for some drinking and smoking when the holidays are done. Still, the idea of being under constant surveillance is unsettling. The elves may not have much of a choice, though. Who knows what working for Santa is like? They probably need to unionize.

Elf on A Shelf is only a small part of Oh.What.Fun, but its creepiness is used to great comedic effect. Deep down, I am interested to hear if everyone else is as bothered by these mischief makers as I am. The good news is you can watch Schwartzman deal with them soon, as the flick will be available to stream for those with an Amazon Prime subscription starting Dec. 3rd.

Elf on the Shelf may have started from a sweet place, but one thing is certain: neither Schwartzman nor I would want these little scouts lurking around our house during the holidays.

As someone who grew up in a comedy forward household, I’ve built out a decent foundation of the genre. From Lou and Costello to 50 years of Saturday Night Live giants to the comedy queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race, all have been enjoyed and welcomed. But, nothing properly prepared me for this dream collaboration of Aubrey Plaza, Whoopi Goldberg and John Waters on the same cast sheet. Until the show airs, it’ll be at the back of my mind.

It's unclear whether this newly announced Amazon Prime series, simply titled Kevin, won’t be clawing its way onto the 2025 TV schedule. But the coming comedic cartoon, from Plaza, Joe Wengert and Dan Murphy boasts even more star power in addition to the trio above to keep potential viewers interested. Set in an Astoria, Queens “Furrever Friends” pet rescue, and inspired loosely on a real break-up, viewers will follow Kevin the cat, (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) and his coming of age-esque story after his move.

Kevin’s humans splitting up seem to be the crux of the show, as it inspires the ‘loveable and neurotic’ cat to move into the ragtag shelter. Of course, everyone who he meets there will add to the layered and textured fun of his saga.

Here’s another first look at Kevin, the tuxedo colored cat and one of his owner’s, Dana (voiced by Plaza). The moody feline standing in the foreground while his guardian tries to reason with him signals to me that this new project could easily be on par with some of the great movies with talking animals.

Notably billed stars who will join as Schwartzman character’s new roommates include Waters, Goldberg and Aparna Nancherla (Corporate, The Standups). Nancherla plays Judy, a naively positive Scottish Fold Kitten, Goldberg is a feral free wheeling type cat named Cupcake and Waters will be a Persian cat named Armando who is an independent, no non-sense type. I can already anticipate Armando being a sassy-boom-bassy fan favorite.

If that lineup didn’t excite you enough, Gil Ozeri (#BlackAF, Big Mouth) and Amy Sedaris are also attached. Ozeri will play doormat human Seth, owner of “Furrever Friends” and Sedaris will play Seth’s queen bee Shih Tzu, Brandi. I can only see big success from the trio, and beyond from the ways I’ve already imagined it. Just look at (assumingly) Brandi and Cupcake’s date night and tell me it doesn’t have a chance to rank with the best animated shows.

When I say I’m desperate for this series premiere, I mean it. Just thinking about the iconic LGBTQ+ cinema director’s signature campy style, Plaza’s immaculate deadpan and Goldberg’s expert observational standup coming together makes me outright giddy. Again, that’s not even taking into account Schwartzman, Sedaris or the other stars. Regardless of my excitement, the announcement couldn’t be better from Amazon after the new James Bond image ruckus, at least for comedy fans like me.

Whenever Kevin does move along in production and gains a release date, it’s set to stream exclusively with a Prime subscription worldwide. And if you’re wondering if I will have recovered from a Plaza, Goldberg, Waters project by then, the answer is likely no. But, I’ll certainly be watching it!

When Mountainhead was announced as part of the 2025 movie schedule, it was the five big names attached to it that got me excited. Those names are Jesse Armstrong, the creator of Succession and writer/director of this movie, and the film’s four main actors, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef and Cory Michael Smith. All are stars in their own right, however, Schwartzman – a well-known and beloved actor – told me why he was intimidated to work with The Office star and co. and how he quickly moved past that feeling.

In the lead up to Mountainhead’s release – it will be available to those with an HBO Max subscription on May 31 – I spoke with Jason Schwartzman about working on this biting satire about four rich men coming together for a weekend in the mountains. While chatting about the ensemble, the Rushmore star told me this cast worked together seamlessly. However, at first he was intimidated, as he said:

First of all, it’s kind of wild to hear an established actor like Jason Schwartzman say this about Carell. Plus, they were also both in Wes Anderson’s movie Asteroid City, which Schwartzman led. However, I get it. Steve Carell’s films and TV shows speak for themselves; he’s a legend, and to work so closely with him would probably be intimidating, in a great way, for any actor.

Plus, when you are also working with the man behind one of the best shows streaming on HBO Max, an incredibly successful stand-up comedian who is also a director, producer and writer, as well as an up-and-coming star, I’d imagine the pressure was on for all of them. Schwartzman told me he was nervous about making jokes and second-guessing what he was going to say, explaining:

However, he quickly moved past that. Carell, Youssef and Smith all proved to be incredibly supportive co-stars. And Schwartzman told me it didn’t take long for him to feel like he could try anything with them. As he said, he knew“these other three have my back.”

To that point, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes actor explained that there was a “super trust” between these guys. While he called it “cheesy,” I thought this comparison to throwing someone up into the air so they could do a flip was both fitting and sweet, as he explained:

That’s so sweet, and I love that these powerhouses were able to come together and make this film that 100% relies on them to deliver remarkable performances of Armstrong’s smart script.

Mountainhead is about four ultra-rich men who work in tech who meet up for a poker weekend. However, they also spend the trip reckoning with the catastrophic impacts of their work, their own wealth, and their relationships with power and greed. All four actors seamlessly work together to pull off this story, in my opinion, which made it easy for me to understand the trust Jason Schwartzman described.

To see all this on screen for yourself, this movie will hit streaming on May 31 on HBO Max at 8 p.m. ET.

Sometimes an actor just explodes on the scene with their first movie. Many of the people on this list have even been nominated and won awards for their first roles. Most, of course, have gone on to have long, successful careers, so let's look back at these actors who absolutely crushed it in their first roles. 

Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years A Slave

It didn't take long for Kenyan native Lupita Nyong'o to make a huge splash in Hollywood. After a little time working on movie sets behind the camera, she studied acting at Yale and landed her seminal role in 12 Years A Slave almost immediately after graduating. The performance speaks for itself, and Nyong'o deservingly took home an Oscar for it. Amazingly, three years later, she won a Tony in her Broadway debut in Eclipsed.

Sean Penn - Taps

Sean Penn has had a long, storied career and while many may assume his breakout role came as the stoner Spicoli in Fast Times At Ridgemont High, but a year before cracking up audiences in that cult classic, he played a very different role as a would-be soldier at a military academy in Taps. Notably, Tom Cruise also made his breakthrough role in the movie alongside Penn. 

Reese Witherspoon - The Man In The Moon

Over the last 4 decades or so, Reese Witherspoon has not only become one of the most acclaimed actresses in Hollywood, but a major force behind the scenes as a producer. It all started for the Nashville native with her debut in The Man In The Moon in 1991. It's always impressive when a newcomer can lead a personal film like this, and Witherspoon showed early how good she is by doing so. 

Natalie Portman - Leon: The Professional

There are a few actors in Hollywood who broke big when they were very young. From the moment you see Natalie Portman on screen in her first role as Mathilda in Leon: The Professional, you know she's going to be big. Yeah, it's an uncomfortable movie to watch for obvious reasons - Portman was just 13 - but seeing how brave she was to take on a complicated role like that, it was clear she was destined for greatness. 

Edward Norton - Primal Fear

Has there ever been a more terrifying and convincing debut performance from an actor than Edward Norton in Primal Fear? It's one of the all-time great grifter films and Norton's performance is the major reason why. He's scary, both in character and in talent. 

Florence Pugh - The Falling

It's hard to believe Florence Pugh made her debut in The Falling in 2014. It seems like the actress has been around forever as she keeps picking amazing roles and crushing the performances, just like her first. 

Kevin Bacon - National Lampoon's Animal House

Every actor in Hollywood is connected to Kevin Bacon, as the game claims, and that's because for more than five decades he's been giving amazing performance and amazing performance. His first movie, the classic comedy National Lampoon's Animal House is certainly no exception as he plays a snobby, snarky, frat boy to perfection. There is nothing he can't do.  

Halle Berry - Jungle Fever

In 2001 Halle Berry became the first African-American woman to win the Best Picture Oscar for Monster's Ball. That was just 10 short years after she made he incredible debut in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever. The former beauty pageant contestant has been one of the most reliably great stars in the years since, starring in some of the biggest franchises in Hollywood including the X-Men, James Bond, John Wick, and much more. 

Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls

After finishing seventh in the third season of American Idol, we all knew Jennifer Hudson could sing. When she was cast as Aretha Frankin-like Effie White in Dreamgirls, it didn't surprise anyone. At least, we weren't surprised until we all saw just how her powerful voice was matched by her powerful acting. She took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in her big-screen debut. 

Eddie Murphy - 48 Hrs.

By the time Eddie Murphy starred in 48 Hrs. alongside Nick Nolte in 1982, he was already a bonafide TV star from his time on SNL. Known for his great characters and hilarious lines on SNL, it wasn't clear if he could carry a movie. 48 Hrs. settled that, he definitely could and he's been leading them ever since. 

Marlee Matlin - Children Of A Lesser God

Marlee Matlin has been breaking down barriers since the very beginning of her career. Deaf from the time she was a small child, there must have been many people who told her she could pursue her dreams. Instead, she became not only the deaf actor to win an Oscar in his debut movie, Children Of A Lesser God, but the youngest woman to take home the statue as well. 

Anne Hathaway - The Princess Diaries

From the very beginning, Anne Hathaway has been wowing audiences. Her first movie is still one of her most beloved, The Princess Diaries. She even got to star alongside true film royalty. Julie Andrews. She didn't seem intimidated then, and she never has been since. 

Tim Curry - The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Tim Curry's first movie has become the dictionary definition of a cult classic. The Rocky Horror Picture Show was a flop when it was released, but in the decades since, it's become one of the most popular movies of all time with a fanbase that is not just dedicated, but rabid in its love for the movie and for Curry's character, Frank-N-Furter.

Emma Stone - Superbad

Superbad is one of those comedies that very really gets old, especially if you grew up with it as a staple of your DVD rotation. Emma Stone's character Jules is not the kind of character you'd expect to be as funny as she is, which makes Stone pretty much perfect for the role, as she is as effortlessly funny as she is effortlessly beautiful. She's gone on to tackle some characters with incredible depth, but she set the foundation in Superbad. 

Oprah Winfrey - The Color Purple

There is really nothing Oprah Winfrey can't accomplish. She was already on her way to becoming the biggest daytime talk show in history by the time she landed a role in Steven Speilberg's classic The Color Purple. It turns out Winfrey can do a whole more than coax the most out of guests on her talk show, she can act really act, earning an Oscar nomination in her film debut. 

Julie Andrews - Mary Poppins

It's really hard to believe that Julie Andrews didn't make her true film debut until she was nearly 30 years old, when she appeared as the legendary Mary Poppins in the film of the same name. Of course, Andrews was well-established as a stage actor at that point, but still, it was the golden age of Hollywood, you'd think she would have been cast in something well before Mary Poppins. At least we can be grateful she was cast here. 

Alan Rickman - Die Hard

Hans Gruber in Die Hard is, without a doubt, one of the greatest villains of the 1980s. Knowing that it was the film debut of the incredible Alan Rickman makes it all that more impressive. He plays the role with such confidence and panache, that it's almost too much to believe it was his first movie role, but it was. 

Anna Paquin - The Piano

Anna Paquin won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Piano. She was just 11 years old! Anyone who does that deserves a spot on any list like that. She's the second youngest ever to win an Oscar and in the years since she's continued to wow us with her work. 

Jamie Lee Curtis - Halloween

Jamie Lee Curtis basically invented the modern scream queen in horror movies in her debut in Halloween. It's a genre she's only returned to a few times in her long, impressive career, but we're sure glad it's where she got her start. 

Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

It's a little remarkable how many young girls pop up on a list like this. One of the most recent examples of a teenager just crushing her film debut is Hailee Steinfeld. Not only did she have the pressure of playing a beloved literary character like Mattie Ross in True Grit, but she also had to act alongside legends like Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin. She doesn't just hold her own, either, she steals the movie. She rightly received an Oscar nomination for her work.  

Glenn Close - The World According To Garp

Glenn Close burst on the scene with award-winning performances on Broadway before transitioning to film with her debut on the silver screen in The World According To Garp where she picked up where she left off on the stage, getting nominated for an Oscar. She would earn Oscar nominations (but sadly no wins) for her next two movies as well, The Big Chill and The Natural. 

Robert Duvall - To Kill A Mockingbird

Robert Duvall's career goes all the way back to the 1950s, when he first appeared as Boo Radley in one of the most beloved movies about the American South, To Kill A Mockingbird. He only has a small role, as the character with an outsized effect on the plot who is only seen at the end, but he embodies the character so many kids learn to love when they first read the book in high school. 

John Malkovich - Places In The Heart

There is no question that John Malkovich is one of the finest actors of his generation. He's completely fearless in all the roles he plays and that's true going all the way back to his first role as a blind World War I vet in the Depression-era film Places in the Heart alongside Sally Field, Danny Glover, and Ed Harris. 

Lily Tomlin - Nashville

Though she was already a comedic legend on TV, having appeared on Laugh-In and The Carol Burnett Show, Lily Tomlin showed what range she really had as a gospel singer and mother to two in Nashville. She's continued to show those skills over and over in the decades since. 

Gal Gadot - Fast & Furious

Gal Gadot is best known as Wonder Woman these days, but she made her debut in another giant Hollywood franchise when she appeared in Fast & Furious, the fourth installment of the Fast And Furious series. The ex-Israeli army veteran has impressed fans of the movies in each of her 3 appearances by performing most of her own stunts.  

Kerry Washington - Our Song

Our Song is an underrated movie that is everything great about independent filmmaking. It's an intensely personal story about a unique moment in time for the characters and the audience. Kerry Washington simply blows audiences out of the water with her powerful and heartfelt performance. It's incredible how good she was in her first movie. 

Dustin Hoffman - The Graduate

So, technically Dustin Hoffman had already had a small role in a film before The Graduate (a movie called The Tiger Makes Out). For all intents and purposes, he introduced himself to the world with an Oscar-nominated performance in one of the most iconic movies in Hollywood history, The Graduate. It's a movie people still love talking about and lauding, even nearly 60 years later. 

John Cazale - The Godfather

The incredible and tragic story of actor John Cazale is well-known among movie buffs. Cazale only starred in five movies before he died of cancer at just age 42. All five of those movies won the Oscar for Best Picture The first, his first, was, of course, The Godfather. Though his character, Fredo, would play a larger role in the sequel, he still established himself as one of the greatest of his generation before we all lost him too soon.  

Gabrielle Union - She's All That

Actor Gabrielle Union has definitely made her mark not only on Hollywood but on the world with her stellar performances and her charity work outside of film. HE burst onto the scene in She's All That and she's never slowed down since. 

James Dean - East Of Eden

The great James Dean is one of the biggest "what ifs" in Hollywood history. Though he did have some uncredited roles in a few movies, the young actor starred in just three movies, including his first East Of Eden. For that role, he would receive an Oscar nomination, though he wouldn't live to see it, as he was killed in a car crash before being nominated. A feat that would be repeated the next year with Giant.

Jason Schwartzman - Rushmore

Though Jason Schwartzman comes from a prominent Hollywood family, that didn't guarantee success. Instead, he went out in his first movie role, in Rushmore, and absolutely embodied his character of Max. It's every bit as impressive as anything his mom Talia Shire has done, and that is no small feat. 

Keisha Castle-Hughes - The Whale Rider

When Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for an Oscar at just 12 years old for The Whale Rider, you knew she was one to watch for. She was, at the time, the second-youngest person nominated for an Oscar and not only was the nomination well-deserved, but she's continued to justify the voters' confidence in her with her roles over the last couple of decades. 

The Parks and Rec cast by itself is legendary. Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott and more served as regulars on the series for years, and to this day their characters are beloved. However, what made this show even more special was its constant stream of guest stars played by living legends. Everyone from Bill Murray to Michelle Obama to Ben Schwartz appeared on the NBC classic, and today, we’re here to talk about them. 

Paul Rudd

Now, I know we love Paul Rudd for his movies, but we also need to appreciate his brilliant work as Bobby Newport on Parks and Rec. During Season 4, the actor joined the cast to play the man running against Leslie Knope for a city council position. Overall, Bobby is childish, not smart and spoiled, and Rudd plays this silly idiot brilliantly. 

Bill Murray

Obviously, Bill Murray’s funniest roles include iconic characters like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day and Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters. However, his guest spot on Parks and Rec was unexpected and incredibly memorable. I write this because, for one episode in Season 7, the Saturday Night Live legend played Walter Gunderson, the dead mayor of Pawnee. 

Kathryn Hahn

Playing the cutthroat campaign manager Jen Barkley, Kathryn Hahn made a glorious (and a smidge evil) impact on Parks and Rec. She played a cutthroat manager who worked for Bobby Newport at first, and across ten episodes she popped in from time to time to both help and harm Leslie’s political career. 

Ben Schwartz 

Arguably, Jean-Ralphio Saperstein is one of the best recurring guest stars in Parks and Rec history. The rich boy who is friends with Tom is ridiculous, scammy and he’s constantly trying to flirt with everyone and sing whenever he can. While he’s 100% the worst, he’s also totally not “the WORRRRRRSSSSSTTTT,” if you know what I mean.  

Jenny Slate

In a stroke of perfect casting, Jenny Slate popped into Parks and Rec to play Jean-Ralphio’s sister Mona Lisa Saperstein. The siblings truly are the most chaotic duo, however, they’re also the two of the funniest extra side characters the sitcom has to offer. Just don’t fall for it when they ask for “money please!”

Henry Winkler

After getting to know Jean-Ralphio and Mona Lisa, we meet their father, Lu Saperstein in Season 6. Played brilliantly by Henry Winkler, the patriarch of the Saperstein family is a successful doctor who is willing to go to any financial length to help his kids. 

Sam Elliott

In the later seasons of the show, we met the Eagleton Parks Department. Ironically, each member of that crew matched up with a member of the Parks and Rec cast, and when it came to picking someone to play Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson’s counterpart, they cast Sam Elliott as Ron Dunn. While they both have legendary mustaches and an appreciation for the outdoors, that’s where the similarities stop, and seeing Ron and Anti-Ron go head-to-head was hilarious. 

Joe Biden

Leslie loves her politicians and had a massive crush on then-Vice President Joe Biden. As an engagement gift, Ben decided to give her the perfect present and prove that he’s the ideal man, by coordinating a meet and greet between Leslie and Joe Biden.

Patton Oswalt

When Leslie tries to change Pawnee’s charter to get rid of some silly laws – like throwing a Ted into a lake – Garth Blundin makes his disapproval clear. Patton Oswalt plays the historian, and he challenges Amy Poehler’s character to a filibuster and a day of living like a colonial person. Ultimately, he and Leslie find common ground, and he joins forces with her to help preserve the laws…he also volunteers to get thrown in the lake.

Michelle Obama

As Leslie tries to figure out if she should take a job at the National Parks Department and leave Pawnee, Michelle Obama comes in to tell her about why she should take it. Let’s just say if I met the First Lady, I think I’d be just as star-struck as Leslie Knope. How could you not stumble over your words if you casually bumped into the First Lady of the United States?

Bo Burnham

Some of the funniest stand-up on Netflix comes from Bo Burnham, and in his special Make Happy, he sings a “Country Song” that pokes fun at the cliches in the genre and how some artists are masters at pandering to their audiences. On Parks and Rec, he worked with that idea as well by playing country singer Chipp McCapp who Leslie and Andy tried to hire for a performance at the Unity Concert. His songs like “Beautiful Like My Mom (Support the Troops)” were truly hilarious, and they complimented the stand-up comedian's sense of humor very well. 

John McCain

Parks and Rec knows how to do a political cameo, and one of the best ones came when Leslie didn’t even realize she’d just met John McCain in a coat closet. She was so distraught over interacting with #4 and #26 on Leslie’s list of amazing women, that she didn’t even notice she was speaking with the senator. 

Megan Mullally

You know chaos mode has been activated when Ron’s second ex-wife Tammy II enters the chat. She’s constantly trying to simultaneously take Ron down and get back together with her, and his efforts to avoid it are truly hilarious. However, what really makes this dynamic duo so hysterical and one of the best recurring inside jokes on Parks and Rec is the fact that Tammy II is played by Nick Offerman’s real-life wife Megan Mullally. 

Will Forte

Amy Poehler and Will Forte were both in some of SNL’s best casts, and it was such a treat to see them reunite on Parks and Rec. In his episode, Forte played Kelly, a man who really wants to get the Twilight books put in Pawnee’s town time capsule. When Leslie refuses and then agrees, it starts an outcry over what can and can’t go in the capsule via a chaotic town meeting. 

Jon Hamm

According to Leslie, Jon Hamm’s Ed is the “most incompetent person I’ve ever worked with.” He worked for our leading lady when she was at the National Parks Department, and he was swiftly fired by her not long after we met him. 

John Cena

In an epic episode of Andy’s show, the Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show, Burt Macklin, FBI, arrested John Cena – who was wearing so much of his own WWE merch – and took him to the dunk tank. Talk about a dream come true for Andy and viewers.

Keegan-Michael Key

There’s no question that all our hearts grew a few sizes when Donna married Keegan-Michael Key’s Joe. The comedian played the “Treat yo’ self’ queen’s boyfriend-turned-husband in Seasons 6 and 7, and it’s safe to say that we all adored this music teacher. 

Bradley Whitford

Considering Parks and Rec is a show about government and Rob Lowe is one of its stars, it made perfect sense for a West Wing cast member to pop into the sitcom. It was done perfectly too, because the team brought in Josh himself, as Bradley Whitford played Councilman Pillner, the man Leslie replaces on City Council and a model boat enthusiast. 

J.K. Simmons

Remember Ice Town? Well, Ben’s hometown of Partridge and J.K. Simmons’ Mayor Stice sure do. And that became clear as day when an episode of Parks went back to Adam Scott’s character’s hometown so he could get a key to the city, which ended up just being melted water in a box…because Ice Town. 

Patricia Clarkson

While Megan Mullally’s Tammy II is truly unhinged and chaotic, Tammy I is cold, calculated, and manipulative. She’s played by Patricia Clarkson, and she really adds to the hilarious chaos that is Ron Swanson’s love life. 

Andy Samberg

Back when Andy Samberg was still on Saturday Night Live and before he led his own sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he guest starred on Parks and Rec as the incredibly loud Park Ranger Carl. During Season 2, Leslie worked with Carl on a few issues of Parks security, and let's just say that she “might not be so confident, when [she has to] walk a mile in [Carl’s]  size sevens.” 

Rachel Dratch

In the final season of Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler’s Saturday Night Live co-star Rachel Dratch appeared as Roz Pinwheel, the nanny of Leslie and Ben’s triplets. While a small role, it was such a nice (and funny) nod to the two comedians' time together on the legendary sketch comedy show.

Nick Kroll

If you were looking to get humiliated on the radio look no further than "The Douche." This hilarious and terrible radio host was played by the mastermind behind one of the best animated shows, Big Mouth, Nick Kroll, and anytime he showed up to host a radio spot on the series, you knew something wild was about to go down.

Chelsea Peretti

While Leslie ran for City Council, April filled in for her one time, and during one of her seminars Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Chelsea Peretti showed up as one of the attendees, Zelda. Fun fact: before Peretti was part of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she actually wrote two episodes of Parks and Rec, which helps explain her lil cameo in the series. 

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell was quite literally the perfect person to play Leslie Knope’s Eagleton councilwoman counterpart, Ingrid de Forest. It turns out, Bell was born to thrive on a comedy like this, because after Parks and Rec, she went on to lead the cast of The Good Place, which was Michael Schur’s next show after Parks.  

Dax Shepard

When Tom decides to become Andy’s manager as he works on Johnny Karate, they have a run-in with Hank Muntak, a TV executive in Pawnee who is played by Dax Shepard. Before this guest spot, the actor had spent a lot of time on NBC as one of the stars of Parenthood, these days you can find him hosting his podcast Armchair Expert. 

Will Arnett

Before Leslie meets and falls in love with Ben, she goes on some wildly terrible dates, including one with MRI technician Chris. At the time, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett were actually married (they’re divorced now), making this blind date even funnier because they were a real-life couple too. 

Sean Hayes

Bobby Wood was Indianapolis’ best talk show host, and he was played by Sean Hayes. As television appearances tend to go for Leslie and co. her interview with him didn’t exactly go well, and both comedic actors were so funny in the moment. 

Fred Armisen

You can always count on Fred Armisen to play the wildest goofy guys, and he did exactly that on Parks and Recreation. In the episode “Sister City,” the SNL vet appeared as Raul Alejandro Bastilla Pedro de Veloso de Maldonado, the Venezuelan officer who came to represent his city on a trip to Pawnee. 

Tatiana Maslany

Tom Haverford’s love life was always a funny point of interest on Parks and Rec, especially because it was only brought up occasionally. For instance, in Season 6, he had a short-lived relationship with Tatiana Maslany’s Nadia Stasky, a doctor who eventually left Pawnee and moved to Rwanda.  

Parker Posey

Indie darling Parker Posey came on to Parks and Rec to play Lindsay Carlisle Shay. The character was Leslie’s counterpart from Eagleton, meaning she was the Deputy Parks Director in Pawnee’s fancy rival town. The twist here was that Lindsay was actually Leslie’s friend and went behind her back a long time ago to take the job in Eagleton. 

Jason Schwartzman

Jason Schwartzman’s role in Parks and Rec presented an interesting issue for Pawnee when he decided to turn his video rental store into an adult store. Watching Leslie flounder as she figured out how to help the character played by the Asteroid City star was so funny, and the character of Dennis was perfect for Schwartzman.  

Honestly, the guest stars from Parks and Rec are next level. From comedy geniuses to beloved dramatic actors, so many notable names took a quick trip to Pawnee, Indiana and I love that for them, this wonderful show and us. 

It isn’t that uncommon for a director to build a troupe of actors and continually call on them for the latest and greatest projects. Greats like Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Christopher Nolan have done it a lot over the years, working time and time again with the likes of Robert De Niro, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Cillian Murphy, respectively; and so too does Wes Anderson.

In addition to each of his movies featuring a unique sense of style and humor, as well as his signature shots, Anderson’s work has largely featured the same group of actors (though some get off the bus while others get on) taking on various roles. Names like Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson quickly come to mind when this discussion is brought up, but who’s appeared in the most movies directed by the quirky and eccentric filmmaker? Well, funny you should ask… 

Bill Murray - 9 Movies 

In a June 2023 interview with Deadline, Anderson said he “can’t imagine not working with” Bill Murray again, and that the only reason the actor wasn’t part of Asteroid City was because he contracted COVID ahead of production. But, even though he didn’t appear in the movie CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg called a “meta, Looney Tunes-esque delight,” he’s still the most prolific of all of Anderson’s collaborators.

In fact, since first working with the filmmaker for his 1998 sophomore effort, Rushmore, Murray has appeared in all of his movies, both live-action and animated, outside of the aforementioned Asteroid City. This comes to a total of nine films. He doesn’t always have the biggest role, but more times than not, he steals the show.

Jason Schwartzman - 8 Movies

Jason Schwartzman, in addition to being on one of the greatest HBO shows that ended too early, has also been one of Anderson’s most called upon stars, including for Asteroid City. Since first landing the starring role in Rushmore (his feature film debut), the former Phantom Planet drummer has appeared in all but two of the director’s movies: The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Schwarzman isn’t always the main attraction, but more times than not, he serves as a nice addition in films like The Grand Budapest Hotel and Moonrise Kingdom. And, when he’s not around, the actor’s absence can be felt.

Owen Wilson - 7 Movies

The partnership shared by Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson is unlike any other on this list, as the Loki star has not only acted in seven of the director’s movies, but also co-written several of them. They first collaborated on the 1994 short film, Bottle Rocket, which would be turned into their respective feature film debuts two years later. The future “Frat Pack” member would also receive writing credit for Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, though he didn’t act in the former (maybe his spot in the Armageddon cast got in the way).

Since then, the Texas native has been in every Anderson movie save for Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs, and Asteroid City. His roles have ranged from the lead in The Darjeeling Limited to small parts in the likes of The French Dispatch.

Adrien Brody - 5 Movies

Unlike the first three actors on this list, Adrien Brody didn’t start working with the director until his fifth movie, The Darjeeling Limited. But ever since appearing in the 2007 comedy about three estranged brothers who embark on a “spiritual journey,” the Academy Award-winning actor has appeared in five of Anderson’s movies, missing only two: Moonrise Kingdom and Isle of Dogs.

Some of Anderson’s best movies have featured Brody in roles ranging from minor parts like Mouse in Fantastic Mr. Fox to unforgettable characterizations in the likes of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and everywhere in between. 

Anjelica Huston - 5 Movies

Anjelica Huston, with her Oscar, Golden Globe, and collection of other accolades, is another prolific collaborator of Anderson’s. Since playing Etheline Tenenbaum in 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, the actress appeared in four additional movies, the most recent being The French Dispatch, which featured her as the narrator for the movie’s introduction.

It should also be noted that Huston does appear in the Isle of Dogs cast, even though she plays a character listed as “Mute Poodle,” as Anderson couldn’t find a proper speaking role for the talented actress. 

Bob Balaban - 5 Movies

Although he is best known for his appearances in Christohper Guest’s movies, Bob Balaban is also a frequent collaborator with Wes Anderson, appearing in a total of five movies over the years.

Ever since he provided the narration in Moonrise Kingdom, Balaban has had some kind of role in Anderson’s films, including the 2023 release of Asteroid City. He’s not the first actor you probably think of when discussing the filmmaker’s work, but Balaban is prolific nonetheless. 

Edward Norton - 5 Movies

Just like Balaban and the actress who follows just below, Edward Norton has appeared in all five of Wes Anderson’s most recent films dating back to Moonrise Kingdom. These appearances have been all over the place, with the talented actor playing every type of character from a boy scout leader in the 2012 coming-of-age comedy to an inspector from a fictional European country in The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Norton most recently appeared in Asteroid City, in which he played Conrad Earp, the legendary playwright who crafted the stage production at the heart of the movie. 

Tilda Swinton - 5 Movies

Including her portrayal of a tenacious and determined social services worker in Moonrise Kingdom, Tilda Swinton has had a sizable role in five of Anderson’s movies. The talented Academy Award-winning actress has helped bring to life some of the filmmaker’s most unforgettable characters during that stretch, including writer J.K.L. Berensen in the first of three main stories in the 2021 comedy film, The French Dispatch.

Swinton brings a fun and unique energy to each of her performances in his movies, which is probably why the director continues to call up on her as often as he does.

Willem Dafoe - 5 Movies

Willem Dafoe first worked with Wes Anderson in 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which just happens to be one of the actor’s best movies. Since he played Zissou’s deeply devoted first mate, Klaus Daimler, nearly 20 years ago, Dafoe has gone on to appear in four additional Anderson pics, the most recent being Asteroid City.

Though his characters have been all over the spectrum of good and evil, Dafoe has been consistently great in each of his portrayals, creating some hilarious, heartfelt, and unforgettable moments, even when he doesn’t get a lot of screen time.

Jeff Goldblum - 4 Movies

And then there is Jeff Goldblum, who has appeared in a total of four Anderson movies. The partnership started with 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and has continued sporadically over the years. 

The iconic actor most recently appeared in Asteroid City, but we won’t go into the identity of his character so that we don’t spoil anything for those who have yet to see the movie.

These are Wes Anderson’s most prolific collaborators, but there are many other actors who have appeared in his various releases for the past quarter-century or so. Luke WIlson (3), Tony Revolori (3), Liev Schreiber (3), Fisher Stevens (4), Frances McDormand (3), Jeffrey Wright (2), and countless others have worked with the director on more than one occasion. We can expect this list to change in time, especially with The Phoenician Scheme on the way.

It’s easy for something to go viral on TikTok if enough people are willing to give something a whirl. Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson were willing to slap each other with tortillas because of a TikTok challenge, and Kevin Bacon even sang the TikTok viral song “It’s Corn.” With a new Wes Anderson feature coming to theaters this summer, more people are catching onto this Oscar-winning director’s filmmaking style with a TikTok trend that’s got the cast of his new movie Asteroid City joining in. 

Every Wes Anderson movie seems to have specific visual trademarks. You may have noticed in classics like Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel, among others, that Anderson uses a soft color palette with his quirky characters, as well as uses deadpan humor to amuse us. There’s also the use of wide-angle tracking shots with Anderson using perfect symmetry to place his characters standing in a single file or in the middle of the shot alone. 

These are qualities unlike any other filmmaker that a ton of TikTokers have placed in their new videos, including the cast of Asteroid City, who have joined in on the fun with their own TikTok below.

As a huge Wes Anderson fan, you can imagine my reaction to watching Universal Pictures' video. Getting to see Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Jason Schwartzman and many others in Asteroid City’s incredible all-star cast doing Wes Anderson-y things totally made my day. They did a great job portraying many of the filmmaker's trademarks, like the signature deadpan movements, the symmetry placement of the cast and the close-up shots of objects they were holding. It's just pure bliss. 

And I’m not the only one blown away by The French Dispatch director’s style. Other TikTokers made videos of their own using Anderson’s signature moves for simple things like going on vacation, to the pool, or even to lunch! These creative videos are filled with comic book-styled opening text, Alexandre Desplat’s score and the type of shots you’d see in any Wes Anderson top-ranked movie. Seeing a trend like this warms my cinephile heart in knowing there are people out there who recognize this filmmaker’s original and distinct level of genius that continues to keep audiences entertained.

As we’re about to hit into the month of June, there are more things you should know about Asteroid City to get you even more pumped. Wes Anderson may be revisiting the period piece genre, but he’ll be exploring the science fiction genre for the first time while still keeping his well-known tropes. This upcoming film will be about young space cadets and out-of-towners coming together for a Junior Stargazing convention. Alexandre Desplat’s score music will also be heard, with this being his sixth collaboration with Anderson. 

Desplat has had a record of doing an amazing job of blending in with the tone of any project he takes on. With critics placing the movie at a current 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, this is a great sign we’re receiving yet another Anderson hit.

After watching the cast of Asteroid City come up with their own Wes Anderson-themed video, are you next to jump on the bandwagon? If you decide you want in on this, I’m sure your vision will be transformed with your whole world looking like it’s come out of a dollhouse setup and much brighter than usual. Asteroid City’s 2023 movie release will be coming to theaters on June 16th.

Every once in a while, there is a movie that truly changes a generation and brings us a cast that is the definition of star-studded. You can’t help but look back on it and wonder, “How were there so many stars in this movie?” Well, friends, I’m here to bring you back to a movie that released in 2010 that had exactly that – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. 

The film didn’t do so well at the box office, but ended up becoming a cult classic, so much so that it was announced in 2023 that there would be an anime adaptation of the popular graphic novel series, but using the exact same cast from the film. But, where is the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World cast now? And what are they doing? With a cast full of stars, this is what they’ve been up to – and what you can catch them in. 

And, let me just say here – every single one of these actors is going to be in the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. The World anime that is coming out, and reprising their roles, which is awesome.

Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim)

First up on the list is Michael Cera, who portrayed the titular character in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Cera has been in many movies and television shows since his big appearance in the adaptation, and you’ve most likely seen him somewhere. Besides continuing his main role Arrested Development, Cera also had parts in shows such as Burning Love, Drunk History, and Life and Beth. 

In terms of movies, he’s appeared in several comedies, including This Is The End, Magic Magic, The Lego Batman Movie, Sausage Party (which is getting a spinoff series) and more. Coming up, he’s going to be in Barbie, as well as a film called Dream Scenario.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ramona Flowers)

Next up, we have Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who portrayed Ramona Flowers. Winstead has had quite the career since her role in the cult classic. Some of her biggest movies thus far include 2011’s The Thing, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Spectacular Now, 10 Cloverfield Lane, All About Nina, Birds of Prey, and Kate, and coming up, she’s going to have a role in a new film called Moscow. 

She’s also had roles in television as well, including parts in The Returned, Brain Dead and Mercy Street. 

Kieran Culkin (Wallace Wells)

Kieran Culkin played Wallace Wells, and I’m pretty sure you’ve been hearing his name a lot lately, largely for his main role on the hit HBO show, Succession, for which he’s received critical acclaim. However, Culkin has done plenty more in movies and TV. 

With films, he’s been in Movie 43, Quitters, Infinity Baby and No Sudden Move, but on television, he also had a main role in Fargo in Season 4, as well as a big part in Go Fish. He also had a guest role in the hilarious Hulu comedy, Solar Opposites. Soon, he’s going to be in a new movie called A Real Pain. 

Chris Evans (Lucas Lee)

Chris Evans exploded onto the scene after his role as Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. While he was known for his appearances in teen comedies beforehand, after this film he took on the mantle of Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which he held onto for almost a decade.

Besides that, he’s also appeared in films such as the hit Knives Out, Snowpiercer, Lightyear, The Gray Man on Netflix, Gifted, 2023’s Ghosted and more. He was also one of the leads in the Apple TV+ series, Defending Jacob.

Coming up, he’s going to be in Red One alongside Dwayne Johnson, and Pain Hustlers.

Anna Kendrick (Stacey Pilgrim)

Another star who blew up after Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was Anna Kendrick, who plays Stacey Pilgrim. Kendrick received a lot of acclaim for her lead role in the Pitch Perfect movie franchise, but has also appeared in films such as the last of the Twilight movies, ParaNorman, End of Watch, Life After Beth, A Simple Favour alongside Blake Lively, Alice, Darling and more. She also has one of the lead roles in the Trolls movie franchise. 

Besides movies, Kendrick has also had plenty of time on television. Not only has she hosted SNL, but she was the main star of Season 1 of Love Life, an awesome HBO Max original show that you should really watch if given the chance. Soon, she’s going to be in the next Trolls movie, Trolls Band Together, and a new movie called The Dating Game. 

Brie Larson (Natalie V. "Envy" Adams)

See what I told you, when there’s just been star after star? Brie Larson played Envy Adams and continued to shine on with even bigger roles right after. She took on the part of Captain Marvel in the MCU, and is going to be playing her again in the upcoming film, The Marvels. 

Aside from that, Larson has appeared in movies such as 21 Jump Street, Don Jon, The Spectacular Now, The Gambler, The Glass Castle and Basmati Blues. She also had a recurring guest role on Community. Aside from that, she also had a starring role in Room, a film which won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. 

Coming up, she’s also going to be in Fast X, as well as an Apple TV+ series called Lessons in Chemistry.

Alison Pill (Kim Pine)

Moving on, Alison Pill played Kim Pine in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and she’s been in several films since her appearance in the cult classic. These include, but aren’t limited to, Midnight in Paris, Goon and its sequel, To Rome With Love, Zom, Hail, Caesar!, Miss Sloane, Vice, and All My Puny Sorrows. 

In terms of television, she’s had main roles in shows such as The Newsroom, The Family, Devs alongside Nick Offerman, Them on Amazon Prime, Hello Tomorrow!, and was in the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard. Coming up, Pill is going to be in a new movie called Eric Larau, so keep an eye out for that. 

Aubrey Plaza (Julie Powers)

Next up on the list, we have Aubrey Plaza, who played Julie Powers in the movie. The star blew up after the film thanks to her big role in the Parks and Recreation cast, but she’s also had big parts in movies and other television shows since then. 

Plaza’s main movies that she had done so far are 10 Years, the English dub of From Up on Poppy Hill, The End of Love, The To Do List, Monsters University, Addicted to Fresno, Dirty Grandma, Life After Beth, the reboot of Child’s Play, Happiest Season, Emily the Criminal on Netflix, Spin Me Round, and Safety Not Guaranteed, among others. 

The actress also had a voice role in the Nickelodeon show, The Legend of Korra, a role in Legion, and was a part of the Season 2 cast of The White Lotus. Coming up, she’ll be in Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Olga Dies Dreaming and a film called Megalopolis.

Brandon Routh (Todd Ingram)

Next up is Brandon Routh, who played Todd Ingram in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Some of the films he’s been in include Crooked Arrows, 400 Days, Lost in the Pacific, and Anastasia: Once Upon a Time. 

On television, Routh had a pretty prominent role in CW’s Arrowverse as The Atom, and appeared on many of the shows, but other than that, he also guest-starred in many other television series as well. Coming up, he’s going to be in the Magic: The Gathering television series, as well as a movie called The Redeemer. 

Jason Schwartzman (Gideon "G-Man" Graves)

Jason Schwartzman portrayed Gideon “G-Man” Graves in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and has truly made a name for himself after the film. He’s appeared in several Wes Anderson films, including The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch, and Isle of Dogs. Other than that, he’s appeared in movies such as Saving Mr. Banks, Moonrise Kingdom, Wine Country, Klaus, Sing 2, The Overnight and more. 

In television, he had a main role in Mozart in the Jungle, as well as leading Bored to Death and having a main part in Fargo Season 4. Coming up, he will also appear in Megalopolis, but will also be in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, both Spider-Verse sequels, and Asteroid City. 

Johnny Simmons ("Young" Neil Nordegraf)

Johnny Simmons played Neil Nordegraf, and has been in multiple movies and TV shows since his role in the cult classic. Movies include The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Whiplash, 21 Jump Street, The To Do List, The Late Bloomer, and more. In television, he appeared in the show Klondike, and had a main role in Girlboss. 

Mark Webber (Stephen Stills)

Moving on, we take a look at Mark Webber, who played Stephen Stills in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. In films, he’s been in movies such as The End of Love, Laggies, Uncanny, Green Room, Antibirth, Flesh and Blood, and Clover. He also had a guest role on the TV show SMILF, and appeared in The Gift of the Magi. He’s soon going to be in a movie called Trigger Warning. 

Mae Whitman (Roxanne "Roxy" Richter)

Mae Whitman played Roxanne Richter in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and has had quite the career since her role in the movie. She’s appeared in films such as The Perks of Being A Wallflower, The Duff, CHiPs, Freaks of Nature, and more, and also did voice roles for the Tinker Bell movie franchise and the English dub for The Wind Rises, a Hayao Miyazaki movie. 

In TV, she had a main role on Parenthood, a guest role on Drunk History, a leading part on Good Girls, and had a voice role on the underrated The Owl House. 

Ellen Wong (Knives Chau)

Ellen Wong played Knives Chau, and has since appeared in films such as Silent Knight, The Voice, The Circle, In The Life of Music, Best Sellers and more. She’s also had big roles in shows such as Combat Hospital, The Carrie Diaries, and a recurring role in GLOW on Netflix. 

Satya Bhabha (Matthew Patel)

Last but not least is Satya Bhabha, who played Matthew Patel in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. He’s appeared in movies such as Midnight’s Children, Change in the Air, The F**k-It List and more. He also had a recurring role on New Girl, as well as Sense8, and a part in the rebooted Gossip Girl. 

There are truly so many stars here and I for one can’t wait to hear all their wonderful voices again in the upcoming anime – and now I might just have some new movies and TV shows to watch or look forward to. It’s going to be a fun ride. 

This week Lionsgate finally unveiled the first trailer for The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes, and there’s a lot there to unpack. The first look at one of 2023’s highly-anticipated upcoming book adaptations had a number of callbacks to the original movie franchise, including the introduction of one character that has the internet hilariously realizing Stanley Tucci’s Caesar Flickerman has been a nepo baby all along. 

The trailer gave audiences a glimpse at The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes stacked cast, including Jason Schwartzman’s role as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, who hosted the Hunger Games decades before his relative Caesar did. Given the nepo baby discourse going viral as of late, fans are having a field day with this detail. Check it out: 

Across recent months, the internet has been obsessed with the idea that much of Hollywood is actually ridden with nepotism. It has led to discussion among celebrities responding with their own takes on being the children of big stars, including Hailey Bieber stepping out in a ‘Nepo Baby’ T-shirt and self-proclaimed ‘OG Nepo Baby’ Jamie Lee Curtis speaking out about what she considers hurtful discourse. Sure, The Hunger Games franchise is fiction, but the Flickerman storyline came at a perfect time for this connection to hit fans suddenly. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows the origin story of the tyrannical President Snow before he actually became Panem’s leader. In the prequel, Coriolanus Snow is a teenager (played by Tom Blyth), who becomes the mentor for a female District 12 tribute in the games Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) for the 10th Hunger Games. As the trailer introduces, Schwartzman’s Lucky Flickerman, an ancestor of Caesar Flickerman, was the prominent interviewer in an earlier era of the Hunger Games. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie is based on the 2020 prequel novel written by Suzanne Collins, who wrote the original Hunger Games trilogy as well. The new story explores the origins of the games that later have a direct effect on Katniss Everdeen’s Panem crumbling heroic journey. Among the new things we learn in the prequel, it just makes sense that Caesar Flickerman would be a nepo baby, as this Twitter user shared: 

Stanley Tucci’s role as Caesar Flickerman is one of the most memorable aspects of the original Hunger Games movies. When CinemaBlend spoke to Tucci about Jason Schwartzman’s casting back in December, he said he wished the actor the “best of luck” and gushed about playing the character, calling it one of the “most fun” roles he’s had in a movie. With this prequel on the way, social media is already recalling the original movies, especially in terms of Caesar’s awesome theme music. 

We do wonder if Lucky Flickerman will have the same theme music or not!

Overall, this nepo baby conversation is all in good fun, and with the resurgence of The Hunger Games, it's been entertaining to see the people of the internet connect this beloved franchise to some of the hot topics in Hollywood these days. 

Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is hitting theaters on November 17. 

Across the beloved Hunger Games movies, Stanley Tucci’s role as Panem’s blue-haired host Caesar Flickerman has gone down in history as a massive highlight of it all. When it comes to the franchise going forward (err… backwards) with the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a Flickerman is set to show up, but it will instead be an ancestor of Caesar played by Jason Schwartzman. What does The Hunger Games actor think of that? 

CinemaBlend recently spoke to Stanley Tucci ahead of the actor taking on the role of record producer Clive Davis in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody. When I asked the actor whether he and Schwartzman had connected on playing Flickermans, he said they had not, but had this to say about the casting: 

Jason Schwartzman’s role as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman was announced back in June ahead of The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes since filming and wrapping production. The character is a Panem weathercaster who becomes part of the 10th Hunger Games in the prequel when he is asked to host the interviews of the contestants, just as Caesar does decades later. As we’ll find, it looks like the profession runs in the family, yet Lucky has a pet parrot named Jubilee. 

The 2023 movie release is based on Suzanne Collins’ 2020 novel of the same name that follows President Snow as a teenager before he was the leader of Panem. Snow will be played by Tom Blyth and see the character mentor a tribute from District 12 named Lucy Gray Baird, played by West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler. Also among the Ballad of Songbird and Snakes cast is Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer, Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage and Viola Davis, who is playing the 10th Hunger Games’ Head Gamemaker. 

The movie is directed by Francis Lawrence, who previously helmed the three Hunger Games sequels. When Lawrence spoke to CinemaBlend about returning to the franchise, he teased that the prequel “feels very different and very fresh” in comparison to his experience on the prior films. Of course, the original Hunger Games movies also launched Jennifer Lawrence into mega fame a decade ago, which she also recently spoke to.  

Stanley Tucci may not be getting back into the blue wig for the next Hunger Games movie, but he plays a vital and emotional role in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, the upcoming biopic about “The Voice.” Tucci embodies Clive Davis, who was Houston’s record producer and partner in her career in a lot of ways. I Wanna Dance With Somebody hits theaters on December 23. 

When Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse came out in 2018, the world was shook by the stellar storytelling, groundbreaking animation and slew of unique characters. Now, nearly five years later we have finally gotten the aptly titled sequel: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and along with its incredible story and action, it also features a top-tier voice cast.

The movie has 240 unique characters in the background of the multiverse as Miles and his friends and family try to save it… again. The sequel will focus on Miles and his relationships with a few characters specifically. We’ll see the return of some fan favorites, as well as get to know some new and exciting characters. Here is a list of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's cast members.

Shameik Moore

Shameik Moore came back to play the Spider-verse saga's beloved main character, as confirmed by Across the Spider-Verse's first trailer. We met Miles Morales in Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse and watched as he evolved from a student into a Spider-Man, with the help of three Peter Parkers, Gwen Stacy, Spider-Ham, Peni Parker and his dad Jefferson. Miles fought off Kingpin and saved the world from falling into the multiverse.

While Moore is best known for his role in the Academy Award-winning animated movie, he also starred in the 2015 movie Dope. His other credits include Netflix originals like The Get Down series and the movie Let It Snow, as well as the series Wu-Tang: An American Saga.

Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee Steinfeld made her return to the Spider-Verse as Gwen Stacy in the upcoming sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, as confirmed in the trailer. Gwen, also known as Spider-Gwen, is not from Miles’ universe, but helped him fix his it in the first movie. 

Steinfeld has been extremely busy. Before the first Spider-Verse movie, she was known for her roles in True Grit, Pitch Perfect 2 and The Edge of Seventeen. Since the animated movie, she has been on a few popular series, including Arcane and Dickinson, which can be watched with a Netflix subscription and  Apple TV+ subscription, respectively. She also made her live-action MCU debut in the Disney+ series Hawkeye as Kate Bishop. 

Oscar Isaac

Making his first appearance in the post-credits scene of Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Oscar Isaac joined the franchise as Miguel O’Hara, also known as Spider-Man 2099. Isaac reprised his role as a version of Spider-Man from the future. He explained in an interview with ScreenRant that his character is hilarious because he has absolutely no sense of humor. 

From indie films to massive franchises, Isaac has done a little bit of everything. Earlier in his career, he was known for smaller, yet acclaimed hits like Ex Machina and Inside Llewyn Davis. He has also starred as Poe Dameron in the latest trilogy of Star Wars movies, played Duke Leto Atreides in Dune and donned a live-action cape to lead the cast of Marvel’s Disney+ series Moon Knight. 

Jake Johnson

Peter B. Parker came crashing (literally) into Miles’ life in the first movie. He became a grumbly and goofy mentor to Miles throughout the film, all while trying to deal with a personal life crisis of his own. Luckily, this isn’t the last we’ve seen of the slightly down-on-his-luck version of Peter Parker, because Jake Johnson confirmed his reprisal of the role. He explained that he hadn’t heard from the studio for a while, and he would have been “heartbroken” if he couldn’t be involved. Once he got the call he was ecstatic and said he couldn't wait to see what Peter B. Parker is up to in the web-slinging sequel.  

Johnson is best known for his role as Nick Miller on the Fox comedy New Girl. He has also starred in a lot of smaller movies, like Drinking Buddies, and Safety Not Guaranteed. Most recently, he starred in Minx, which can be watched with an HBO Max subscription. 

Jason Schwartzman

After the directors teased the villain of Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, it was later officially announced that this villain is The Spot, and he would be played by Jason Schwartzman. In the comics, The Spot started out as Dr. Jonathan Ohnn who worked for Wilson Fisk, also known as Kingpin. He gained his powers after the collider exploded in the first movie, and they allow him to travel between dimensions via portals. 

Jason Schwartzman is probably best known for his work with Wes Anderson. He has starred in Anderson’s films Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited and Moonrise Kingdom, and he also made a brief appearance in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Schwartzman has also appeared in Fargo Season 4, and he is set to play Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman in the film adaptation of The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.  

Brian Tyree Henry

Brian Tyree Henry plays Miles' dad Jefferson in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and he was confirmed by Variety to return for the sequel. Jefferson is a cop and he does not like Spider-Man. However, Miles saves his dad at the end of the movie, and it seems like Jefferson's view on the web-slinger may be changing. 

Brian Tyree Henry has been busy since his first go around as Jefferson. He has continued to star in the FX hit show Atlanta, which is currently in its final season. He also made his live-action MCU debut as Phastos in Eternals and starred in the action-comedy Bullet Train earlier this summer. 

Daniel Kaluuya

We found out via a toy release that Spider-Punk would make an appearance in the film, and then it was confirmed that Daniel Kaluuya would be voicing the rock 'n roll Spider-variant. 

Spider-Punk’s name is Hobie Brown, and in the comics, his signature weapon is his guitar. When the casting announcement was made, it was also revealed that Kaluuya's character would be  “a homeless teenager who becomes a hero to the oppressed citizens of New York in his dimensional universe," according to THR.

This will mark Kaluuya's second project in the world of Marvel, as he played W'Kabi in the 2018 hit Black Panther. He has also made a name for himself by way of Jordan Peele's movies Nope and Get Out, which he earned an Oscar nomination for. Speaking of the Academy Awards, the actor won one in 2021 for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah.  

Issa Rae

Issa Rae has entered the Spider-Verse as Jessica Drew in the upcoming sequel. Jessica Drew, also known as Spider-Woman, is a Spider-person who works for Miguel O'Hara and serves as a mentor for Gwen.

Issa Rae came to fame with her YouTube series Awkward Black Girl. She is best known for her work on the HBO show Insecure. She created the show, starred in it and both wrote and executive produced it. She has also appeared in A Black Lady Sketch Show, Lovebirds, and The Photograph. Currently she is an executive producer on Rap Sh!t. 

Luna Lauren Velez - Rio Morales

In Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, we didn’t see much of Miles’ mom, Rio. But Luna Lauren Velez told ComicBookMovie that her character will have a bigger role in the sequel, and she does. We see in the first movie that Rio is a nurse and loves her son dearly, and in the sequel we get a closer look at her relationship with her son and husband.

The actress voicing Rio, Luna Lauren Velez, is probably best known for her work on the Showtime hit Dexter, where she played Maria LaGuerta. She has also appeared in various shows like Oz, Ugly Betty and How to Get Away With Murder. 

Rachel Dratch - Principal

In the first movie, we see Miles transfer into the Brooklyn Visions Academy, which is a prestigious private school. While we meet a few of his teachers, we had yet to meet the principal. Rachel Dratch leads the high school in the sequel, which obviously led to some hilarious interactions between Miles and his principal. 

Rachel Dratch is best known for her time on Saturday Night Live and her characters like Debbie Downer. Since SNL, Dratch has been working consistently with supporting roles in Just Go With It, Click, and Spring Breakdown. Recently, she has appeared in Plan B and I Love My Dad, along with voice acting roles in Teen Titans Go! and Harley Quinn. 

Shea Whigham

When we met Gwen in the first movie, she was alone and not in her universe. In this movie, we got a closer look into her personal life, because Shea Whigham has been cast as her dad, George Stacy. The character is most frequently depicted as a captain of the New York City Police Department. 

Shea Whigham is probably best known for his work on two popular HBO shows, Perry Mason and Boardwalk Empire. He also appeared in the FX anthology series Fargo. Whigham has also shown up in multiple Fast & Furious movies, and he is set to appear in both parts of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning. 

 Jorma Taccone  

Announced at the same time as Schwartzman and Whigham, Jorma Taccone plays The Vulture in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The Vulture is an iconic Spider-Man villain, most recently shown on film when Michael Keaton played him in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The Vulture is the alias for Adrian Toomes who is a brilliant engineer. The character is a long-time and classic foe of the Web-Slinger and was one of the founding members of the Sinister Six. This version has been described as a Renaissance-inspired criminal with an Italian accent.

Taccone is likely best known as one-third of the comedy music group The Lonely Island, which also includes Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer. The movie Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping was written by the three dudes of The Lonely Island, and was directed by Schaffer and Taccone.

Andy Samberg

Announced on The Lonely Island's Instagram, it was revealed that Andy Samberg, another member of the comedic rap trio, joined the Spider-Verse. It's been confirmed by the movie's Twitter account that the actor plays Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider in the upcoming movie.

Both Samberg and Taccone worked with Phil Lord and Chris Miller on The LEGO Movie as they wrote the song "Everything is Awesome," so it's not all that surprising that they are both popping up in this Spider-Man movie. Aside from The Lonely Island, Andy Samberg is best known for his work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Saturday Night Live. 

Karan Soni

Pavitr Prabhakar has entered the Spider-Verse, and he is voiced by Karan Soni, per THR. This character is a new one in the world of Spider-Man movies, but he's been swinging around the comics for a while. 

You might recognize Soni from a small role he had in Deadpool as Dopinder the cab driver, where he assisted the merc with a mouth by driving him to battle. He's also appeared in other shows like Miracle Workers, and has done a lot of voice work on series like Big Mouth, Mira, Royal Detective and Trolls Holiday in Harmony. 

Amandla Stenberg

Amandla Stenberg was confirmed as Spider-Byte in a thread on Twitter about the cast of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Her character Margo created a spider-powered avatar so she could fight in cyberspace.

Stenberg broke onto the scene as Rue in The Hunger Games, and has gone on to star in movies like The Hate U Give and Bodies Bodies Bodies. Along with joining the Marvel world, she'll also be flying into the Star Wars universe in the upcoming series The Acolyte. 

This installment of the Spider-Verse franchise is just as epic as the first, and that's in part thanks to the stellar cast and some exciting new characters. While Across the Spider-Verse has been delayed a few times, it made a splash on the 2023 movie schedule, and now the wait has begun for Beyond The Spider-Verse. 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now available to buy and rent. 

Just following the first Hunger Games surpassing its 10-year anniversary, Lionsgate is getting ready to bring the popular YA franchise to the big screen with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The upcoming 2023 movie is an adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ 2020 prequel, which will follow President Snow at the age of 18, during the 10th Hunger Games and long before he was the tyrannical leader of Panem. As we anticipate the release of the under-wraps production, let’s get into the stacked cast involved. 

The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes will be directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed all three Hunger Games sequels (Gary Ross was the director of the original film). The script based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling book was written by Catching Fire’s Michael Arndt and 2015’s Macbeth writer Michael Lesslie. Here’s the official cast list so far: 

Tom Blyth 

Leading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes cast is British actor Tom Blyth as an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow. In the prequel, he’ll serve as a mentor in the 10th annual Hunger Games, by assignment to District 12 tribute, Lucy Gray Baird. Blyth is a relatively new actor, but he's starred as the titular character in EPIX’s series Billy The Kid, along with recently guest starring in The Gilded Age and Benediction.

Rachel Zegler

Rachel Zegler is playing Lucy Gray Baird, the lead tribute in the Hunger Games movie, and she’s much different than Katniss Everdeen. Lucy is a more extroverted tribute who uses her gift of song to dazzle the Capitol during the games, mentored by Snow. Zegler recently debuted in Hollywood in a big way with Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story as Maria. The actress is set to star in a number of high-profile projects in the near future, including Shazam! Fury of the Gods and as Disney’s live-action Snow White. 

Hunter Schafer 

Euphoria star Hunter Schafer will also star in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as Tigris, who was previously a character in the Mockingjay book and film. In the book, Tigris is revealed early on to be Snow’s cousin, and she's a close confidant to him throughout the prequel storyline. In the book, Tigris is 21 with aspirations for fashion design, which as we know will lead to her becoming a designer in the games like Cinna was to Katniss. Schafer plays Jules on Euphoria, who is a love interest to Zendaya’s Rue and a central character to the HBO show. 

Peter Dinklage

Game of Thrones fan-favorite Peter Dinklage will star in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as Casca Highbottom, the dean of the academy to which Snow attends and has set up the Hunger Games mentorship he becomes part of. He is also the unintentional creator of the Hunger Games and public face of the event. 

Viola Davis

Academy Award winning actress Viola Davis will play the movie's Head Gamemaker of the 10th Hunger Games, Volumnia Gaul. Upon the announcement, Lionsgate's motion picture group president Nathan Kahane said her presence will add "layers of complexity and menace" to the upcoming movie. 

Jason Schwartzman

Jason Schwartzman has been revealed to be playing Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman in the Hunger Games prequel, who is an ancestor to Stanley Tucci’s Caesar Flickerman, the host of the Hunger Games later on. In the book, Lucky is a weathercaster who hosts the 10th Hunger Games interviews. Schwartzman is well known for frequently starring in Wes Anderson movies like Rushmore and The Grand Budapest Hotel, but he’s also recently been in the Fargo series and played a memorable role in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. 

Josh Andrés Rivera 

Another 2021 West Side Story alum is part of the Songbirds and Snakes cast: Josh Andrés Rivera, who played Chino in the musical adaptation. Rivera will play Sejanus Plinth, who is a Capitol citizen formerly of District 2, a close friend of Coriolanus Snow and mentor to the District 2 tribute in the Games. West Side Story was Rivera’s debut role, but the actor is also expected to star in an upcoming movie called Cat Person with CODA’s Emilia Jones and Succession’s Nicholas Braun. 

Ashley Liao 

Another close friend to Snow is Ashley Liao’s Clemensia Dovecote, who is a mentor to the male tribute from District 11, Reaper Ash. Liao may be familiar to you from her work in Fuller House as Lola Wong, Disney+’s Secret Society of Second-Born Royals as Princess Eleanor and Apple TV+’s Physical as Simone. 

Laurel Marsden 

Laurel Marsden is a fresh face, you may recognize if you’ve been following the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, where she plays Zoe Zimmer, an especially popular girl at Kamala’s high school. In The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes, Marsden will play Mayfair Lipp, the daughter of the District 12 mayor, who has a major hand in Lucy becoming a tribute at the 10th Hunger Games. 

Zoe Renee

Speaking of District 12, Zoe Renee, who starred in 2018 film festival darling Jinn, will play Lysistrata Vickers, a mentor to the other District 12 tribute in the 10th annual Hunger Games. Lysistrata is a resident of the Capitol and mentors Jessup Diggs, one of the few mentors to develop a positive relationship with her tribute. 

Nick Benson

New actor Nick Benson will play the other District 12 tribute, Jessup Diggs. Prior to being chosen to be in the Hunger Games, Jessup is employed in the mines and is an ally to Lucy Gray Baird as they enter the games. Benson will appear in Netflix series Boo, Bitch and filmed a role in Disney+’s Big Shot.

Aamer Husain 

Lionsgate casted another newcomer in Aamer Husain, who will play Felix Ravinstill, the other District 11 mentor, to female tribute Dill. Felix is also the great-nephew of President Ravinstill, who is the leader of Panem during the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Aamer Husain’s only credit thus far is in a single episode of Canadian police drama Hudson & Rex. 

Luna Steeples 

New actress Luna Steeples will play Felix’s tribute, Dill, who hails from District 11. The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes is only Steeples second credit, previously appearing in one episode of 2017 series Overdue. 

Dimitri Abold

Dimitri Abold will play Reaper, the male tribute from District 11 with the mentor Clemensia Dovecote. Abold, who was previously in Netflix's Warrior Nun, and is set to star in an episode of Jack Ryan alongside this exciting role. 

Lilly Cooper 

Playing one mentor to a tribute from District 10, Arachne Crane, is another rather new actress named Lilly Cooper. Cooper has so far only appeared in two episodes of The Witcher as Murta. In the upcoming movie, she’ll mentor a tribute named Brandy. It’s also worth noting that she has the same last name and is likely related to Seneca Crane, who was the head gamemaker during the 74th Hunger Games, where Katniss and Peeta were tributes. 

Luna Kuse

Luna Kuse will play Brandy, the female tribute from District 10, who is mentored by Arachne Crane. Brandy has spent much of her life butchering hogs, for her district's main industry of livestock. We'll have to see how the character plays into the 10th Hunger Games in the movie. 

Kaitlyn Akinpelumi 

Kaitlyn Akinpelumi will play District 10 mentor Domita Whimsiwick, who is assigned to male tribute Tanner. She is a 'dairy heiress’ in the book, giving her extensive knowledge on livestock and proves helpful in the games. Akinpelumi is a British actress who will soon be seen in Netflix’s fantasy film The School Of Good and Evil alongside Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington amongst a massive cast. She previously found her debut film role in rom-com How To Talk To Girls At Parties alongside Elle Fanning. 

Kjell Brutscheidt 

German actor Brutscheidt will play Tanner, the male tribute from District 10 who is mentored by Domitia Whimsiwick. In the 10th Hunger Games, he quickly becomes a Panem favorite to win and forms alliances in the arena. 

Knox Gibson 

Playing one of District 8’s tributes Bobbin, is Knox Gibson, who is a new actor that has only starred in Netflix dramatic 2022 short, Forgive Us Our Trespasses. Bobbin becomes memorable in the 10th Hunger Games for explaining five different ways to kill someone with a sewing needle during his interviews. So yeah, expect intensity from this tribute. 

Sofia Sanchez 

District 8’s female tribute in the 10th Hunger Games will be played by Sofia Sanchez, who had a video called “Down Syndrome is Not Scary” go viral, along with having her adoption story inspire two children’s books “You Are Enough” and “You Are Loved.” Sanchez plays Wovey, who is mentored by Hilarius Heavensbee, relative to Plutarch Heavensbee.

Ayomide Adegun 

Ayomide Adegun will play Pliny “Pup” Harrington, another mentor, this time for District 7. Pup is assigned to a tribute named Lamina. In the book, Pup is the son of a naval commander, but unlike his father, proves to be a slob who also doesn’t really prepare his tribute. Adegun has yet to debut a role ahead of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but along with this role, he’ll play a young Charon (played by Lance Reddick) in John Wick spinoff series The Continental. 

Irene Boehm

Playing female District 7 tribute, Lamina, is German actress Irene Boehm. The character's mentor is Pliny Harrington, but is quickly perceived as one of the weaker tributes in the Hunger Games. 

Amélie Hoeferle

Amélie Hoeferle will play Vipsania Sickle, a mentor to a male District 7 tribute named Treech in the 10th Hunger Games. Vipsania has an aunt at the Capitol’s academy, Agrippina Sickle, who is a professor and is described as inheriting her thirst for competition. Hoeferle is also a new actress who has yet to play a movie or television role; however, she has starred in a few shorts. 

Hiroke Berrecloth 

Hiroke Berrecloth will play Vipsania’s tribute from District 7, Treech, who becomes a rather formidable opponent to Lucy throughout the games. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is Berrecloth’s first major acting credit. 

Max Raphael

Max Raphael, who has found roles in Disney+’s Black Beauty, School’s Out Forever and Slaughterhouse Rulez will play Festus Creed, a mentor to District 4’s Coral. In the book, Festus is a longtime school mate of Snow and he came from old Capitol money. 

Mackenzie Lansing

Playing Festus’ District 4 tribute Coral is Mackenzie Lansing, who recently played Brianna Delrasso in HBO hit series Mare of Easttown. Coral becomes one of the strongest tributes in the 10th Hunger Games, demonstrating apt abilities with a trident and forming alliances with a couple other tributes. 

Athena Strates

Athena Strates will play Persephone Price, mentor to District 4’s Mizzen in the 10th Hunger Games. In the book, Snow and Tigris witnesses her father Nero Price cutting off the leg of a maid to cannibalize, making his daughter someone Snow was keen to avoid. 

Cooper Dillon

Cooper Dillon will play Mizzen, the male tribute from District 4 who is mentored by Persephone Price. Mizzen is one of the central tributes Lucy and the other tributes need to be careful of throughout the Hunger Games. 

Jerome Lance 

Sejanus Plinth’s tribute hailing from District 2 is Marcus, set to be played by Jerome Lance. Marcus has a contentious relationship with his mentor, because Sejanus used to live in his district before moving to the Capitol. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is Lance’s first Hollywood acting credit. 

We'll keep this cast list updated as we learn more about the next Hunger Games movie. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes hits theaters on November 17, 2023. 

In 2018, the Spider-Man property made its animated feature-length debut with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which chronicled Miles Morales’ origin and saw the young hero teaming up with Spider-themed heroes from other universes. We’ll reunite with this version of Miles and other familiar faces next year in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and almost two months after the movie’s first 15 minutes screened at CinemaCon, some big news concerning the sequel has trickled in, including confirmation of who the main villain will be.

As had been rumored back in February 2021, The Spot will indeed antagonize Miles Morales and his allies, both old and new, in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Jason Schwartzman is voicing the character, and you can see how he’ll look in the upcoming movie below.

Debuting in 1984’s Spectacular Spider-Man #97, Marvel Comics’ original version of The Spot was originally Dr. Jonathan Ohnn, a scientist working for Wilson Fisk. a.k.a. The Kingpin, who was attempting to replicate the powers of the superhero known as Cloak. Ohnn succeeded in creating a portal and stepped through it to find himself in a different dimension, nicknamed Spotworld, and surrounded by other portals. When he made it back to Earth, Ohnn was transformed into The Spot and gained the ability to travel across distances by conjuring these portals to Spotworld. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be The Spot’s third appearance outside of the comics, having previously appeared in two animated Spider-Man shows.

The above look at The Spot in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was shown off during Sony Pictures Animation’s presentation at the Annecy international Animation Film Festival. It was also revealed that the portals covering the body of Jason Schwartzman’s Spot were made to feel like “living ink,” and instead of these portals just letting him travel across distances, they let him transport himself, people and objects at will across other realities. He’s described as Miles Morales’ “most formidable foe yet” in Across the Spider-Verse, which is packed with 240 characters.

But The Spot won’t be the only familiar Spider-Man antagonist showing up in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. We’ll also meet an “anachronistic” version of The Vulture voiced by The Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone, while on the side of good, Boardwalk Empire alum Shea Whigham has been brought in to voice “by the books cop” George Stacy, father of Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy, a.k.a. her Earth’s Spider-Woman. These two popped up in an Across the Spider-Verse clip showing George responding to a disturbance at the Guggenheim Museum in his world. This clip also showed off Issa Rae’s Jessica Drew (a different Spider-Woman) and Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara, a.k.a. Spider-Man 2099, who we met in Into the Spider-Verse’s end-credits scene. Regarding Miguel, he wasn’t bitten by a radioactive arachnid like many of his Spider-cohorts, and thus doesn’t have a Spider-sense, but he makes up for that with his own prowess advanced technology.

As for Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will see the main protagonist trying to balance his superhero life with his schoolwork and being a good son to his parents. The Spot’s emergence will only make his life more stressful, and we’ll see what craziness unfolds when Across the Spider-Verse spins its web in theaters on June 2, 2023. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will follow on March 29, 2024.

Spoilers for Fargo’s latest episode – “The Birthplace of Civilization” – lie ahead.

The fourth season of Fargo is moving right along, as viewers continue to get caught up in the brewing war between rival crime syndicate families led by Chris Rock’s Loy Cannon and Jason Schwartzman’s Josto Fadda. But in the midst of the crime and bloodshed, there’s also the story of Ethelrida Smutny, an intelligent and progressive teenage girl who finds herself dealing with adult problems as she navigates the primitive world of 1950s Kansas City. “The Birthplace of Civilization” gave her some big choices to make, and up-and-comer E’myri Crutchfield had some keen thoughts on her character’s journey, what she learned from scene partner Timothy Olyphant and how things could play out for Ethelrida and Oraetta.

Ethelrida is a young woman who’s very ahead her time and not afraid to speak her mind, two things that E’myri Crutchfield savors. In this latest episode, the teen was put to the test when Timothy Olyphant’s Dick "Deafy" Wickware confronted her at school about her wayward aunt’s whereabouts. It was an intense scene, to say the least and, when I spoke to Crutchfield about it, she told me she definitely felt the tension while filming it:

Luckily, Crutchfield found comfort in the fact that the Fargo crew did its best to keep the atmosphere on set as calming as possible to balance out the intensity of the scene. Plus, the scene itself serves as one of the episode’s best (and most important) moments. And not only was the actress able to act alongside Timothy Olyphant, but she also learned a thing or two from the seasoned performer:

Of course, Deafy is only one of the many eccentric characters that Crutchfield’s Ethelrida crosses paths with this season. There’s also her neighbor, the seemingly friendly Oraetta Mayflower – a nurse from Minnesota who, for years, has offed many of her patients. In the previous episode, Ethelrida discovered this secret and is now planning to report her. But now that the teen has this knowledge, Crutchfield says things only get more complex from here:

Things are certainly going to heat up between the two, especially since Ethelrida left her journal in Mayflower’s closet. But off screen, Crutchfield thoroughly enjoyed working with Jesse Buckley, who plays Oraetta. She finds it both “motivating” and “inspiring” to watch Buckley add small, crucial details to her character.

Ethelrida is always one to do the right thing, as evidenced by her efforts to report Mayflower, but that same moral compass also forced her to out her aunt Zelmare and her outlaw partner, Swannee, to Deafy. This all comes after the two women schooled Ethelrida about the different kinds of people in society – those who do and don’t follow the rules. Luckily, E’myri Crutchfield says viewers shouldn’t worry about Ethelrida being too discouraged by her decision:

As someone who’s rooting for Ethelrida to succeed, it’s great to hear that this incident won’t cause her to doubt her morals moving forward. And with the different pieces being put in place right now, it would seem that she’s going to need it more than ever as the season progresses.

Fargo airs on Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

What comes to mind when you think of a Wes Anderson film? If you said pastels, a twinkly musical score and one hell of a cast, then you’re absolutely correct in your beliefs. Should anyone question your Anderson acumen, then you have plenty of evidence to provide to back up your valid hypothesis, especially when the trailer for The French Dispatch features such stars as Timothee Chalamet and Bill Murray in its full cast list.

As luck would have it, we have that cast list provided below, which shows off the pretty extensive lineup that Anderson has assembled for The French Dispatch.

Before we dive into a deeper breakdown of the cast, it’s particularly notable that we have a classic Wes Anderson narrator at large in The French Dispatch. Anjelica Huston, a long time Anderson player, is the omniscient voice that will bring the entire package to live. And here are the players she’ll be commentating on throughout the film:

The Staff Of The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun

Bill Murray

One of the many veterans of the Wes Anderson Repertory Company is none other than comedy legend Bill Murray! In their latest collaboration, Murray will be playing the role of Arthur Howitzer Jr, the editor of The French Dispatch that ties the universe together. So basically, Murray is almost playing the exact same role he provides to the world at large.

Owen Wilson

Also rejoining the ranks of Wes Anderson’s frequent flyer club is Owen Wilson, someone who’s been in almost all of the director’s films. Herbsaint Sazerac is Wilson’s new character, a writer on staff at The French Dispatch who can be counted on for witty conversation and bicycle repair prowess, as well as sterling copy.

Jason Schwartzman

How could a Wes Anderson movie not have Jason Schwartzman attached, even in the slightest capacity? Another longtime friend and employee in the Anderson orbit, Schwartzman’s Hermes Jones looks to be the cover artist for The French Dispatch. Here’s hoping his quips are as crazy as his hair.

Elisabeth Moss

Rounding out the staff members of The French Dispatch who are displayed outside of individual vignettes is Elisabeth Moss, a newcomer to the wild and crazy world of Wes Anderson’s work. We don’t know her character's name yet, but it looks like Moss’ dry and wry sensibilities from Mad Men will make this follow-up to her work on The Invisible Man a nice change of comedic pace.

We’ll now move onto the three stories that The French Dispatch tells at the heart of its very last issue in print. With each story is a journalist from the staff at its heart, recalling events from various time periods and moments of turmoil in this film’s thematic structure.

Story 1: The Concrete Masterpiece, By J.K.L. Bernesen

Tilda Swinton

Providing the lecture that details the story within “The Concrete Masterpiece” is The French Dispatch’s journalist J.K.L. Bernesen. Artistically inclined, and ever fashionable, Berensen is brought to life by the impeccable Tilda Swinton. Her track record in the Wes Anderson Repertory Company stretches back to 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom, and has endured ever since.

Benicio Del Toro

Another first timer comes to the fold in The French Dispatch, as Moses Rosenthaler, the artist at the heart of “The Concrete Masterpiece” is played by Benicio Del Toro. Just watching his banter with co-star Adrian Brody is enough to convince even the most casual observer that Del Toro clearly belongs in this motley crew of acting talent.

Lea Seydoux

The muse for Rosenthaler’s work, and subject of a painting that’s of particular importance to The French Dispatch, is the alluring and mysterious Simone. Seen as both muse and prison guard, this part is played by Spectre’s Léa Seydoux. No stranger to Wes Anderson’s work, Seydoux previously worked with the director on 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Adrien Brody

Seeking to purchase Moses Rosenthaler’s un-buyable “Simone, Naked, Cell Block J, Hobby Room (oil on sackcloth)” is the persistent art dealer, Julien Cadazio. As previously mentioned, this bickersome character is played by Adrien Brody, best known for his roles in Anderson’s previous films The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Bob Balaban and Henry Winkler

In order to aid his art savvy empire, Julien Cadazio has the help of two ‘business-partner uncles’ at his disposal in The French Dispatch. Playing one of those two uncles is comedic stalwart Bob Balaban, who, much like Tilda Swinton, has been an Anderson disciple since Moonrise Kingdom. The other Cadazio uncle is the big surprise though, as the legendary Henry Winkler is playing him, making his debut in the Wes Anderson three ring circus!

Story 2: Revisions To A Manifesto, By Lucinda Krementz

Frances McDormand

Story 2 of The French Dispatch, Lucinda Krementz’s “Revisions To A Manifesto,” focuses on two crazy kids who happen to be in love during a tumultuous student revolution. The journalist telling this story is played by Frances McDormand, last heard bringing the news to the Wes Anderson created world of Isle of Dogs.

Timothee Chalamet

It was only a matter of time before Timothee Chalamet and Wes Anderson crossed paths. Nature basically dictated it, and it’s only fair that Chalamet be the one to play Zeffirelli, a revolutionary student in The French Dispatch. Looking like a prodigious chess player to boot, this young man could put that knowledge to political usage as well.

Lyna Khoudri

Making her major motion picture debut with The French Dispatch is actor Lyna Khoudri. Playing Juliette, the girlfriend to Timothee Chalamet’s Zeffirelli, their pairing was destined based on their character names. With a motor scooter and a bad attitude, her fire matches that of her fellow activist and boyfriend.

Story 3: The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright

Jeffrey Wright

Our final story in The French Dispatch's catalog of whimsy is entitled "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright." Wright, played by Westworld and No Time To Die actor Jeffrey Wright, is the resident food journalist at the film's titular magazine. Reporting on something called "Police Cuisine," he becomes embroiled in a story that looks like it leads to a hostage standoff, and a lot of symmetrical gunfire.

Liev Schreiber

Part of Roebuck Wright's story looks to be told through his appearance on a TV show of some sort. Cast as the presenter of that show is Isle Of Dogs voice actor Liev Schreiber, making this his second Wes Anderson film. We don't know his character's name yet, but The French Dispatch looks like it's going to make the most of pairing Schreiber with Jeffrey Wright.

Willem Dafoe

While not all of the star studded cast members of The French Dispatch may play larger than life characters, it's nice to see Wes Anderson continue to reward previous collaborators with spots in the lineup. Willem Dafoe is one such fixture in this cast, as his prisoner character doesn't have a name yet, and is only seen briefly in the film's trailer. A sporadic presence in Anderson's universe, Dafoe was most notably present in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou, but also in the casts for Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Mathieu Amalric

Cast as "a policeman with a kidnapped son,” Mathieu Amalric won't just be enjoying food alongside Jeffrey Wright's Roebuck Wright. As this third story centers around said kidnapping, Amalric's policeman will undoubtedly be excusing himself from dinner a little earlier than expected. This marks the actor's second Wes Anderson film, as The Grand Budapest Hotel was Mathiew Amalric's appearance in an Anderson picture.

Edward Norton

The voice on the other end of that phone Mathieu Amalric is holding was quite recognizable upon the first viewing of The French Dispatch's trailer. Edward Norton has one of those distinct vocal ranges that automatically pegs him in any film he shows up in, and as the kidnapper behind the insidious plot of "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright," he's even easy to spot in a group of dissidents firing at will upon authorities. And before you ask, yes, Norton is another cast member that's been a part of the Wes Anderson Repertory Company since Moonrise Kingdom.

Saoirse Ronan

Rounding out the cast of characters partaking in the kidnapping of a policeman's son is a rather mysterious woman. So mysterious, we don't know her character's name. However, we do know that she's played by Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan, who was previously spotted in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. With The French Dispatch, Ronan looks to be playing against type, as a figure on the side of evil.

Stephen Park

Last, but not least is Stephen Park's Lieutenant Nescafier, the chef behind the gorgeous meal that "The Private Dining Room Of The Police Commissioner, By Roebuck Wright" looks to be serving. But Park's character also happens to be listed as solving a kidnapping in The French Dispatch. Which is pretty handy, considering how fast things shift from a table of smiling guests gushing over cuisine to exchanging bullets and phone calls.

The French Dispatch has a huge cast, three stories and a boatload of ambition to potentially become the next, best Wes Anderson film. We'll see if it pays off when the film opens in theaters on July 25. Though should that release date be delayed, due to the ever shifting release calendar affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we'll report such an update as it occurs.

Wes Anderson continues to put out quirky and colorful award-winning films every couple years, but for Whoopi Goldberg, there’s a certain aspect of color that is blatantly missing from his films. The Oscar-winning actress hosted regular Wes Anderson film star Jason Schwartzman on her talk show The View, and kindly asked the actor to pass along her resume to Anderson after noticing that his films do not have "a lot of folks of colour".

This certainly is not the first time Anderson has been criticized for his lack of diversity in films. He is known for using the same actors over and over again, and even as Goldberg pointed out, Jason Schwartzman has been a primary figure in almost all of his films from Grand Budapest Hotel to Moonrise Kingdom to Rushmore. As the interview on The View started, Goldberg jumped right to her point, explaining that she loves all the Wes Anderson movies, but she does see one gleaming problem. She said:

While Goldberg didn’t act angry or upset, she certainly meant what she said. And really wants to be in an Anderson film. We can see it. And from her resume, she is certainly more than qualified. The 59-year-old not only holds an Oscar, but is one over very few to hold the big four— an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. And she wants the part so badly that she even went as far as to joke that full-frontal nudity is an option, if that’s what it takes. Here you can take a look at the entire interaction between The View crew and guests Jason Schwartzman and Adam Scott.

Schwartzman and Scott were both a bit flabbergasted. Schwartzman went on to share his own praise for the actress, and thank her for her contributions to the industry. Scott was just surprised at the entire situation asking, "Can’t you just hold your Oscar up and get anything you want?" To which Goldberg responded, "I wish that were the case!"

Goldberg has every right to call out Anderson. When I think back at his films, the only black actor I can recall is Danny Glover in The Royal Tenenbaums, and that was back in the early 2000s. Anderson is now at 8 feature length films since Bottle Rocket came out in 1996. That’s not a ton, but it’s enough that we should be seeing a bit more diversity in them. Not to say I don’t enjoy the recurrence of Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and more, but the addition of more talented actors/actresses, no matter the diversity, is certainly welcomed in our book.

In a year where Magic Mike XXL is set to expose audiences to extremely high levels of beefcake and speedos, any actor engaging in a nude scene is probably going to be nervous about themselves being compared to Channing Tatum and his hunky co-stars. Jason Schwartzman has them beat though, as not only was he nervous about being nude before The Overnight even started filming, but with the help of some creative prosthetic, he'll be packing more heat than Mike or any of his friends can summon with their magic.

Buzzfeed delved into the issue of Schwartzman's insecurities over filming his part in Patrick Brice's festival scene darling, which came after reading the film's script. Apparently, The Overnight features a lot of nudity for Jason Schwartzman's Kurt to engage in, as well as some scripted reactions to Kurt's manhood. Surprisingly, the nudity wasn't what had Schwartzman worried, it was his character's prolific anatomy.

Enter what Jason Schwartzman calls, "the TempurPenis," a memory foam appliance that Schwartzman would wear on set to simulate the largess of Kurt's member in the script's exact dimensions. Sounding very similar to the piece worn by Mark Wahlberg in his break out role for P.T. Anderson's Boogie Nights, the TempurPenis got its name from the following anecdote Schwartzman shared about his time on the set:

While that might be great for making one's penis look mightier, it's not very flexible when it comes to water. Considering there were extensive scenes shot in his character's swimming pool, Schwartzman was pressing his luck when submerging the materials of the prosthetic in the water. At the end of the day, the job got done and The Overnight will have plenty of fake Schwartzman wang for all of the world to see. Wet, dry or compressed. Judging by the Red Band Trailer shared below, we're actually surprised that, out of all of the bawdy bits shared in its contents, there isn't one mention of Schwartzman's schwanz.

What's not surprising is our own Gregory Wakeman calling The Overnight, "2015's most shocking comedy." Which makes us wonder just how Magic Mike XXL will measure up to The Overnight in terms of audience shock value. There's no doubt that Channing Tatum and his hard bodied compatriots will undoubtedly have women swooning in the aisles, but when it comes to genuine surprise and gasping audiences, we have a feeling that Jason Schwartzman is just a windmill away from dropping the mic.

The Overnight makes it move on June 19 in limited theaters.

Hollywood is still petrified of male nudity. While it can sometimes appear as though actresses are encouraged to depart with their attire at every possible opportunity to prove just how brave they are, even the hint of a penis is discouraged as lewd and offensive.

The fact that this issue is still prevalent in 2015 is a tad ridiculous, and so it’s to The Overnight’s eternal credit that it approaches it head on in a bold and open fashion. But to simply focus on this aspect of The Overnight would be doing the film an injustice. Patrick Brice’s outrageous comedy is shocking for tackling such a "sensitive" subject in a ballsy (pun definitely intended) manner. But it also unfolds in an unpredictable fashion that manages to be a tad disorientating while also keeping you glued to your seat.

Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling’s Alex and Emily have just moved to Los Angeles from Seattle with their infant son RJ because of her work. Unfortunately, the pair are struggling to make any new friends in this strange and sun-drenched land where they’re already beginning to feel like outsiders. However, RJ soon comes to the rescue during an afternoon trip to the park where he becomes instant pals with Max.

Max’s father, Kurt (Jason Schwartzman), soon probes the couple about their situation, and then organizes a play-date later that evening where the kids can solidify their relationship and he can introduce the pair to his wife, Charlotte (Judith Godreche). But after the kids fall asleep, the couples soon partake in their own play date as Alex and Emily find themselves being shown borderline pornographic videos and paintings before an impromptu skinny-dipping session allows everyone to open up in a whole new light.

Much like last year’s Force Majeure or Lynn Shelton’s Humpday, The Overnight is a slow-burning comedy that allows its awkward situations and over-the-top characters to evolve into relatable ones. At first, each of them are unlikable in their own unique ways: Kurt is overly pretentious; both Alex and Emily are prudish and desperate; while Charlotte seems vapid. But the brute force of the performances keep you invested, and once The Overnight’s characters become scantily clad it ventures into a unique territory that immediately sets it apart from its peers.

In fact, The Overnight truly kicks into gear when it’s revealed during their nude swimming activities that Kurt is extremely well endowed, which in turn makes Alex extremely uncomfortable because of his own shortcomings. But the pair’s openness soon provokes their wives to reveal their own insecurities that have become a burden in their relationships, and because of this the film ventures into a delightfully surreal coming-of-age tale.

The Overnight's main positive is that it’s perfectly cast - Schwartzman in particular hasn’t been this funny since Rushmore while Schilling and Scott emanate an everyman warmth that keeps things grounded - and even though it’s not quite as funny as it thinks it is, the film subtly builds in a free-spirited fashion that makes it wholly compelling. The actor’s exploits, especially when coupled with Brice’s subtle direction, allow The Overnight to seamlessly sway from drama to comedy, and it ultimately grows into a shocking and beguiling tale that revels in its unpredictability.

Considering the planet-sized amount of excitement that we already have for Netflix’s upcoming limited series Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, it was presumed nothing else could possibly expand that jubilation. Cue the “wrong” buzzer, because the series just picked up four amazing new cast members to add to the 1981 hullabaloo: Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Jason Scwartzman and Jon “My Charm Can End Wars” Hamm.

I’d watch a depressing holocaust movie with these actors, so having them join the greatest camp comedy ever – take that, Meatballs! – is almost unbelievable. As was previously announced, the plot behind this revival won’t occur any time after the last day of camp (when the film took place), but somehow on the first day of camp. Just in case you thought anything but the star power in this show would be serious. While this thespian foursome’s characters don’t get huge descriptions, Deadline did eke a few details out of the fray.

Wiig, who was just officially cast as part of the new Ghostbusters squad, is set to play a stuck-up counselor for Camp Tiger Claw, the rival camp that ends up beating Camp Firewood by forfeit in the championship baseball game in the film. Wiig should be brilliant for this, and I hope that she and Janeane Garofalo get into some kind of a brawl over David Hyde Pierce.

Schwartzman, who can currently be seen in theaters in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, will reportedly be playing the head counselor of the boy’s camp. It’s inevitably hilarious any time the actor takes on an authoritative role, as his stature doesn’t quite come off as menacing. Will he be more interested in keeping the campers in line, or just his fellow counselors like Andy and McKinley?

Hamm, who will return to the iconic role of Don Draper when Mad Men finally finishes its sixth season later this year, is said to be playing a secret spy. Considering there’s absolutely no reason why a spy would need to (or want to) be anywhere near Camp Firewood, I have to imagine this will be one of the more outlandish plotlines, assuming it isn’t just a one-off cameo. Hamm is known for those.

Pine, whose sci-fi feature Z for Zachariah premiered at Sundance recently, is given the vaguest description of them all: he’s “mysterious.” Though more known for dramatic works like the Star Trek films, Pine was a shining light in Horrible Bosses 2 and knows how to draw a smile out. Still, he’s probably the least funny person involved in this project.

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is bringing back the entire cast of the first film – hinted at in the teaser trailer – along with some other new faces. Here’s a full-ish list of who we can expect to find: Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Michael Ian Black, Elizabeth Banks, David Hyde Pierce, Janeane Garofalo, Judah Friedlander, Paul Rudd, A.D. Miles, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Kevin Sussman, H. Jon Benjamin, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Michaela Watkins, John Slattery, Lake Bell, Paul Scheer, Randall Park, Josh Charles, Jayma Mays, Richard Schiff and Rob Huebel. (Gasp. Gasp.)

Expect to find all the camp shenanigans and corny montages you can handle when Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp hits Netflix this summer.

With Bored to Death, Rushmore and The Darjeeling Limited, Jason Schwartzman has forged a niche for playing neurotic writers. But with Listen Up Philip, the latest from writer-director Alex Ross Perry, there's a new tweak to this niche. "Those writers that I’ve played before would be jealous of this one, " Schwartzman told me as we sat down in a Tribeca office to discuss the New York Film Festival selection, "because he actually has published two books and he’s pretty well regarded."

Listen Up Philip stars Jason Schwartzman as Philip Lewis Friedman, a novelist who has opportunity knocking, has his literary idol as a mentor, and is essentially his own worst enemy. He refuses to promote his novel. He sabotages writing assignments that could bring him wealth and further recognition. And maybe most impactful, he pushes away those who would dare to love him, like his photographer girlfriend Ashley Kane, played by Elisabeth Moss.

Elisabeth Moss and Jason Schwartzman have known each other for years, as both grew up in Los Angeles. Yet despite bustling careers in film and television, Listen Up Philip marks the first time they've ever worked together. I asked if their friendship and familiarity with each other made it easier to dig into the caustic arguments of their characters in the film. Moss responded:

Schwartzman reminisced about teen Lizzy Moss before explaining how this helped with Listen Up Philip:

Check out a clip of Schwartzman and Moss arguing in Listen Up Philip:

Jason Schwartzman : Yes, it’s my niche. It’s a section of the movie. I’s interesting because he’s a different type of writer. He’s a writer who, like those writers that I’ve played before would be jealous of this one, because he actually has published two books and he’s pretty well regarded, and his hero--you know, this guy Ike (played by Jonathan Pryce) has sought him out and tried to get in touch with him and been gracious and invited him to be sort of part of the life. Philip doesn’t like suffer from the writer’s block trope. You know, he, even though you don’t really see him writing, he says he’s filling up notebooks. He’s like, "I fill up tons of notebooks, but they’re just filled with crap," and that says to me that this is a guy who is flowing. He might not be good, but he’s flowing.

Yeah, it’s interesting, because it seems like he has, he says repeatedly he has all these things he wants and yet he’s not happy.

Yeah, yeah.

And so is that a story you’re particularly attracted to?

That’s the story of a guy who has it all and just doesn’t feel it, but that’s definitely like fits into a lot of the narratives that I’m ultimately attracted to, and maybe that’s just like a human thing. I mean, I only know maybe like two people in my life who are just totally satisfied.

Who are they?

One of them is about to retire. I can’t get into it really, but yeah, like they don’t really worry themselves. They just sort of feel, it’s not cocky either, it’s like they earned it and it’s just like why would I, I’ve done the best I could.

They’re self-satisfied.

There’s just a feeling of they’ve earned, they’ve worked super hard and have risen to ranks of, you know, not power, but like respect and they feel they did it. But most people I know, this dissatisfaction, worst enemy, it seems to be like an undercurrent thing. I mean, a lot of people just like, are just unhappy, so it’s not even like I have it and I’m unhappy. It’s like, I don’t have anything and I’m unhappy.

It’s funny to me that you’re like, there are these two people really satisfied with their lives and you’re nervous to say who they are.

(Smiling) Yeah, I’m scared they’re going to get assassinated!

So, you and Elisabeth Moss have actually known each other for a really long time.

Yeah, that’s right.

Did your familiarity with each other make it easier for you to get into these scenes where these two characters were so rough with each other?

Probably, I mean, I didn’t know, we used to hang out when I was in this band and she was, back then she was 16 and she was always so sweet and nice, and I think just knowing the type of person she was, like the fact that she would like wear these cute dresses she had. She has a cute necklace with her name on it. I think it said like Moss or Lizzy. She was just nice and great, so when Alex said, yeah, I think Elizabeth Moss is going to do it, I was like oh, I hadn’t seen her for years, but there’s no question she’s great actor, but what I remembered of Elisabeth was that she was great and you know, nothing has changed, but I think for sure that like if it was a brand new actress that, I mean, it’s not like I knew her super well, but if it was like a brand new actress that I had to work against, opposite, be in love with, be out of love with, I think it would have been, there would have been a lot more, like extra fabric, to have to like hem, because we would have been like nervous. I would have been nervous probably and made bad jokes, and then like calling Alex after, I think I made too many bad jokes. No, no, its fine. She thinks you’re great. I feel like I shouldn’t have said the thing about the smoothie. No, no, it was good, it was funny. Everyone has smoothies. That would have happened. But, because it was her, it was like hey, how are you, good to see you. There was just like an instant familiarity.

So basically like you’re both from the same neighborhood type of thing.

Kind of, yeah. I think it benefits you to work with people that you know and the reason is because I think that time is the most precious thing on a movie set and I do it, I’m definitely guilty of this, and I’ve seen other people do it, which is the wasting, stalling, because you’re nervous, and I think that at least me, it’s nervous to be bad. Everyone is going to be bad, but it’s like you’re nervous and it’s embarrassing to act. I think that for me with like Wes or someone I work with a lot. He’s seen me do everything wrong and so then like, I mean Moonrise Kingdom, when I did that movie, I was doing Bored to Death and I drove overnight to Rhode Island, got out of the car, literally walked into the set and within ten minutes we were rolling. So it was like, it was just like, 'Alright, come jump in, let’s shoot it.' So…it’s good to be able to go in there and you have a shorthand, when someone knows that’s not right. You can just be more honest. So, I think it benefits…So, now Alex and Elisabeth just did another movie together and I guarantee you that helped.

Yeah, we talked about that a little bit about that the other day. Speaking of Wes, it’s been 16 years since Rushmore, which is crazy to me. I’m kind of curious, what do you think 16 years later, Max Fisher would be up to?

I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it really. Yeah, I don’t really know. I prefer to just sort of let it be. But it’s come up a few times because in this movie, people say there’s a similarity and I mean, maybe there is, but the thing that I really see similar anything, if I had to think about it, is just that, you know, that’s like a character with very high expectations of people. This character does too. He’s easily disappointed, and I think that’s like, that’s been on my mind now. Yeah, I haven’t thought about it.

Have you and Wes talked about what your next project together might be.

Rushmore 2. No, I’m just kidding.

You don’t even understand. My heart just jumped so high and I was like , 'Oh. Jokes.'

RushMORE.

Capital M?

You cap the whole four last letters. No, we’re just, you know, just loose rumblings.

Ok, can you tell us any kind of story about what it’s like to work with Bill Murray, because he’s kind of become this mythic figure now.

He was already mythic and then he jumped to a whole other level.

He’s almost a God at this point.

I think he is. I think, yeah, to quote his own thing (from Groundhog Day), he’s not the God, but he’s a God. Yeah, I don’t know, he’s just, look, there can only be so many gods in this world. He’s one of them.

Can you tell us a story of what it’s like to work with him?

No, what would you imagine he’d be like, because that would be it. Look, there’s no way I could describe it. He means to me what he means to you. It’s the same thing.

Ok, just recently Justin Long talked about what it was like playing the Beatles in Walk Hard and he described it as being a completely terrifying experience and he mentioned that you felt the same way. Can you talk a little bit about what that was like preparing for that?

Yeah, well, there wasn’t much preparation. Any preparation I had was thanks to Justin Long, because I got this call the day before saying like, "Would you be a Beatle," and I was like, "What?" It was like, "Yeah, Paul and you and Jack," and I was like, "Yeah, fuck yeah." So...

So, it was just a Beatle. They didn’t even tell you who?

I didn’t even know until later that night, but Justin, most people don’t realize, is a really incredible mimic. He can do incredible voices. He can do any voice and when I got to set the next day, I had Ringo’s voice and then like I got there and I lost it. I couldn’t do it and he’s like, "It’s sort of like this," and he did it for me, and I was like, "Thank you," and he gave me all these clues. He’s so sweet. So, it was scary for sure and crazy, but Ringo is my favorite drummer.

Who is a director you haven’t worked with that you’d like to?

Who haven’t I worked with? Paul Thomas Anderson... I was thinking of someone, I mean, John Cameron Mitchell.

That would be rad.

Andrew Bujalski, Computer Chess. I love that movie so much.

That’s a pretty solid wish list. P.T. Anderson is going to be there on Saturday, so you should get to NYFF and make that connection.

I’m so excited. Have you seen that movie?

I’m seeing it Saturday. I am excited. I haven’t even watched the trailer, because I’m like, I’m seeing it Saturday.

I think it’s going to be fucking incredible. I watched the trailer three times. I can’t wait.

So, is there any update on a Bored to Death movie?

The update is, Jonathan Ames is writing the script, but he’s also doing another show right now with Seth McFarlane. Yeah, they’re doing a show (Blunt Talk), and they’re shooting it in LA. I don’t even know the name of it, but it’s with Patrick Stewart. Pretty fucking awesome.Yeah, so that’s that. I don’t know what’s happening, because I think everything is sort of on hold right now.

Well, he had talked a little bit about what the movie might be about. Have you guys talked about what would happen in it?

I’ve read scripts and it’s hard because…I think it was such a downer (that the show was cancelled.) HBO was the best and I would totally work with them again, if they would have me. It's not like a feel angry, but it was sad to lose the show, because I miss those guys and seeing them everyday was the best. We had the best crew. But also it was hard because we knew what season 4 was, like it was all done. It was all figured out. So I was all ready for it in my brain. And so I had to envision all these crazy (plots), I knew exactly what was going to happen. It had like a real crazy story. And then when it got cancelled it was like so now what do I do with this information?

Do you want to tell it to me now?

I can’t, but I was like where am I supposed to put this. (I point to myself.) I like that you went like this...(mimicking my pointing to myself)

(Mock indignation) What am I here for?!

(Mimicking my mock indignation with a big grin) Come on!

But I really like the way the season ended. I was bummed that it ended, but it was an interesting note that it ended on.

Yeah, it’s a bummer. But hopefully the movie will get made. I guess my secret dream is that I get a call tomorrow that says, 'You’ve been reactivated. Bored to Death is coming back for season 4!' Because that would be like--it’s like a teenager waiting for like one more inch of his growth spurt, you know what I mean? I’m not going to give up.

I’m 5’ 2", I totally know what you mean.

That show has been cancelled now for a few years, and there’s a movie possibility.

But The Comeback came back!

The what?

The Comeback.

See, I don’t even know what that it. But my dream is that I get a call tomorrow from HBO that is like, "You’re back! Rent a place in New York."

I like it. I’d be completely into that. So, this last one is completely off the wall, so just bare with me. So, for west coast, you did like a music video for the Nerdist Star Wares cantina karaoke. Are you a Star Wars fan?

Yeah, I’m not like Chris Hardwick.

Chris Hardwick’s level of fandom is its own thing. Do you have any hopes of maybe being looped into the new franchise?

That’s such a crazy question to me. That’s like you asking if, that’s like me asking you, do you have any like, are you going to climb the Statue of Liberty soon. It’s not even something I’d considered, but if I said to you, you going to climb it, you’d be like, "Fuck yeah." That’s like, if I got looped in, yeah, I’d loved to be conferenced in on that call, but I’ve never once thought about it, because I don’t even...

It just seems so impossible is what you’re saying.

Yeah, it seems like...

But they have been pulling in a lot of indie stars. They’ve got Adam Driver.

Yeah, I’m excited about that. When I heard that Adam Drive and Oscar Isaac for cast, I was so excited because to me that’s like the victory, you know, and I think JJ Abrams is cool and I just was like, I don’t know, Adam Driver or Oscar Isaac, but I was, if I knew them, I would have sent them an email with the subject saying, "Fuck yeah". So, I think that, I’m excited for them.

For more from Elisabeth Moss, including details on her reunion with Listen Up Philip's writer-director, Queen of Earth, click to page three. What drew you to Listen Up, Philip?

Elisabeth Moss: I don’t pay much attention to who’s involved or who will be directing, that kind of thing and they email me and tell me everything. But I don’t pay too much attention to anything except the script at first, because often, you know, you can read something and you know, it can be a big budget thing or you can read something and it can not have financing yet and they can both be great. So, I kind of try to not look at it and just read the script first and I just fell in love with the script. It was just a gem.

It was one of those things that I, you know, it was this small film that was sent to me and there wasn’t really a whole lot of reason for me to pay any extra attention to it, but I just thought it was great and I called my agent, and I was like, "Eli, this is a really great script," like, and you know, they were like, "I know," and so I talked, and then I knew Jason was involved, so that obviously was extremely enticing. I was like, "Yeah, Jason Schwartzman ad I should totally be in the movie together. That makes a lot of sense," and then I Skyped with Alex and we got a long so well, and that was it. It was very kind of, very simple, but it was the script first and foremost.

Had you seen his movies prior to this, Impolex and The Color Wheel?

I saw The Color Wheel. I watched that before I Skyped with him.

And apparently you enjoy working with Alex, because you’ve already wrapped another movie with him, right?

Yeah, we just wrapped another film like three days ago. We decided we’re just going to make a movie every September. It will just be like, "Ok, it’s September. It’s time to make a movie." We already know we want to make one next year in September. We just have to figure out what it is.

With Queen of Earth, which is the next one, you also produced. What made you want to do that?

That kind of came about really organically just because I was producing it. It wasn’t one of those things that like was a vanity credit or like I asked for or anything like that. He sent me the script for that. He texted me and he was like, "I have this script. I think you’d be great in the main character. Can I send it to you?" I read it and the next day, "I love it. I want to do it. Let’s do it," and that was back in May. I was just very heavily involved in it from that point and there was another female character in it that was extremely crucial and I was really heavily involved in the casting of that. Just all kinds of different elements of like location and when it came down to it, when it came down to making the film, it was an extremely collaborative experience. It was very much like, I don’t even know if it was producing. It was like producing, co-writing, kind of like, just doing all three of us, me Katherine Waterston and Alex were doing all of these things together. So, it was just one of those things of like, well, I am producing it. So, I guess we’ll call, it wasn’t one of those things like, "I want to produce a film now." It was like, well I am, so we might as well call a spade a spade.

So what is Queen of Earth about?

It’s much darker, much edgier, much more dramatic than Listen Up Philip. We just wrapped it three days ago, so I only know from what we’ve filmed. I haven’t seen anything yet, except for a little bit of assembly and stills, but it’s much weirder and stranger. It’s basically about two friends who have been friends for quite a long time and they come together at a certain point at their lives, when one is kind of one their way up and doing well and one is on her way down and not doing so well, and my character is the latte. They come together at this summer house that they sort of vacation at, and my character sort of, I don’t want to run the risk of spoiling anything, but she doesn’t do so well, let’s just say, mentally, and she sort of has this mental breakdown and goes through it with her friend. It’s all related to kind of things that have happened in her life in the past six months. We shot it all in order. We shot it completely chronologically, which was so interesting and so, yeah, it was so valuable, because … I had a really huge emotional arch to attempt, and dealing with the sort of insanity and it would have been very difficult to do shooting out of order. So it was really great to be able to shoot it chronologically, and all in one location, with a crew of about 10 or 11, maybe 12 people. It was really, really interesting, not always easy, it was hard, but it was a really interesting experience.

It sounds like both this movie and that movie deal with the theme of success being a problem in a relationship.

Yeah, I mean, you know, I thought, it just came up in another interview today, and I think that’s kind of more Alex’s job and take on it. That’s kind of his writer take on it. I kind of came at it more from the point of view. Listen Up Philip I came at it more from the point of view of telling a relationship story and telling a story of a girl coming out of a relationship, and what that’s like and finding her feet again and sort of finding herself again, and that sort of feeling of releasing yourself from a relationship that you know you shouldn’t be in and that journey. So, I approached that from more of that angle, and then Queen of Earth was more approaching the issue of somebody kind of maybe losing their mind, you know, and dealing with depression and dealing with, you know, sort of extraordinary circumstances. At the same time, it’s a very, it’s a very strange film as well, so it’s kind of deals with that in a very, not like a, we don’t sit around and talk about depression or mental illness, you know. It’s not that literal. So, I approached it from much, I approached both films from much more of an emotional character standpoint than a sort of statement about success, but I know what you’re saying and I do think he definitely has that kind of theme in his films right now and it’s definitely dealing with this issues.

There’s a scene in this in particular, where Ashley and Philip, your character and Jason’s get really brutal with each other and say very hurtful things. Did you feel like knowing Jason as long as you have, it made it easier to kind of go to that place?

Yeah, for sure. I mean, Jason’s the sweetest, most awesome guy. He’s so funny and smart, and lovely. I think it helped that we have known each other for so long because in the film, we drop in to close to the end of their relationship really. So you don’t have a lot of time to kind of develop a rapport or develop an ease or any of those kinds of things. We didn’t have time to do that. So, it definitely helped that we didn’t have to get to know each other. We’re fine. We know each other. We don’t have to do all of that, and we have kind of a natural chemistry which definitely I think really helped us."

You mentioned how we start the film and it’s basically Ashley and Phillip are already towards the end of their relationship. Did you and Jason have a discussion beforehand of what we don’t see in their relationship, and those positive days that are now behind them?

Yeah, basically the idea is that they are, you know, at some point, the person that Phillip is, was charming to her, was funny, was intelligent, his views on life were interesting. Then it kind of turns around, and when he starts to direct to that intelligence, that wit, that bitterness and attitude towards life towards her and their relationship, then it’s not good for her anymore. It’s kind of a case of, and I think we’ve all had this in relationships where the things that attracted you about the person sometimes end up being the things that repel you from the person in the end. That’s kind of what our take on it was. I think it’s kind of interesting to have a film that, it’s starting with them at a certain point in their relationship and we kind of don’t really worry about explaining to the audience what happened in the relationship before. We’ve all had relationships. We know what they are. We’re telling a specific story about a specific time in these people’s lives. We don’t need to go back and be like remember this when they met. That was nice. Who cares. We’re telling a different story.

So, I’ve also been looking at the films you have coming up and it’s kind of amazing, you’re becoming like a real champion for first time filmmakers by jumping into these projects with guys who haven’t made movies before. Can you talk a little bit about that?

I know, it’s kind of, it is kind of strange, isn’t it? It’s not really necessarily intentional. It’s just, like I said, I base so much, everything really, on the script, and I don’t really care if--I mean it does matter if he hasn’t made a film before, because obviously that’s a little bit scary. But you know, with Charlie McDowell, he had so much, you know, education in film, and he was so well versed in film, and was such a great writer. I didn’t feel that it was going to be hurtful, and then with Alex, obviously he had made a couple of films, but this was his first film with actors, real professional actors, that have been around for a while. But you know I was secure in the fact that he knew where to put the camera and he knew about editing. He did know those kinds of things. I think that for me it’s so much about the script that I don’t really look at that. I don’t really care. If the script is good and then I meet the person and they seem like an intelligent, humorous person, you know, an intelligent person with a good sense of humor who knows about cinema, I’m like what’s the difference? Everyone has got to make a film for the first time sometime.

Maybe it's my fault. I saw the teaser for Listen Up Philip, saw Jason Schwartzman would be applying his neurotic electricity to the role of a socially awkward novelist, and expected Bored to Death. Well, not expected. Hoped for. I hoped this New York Film Festival entry would have the kind of generous self-mocking and silly satire of the HBO series where Schwartzman played a bored novelist turned detective. Instead, I got Alex Ross Perry's acidic brand of comedy that made me twitch far more than laugh.

Schwartzman stars as Listen Up Philip's eponymous anti-hero New Yorker who is both self-righteous and perpetually unsatisfied as he approaches the release of his second novel. Deeply self-involved, he quickly isolates himself from his photographer girlfriend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss). Yet he finds a mentor in a similarly hyper intellectual yet emotional stunted author Ike (Jonathan Pryce). Having little sense of propriety, Philip forces his way into Ike's life and vacation home, where he meets and irritates the man's estranged daughter Melanie (Krysten Ritter).

Amid all this there is much sniping, declarations of other people's failures and idiocy, and much, much voiceover narration from a blasé Eric Bogosian.

Listen Up Philip plays like Alex Ross Perry is the belligerent bastard child of Wes Anderson and Woody Allen. While it's easy to accuse nearly any NYC-set movie about neurotics of ripping off Allen, it's the flustered staging of walk-and-talks and rambling fight scenes where his influence is most felt.

Like Anderson, Perry's characters have incredible potential but a deeply flawed self-awareness (sometimes played by Schwartzman funny enough). His narration makes this original story feel like a religious adaptation of a beloved novel. Perry's meditations on melancholy and fetishization of hardcover book covers likewise borrow heavily from Anderson, but he lacks the balance of the Royal Tenenbaums director's twee sensibilities, as well as Anderson's skill for visual storytelling.

There's no discernible definition to the production design of Listen Up Philip. Its characters are defined in a rush of narration before they have a chance to speak. In truth, the narration--relentless and intrusive as it is--robs the films promising cast of the opportunity to create the characters on their own. We don't need to see that Ashley is distraught over her crumbling romance, because that is (apparently) what Bogosian is there for. He'll just tell us.

In a nostalgic gesture perhaps, Perry shot the entirety of this dramedy on Super 16MM Film. In this format, he favors shots that are consistently claustrophobically close-up, often framing out elements the characters reference, causing bits of confusion for the viewer throughout. Combined with handheld cinematography that rattles with an amateurish quality, this makes for a movie that is murky in its look, and frankly ugly.

The editing of the film further frustrates. Perry repeatedly builds to climactic moments--for instance when Philip goads another rival into a fistfight--then cuts away, robbing the audience of the payoff they anticipate. Other times he lazily fades to black, letting days, weeks or even months slip by. And this rambles on to an ending where even the epilogue--explained at length by Bogosian obviously--is offscreen.

The central concept of the film is interesting. Essentially, as Philip pushes others away, the film too loses track of him, focusing instead in the void he's left in Ashley, Ike and Melanie's lives. However, as Philip is shown to be such a detestable character, it's perplexing that they'd miss him.

I admit, the casting of Schwartzman had me anticipating a very different movie than Listen Up Philip delivered. However, the sprint of information that's unfurled in the film's opening moments (and narration) quickly swatted down these expectations. From there, I tried to engage with the movie that was before me, forgetting the one I'd hoped for. But between the slapdash and choking cinematography, the oppressive narration, and the hideous characters, I didn't find anything fun or funny in this so-called "comedy."

December 20th, 2011, was a dark day for fans of HBO's eccentric and esoteric detective sitcom Bored to Death. This was the day that after three seasons and an array of goofy adventures all around the five boroughs of New York City, the Jason Schwartzman-led series was cancelled. But hope bloomed in the form of a potential movie spin-off! Years have passed since then. So. where does the Bored to Death movie stand now?

I sat down with Jason Schwartzman to talk about Listen Up Philip, a dark comedy soon to debut at the New York Film Festival. We'll bring you the meat of that charming conversation closer to the film's release, but we couldn’t wait to give you the latest on Bored to Death. In short, Schwartzman says the movie's on hold, but he has hopes for the resurrection of season four.

So, is there any update on a Bored to Death movie?

The update is, Jonathan Ames (the show's creator) is writing the script, but he’s also doing another show right now with Seth McFarlane. Yeah, they’re doing a show (Blunt Talk), and they’re shooting it in LA. I don’t even know the name of it, but it’s with Patrick Stewart. Pretty fucking awesome.Yeah, so that’s that. I don’t know what’s happening, because I think everything is sort of on hold right now.

Well, Ames had talked a little bit about what the movie might be about. Have you guys talked about what would happen in it?

I’ve read scripts and it’s hard because…I think it was such a downer (that the show was cancelled.) HBO was the best and I would totally work with them again, if they would have me. It's not like I feel angry, but it was sad to lose the show, because I miss those guys and seeing them everyday was the best. We had the best crew. But also it was hard because we knew what season 4 was. Like it was all done. It was all figured out. So I was all ready for it in my brain. And so I had to envision all these crazy (plots), I knew exactly what was going to happen. It had like a real crazy story. And then when it got cancelled it was like so now what do I do with this information?

Do you want to tell it to me now?

I can’t, but I was like where am I supposed to put this. (I point to myself.) I like that you went like this...(mimicking my pointing to myself)

(Mock indignation) What am I here for?!

(Mimicking my mock indignation with a big grin) Come on!

But I really like the way the season ended. I was bummed that it ended, but it was an interesting note that it ended on.

Yeah, it’s a bummer. But hopefully the movie will get made. I guess my secret dream is that I get a call tomorrow that says, 'You’ve been reactivated. Bored to Death is coming back for season 4!' Because that would be like--it’s like a teenager waiting for like one more inch of his growth spurt, you know what I mean? I’m not going to give up.

I’m 5’ 2", I totally know what you mean.

That show has been cancelled now for a few years, and there’s a movie possibility.

But The Comeback came back!

The what?

The Comeback.

See, I don’t even know what that it. But my dream is that I get a call tomorrow from HBO that is like, "You’re back! Rent a place in New York."

All the shadows in the city still love you, Jason. Here's hoping Bored to Death gets its comeback.

Jason Schwartzman has most memorably played muse to Wes Anderson, snagging key roles in Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom and Anderson's latest The Grand Budapest Hotel. But last January he was earning rousing praise out of the Sundance Film Festival thanks to the dark comedy Listen Up Philip, written and directed by Alex Ross Perry. Surprisingly, this praised pic didn't land domestic distribution right out of Sundance, but it has now!

Tribeca Film has announced its acquirement of the North American distribution rights of Listen Up Philip. In the movie, Jason Schwartzman stars as Philip Lewis Friedman, an often frustrated novelist who is impatiently awaiting the release of his second book. The noise of his metropolis home is proving to be too much during this purgatory, and his photographer girlfriend (Elisabeth Moss) doesn't seem too fond of him anymore - fed up in part by his refusal to self-promote. So when Philip's idol (Jonathan Pryce) offers him some solitude and retreat in his summer house, he jumps at the chance. Just one problem: Zimmerman's hard-to-impress daughter (Krysten Ritter) has already laid claim to the place.

Listen Up Philip's cast also boasts Jess Weixler, Kate Lyn Sheil, Eric Bogosian, Dree Hemingway, and Daniel London.

Frustrated writer is a character type in which Jason Schwartzman has repeatedly shined, be it in Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited or the HBO series Bored To Death. So, we expect great things out of him here. But Listen Up Philip could prove a major game changer for its writer-director, Alex Ross Perry. His previous efforts include Impolex and The Color Wheel, both of which are little known while Listen Up Philip has The New York Times' Manohla Dargis cheering, that the movie is "a great leap forward for Alex Ross Perry. Assured and at times dazzling."

Get a taste of what all the rave reviews are about with Listen Up Philip's Sundance teaser trailer below.

Listen Up Philip will open theatrically on October 17th. A VOD release will follow on October 21st.

Jason Schwartzman has built a fantastic acting career for himself ever since his debut performance starring in Wes Anderson’s Rushmore. He’s worked with great directors like David O. Russell, Edgar Wright, and Judd Apatow (in addition to multiple collaborations with Anderson), and has stretched his skills to the small screen starring the terrific-yet-short-lived HBO series Bored To Death. But not only is Schwartzman a talented actor, he is also a skilled musician, both as a solo act and drummer and songwriter for the band Phantom Planet. In the new film Saving Mr. Banks, the actor sees both of those worlds collide portraying the legendary Disney composer Richard Sherman.

Last month I had the chance to talk with Schwartzman about that career blending and a whole lot more at a recent press day for the new film held in Los Angeles. Read on to discover what led Schwartzman to the role, what it was like working right alongside Sherman in preparing for his part, and the current status of the Bored To Death movie.

When you first start looking at scripts, when you’re approaching projects, what exactly would you say it is that you’re looking for?

I don’t know. I can’t tell you. I don’t really know and I think that’s why it is, it’s a very confusing process, a strange process, and I don’t know. I think, like, I also think like there are certain people who are good at reading scripts. They can see things, and I think I’m trying to just become better at that, but no, I mean, to me, like it’s just, yeah, I don’t know. It’s more of a, I think, pretty early on, you know, within five or ten pages.

You have an idea?

I can’t tell if it’s like great or not, but just like, I don’t know, just choices of words, and language and the way things are, you can just kind of tell.

So you kind of hone in on the language, more than the stories or characters?

No, just like the choice, if the guy wrote it, it’s just the choices that, the choices that the person made, you know what I mean? Like, I don’t know. If you walked into a house, but the owner wasn’t there, but you were trying to figure out who he was based on how he furnished the place. It’s a little like that. You’re just sort of assessing it, in the beginning I’m just sort of assessing it on the things, like little details and facts, but for me, it’s really a gut feeling.

What was the process of getting into this project? Were you approached about it? Was that something that you went after?

It was very strange actually, and I’m just remembering this now, Basically, the way that it all first came up was when Moonrise Kingdom was playing at the Cannes film festival, I was sitting next to Alexandre Desplat who is a great film composer, and I was sitting next to him, and as the lights were dimming he said, "Oh I forgot to tell you, I just had a meeting about you with Disney for the one of the Sherman brothers," and then the movie started and I was. He just put this thing in, and then it turned out that my older brother John Schwartzman, he shot this movie.

Yeah, I saw his name in the credits! I was curious about that.

Yeah, he emailed me and he said, "Hey, John Lee Hancock is directing this movie and you’re going to get a call from him, about meeting and sitting down with him, but I’m doing this movie and it’s incredible." I hadn’t read the script of anything, so it’s sort of hearing about it, and then I got the script and I read it, and I was just, it was just like, I don’t know. It was up my alley in many ways, like I loved Mary Poppins. I love any story of the making of anything, I’m very interested in, like I love all those behind the classic albums DVDs, anything, I love anything about the creative process, and then of course, it’s about music, and you see songwriting and it was really like, I was just like, I couldn’t believe the opportunity.

How early in the process did you actually get to meet Richard Sherman?

Like, let’s see, I met, I signed on to being in the movie in late June/early July, and I met him two weeks later.

I have to imagine, that has to be the richest resource of anything.

It is the richest resource, because his memory is like a laser, and because he’s a storyteller, he really knows how to explain things to you in a way that you can understand and he’s excited to tell you stories. It’s not like, it’s not like he can’t be bothered. He wants to explain it and make it make sense and I just asked him lots of questions and he also was like, he was such a tremendous resource, like he gave me all his demos and all of like, his demos, the sheet music, all of the P.L. Travers sessions and my piano teacher and I transcribed all of the music from that and I learned the style that he played piano at that time was. I was trying to learn the songs based on like, you know, if you buy a Mary Poppins song book at the store, that’s sort of like a more of a generalized rendition of the music.

It’s not really the exact same thing.

As opposed to how it would be if you were to play it for someone in a demonstrative form. Does that mean demonstrate, demonstrative? Like if you were to show someone a song, so I got to learn the songs in the style that would have been more correct in 1961.

Is what we hear your piano playing?

Yeah, for the most part.

It must be insanely meta for that kind of thing.

Well, for me, honestly, that was the way into the whole thing because I just spent hours just playing the songs and learning them and slowing them down. It really just helped me get into the idea of what it would have been like to write these, because you know, in a way, I play more music in the movie than I speak and I sort of felt then that’s his voice.

You’re speaking through the music, totally.

I wanted to speak correctly.

Is research typically part of your process when you’re getting into a character?

I don’t really have a particular thing I do. I think I’m kind of a slow learner, so I just, I think I waste a lot of time, but you know, music is definitely a big help for me. So, it was a huge help for me in this movie because I just bought every Sherman brothers piece of music and listened to it all the time and it became a big part of my life and my family’s life, like my daughter, she knows these songs better than I do. So, it really affected everybody.

Being a musician in addition to being an actor, is it fun when your worlds collide?

Yeah, I never really had it happen, but you know, like, I’ve played piano in movies or guitar for a second, but never a song writer and it definitely incredible. I mean, it was, yeah, I mean, when John Lee Hancock was telling me, you’ll be able to sit down with Richard Sherman, he will teach you these songs. It was really like, he’s talking to the musician in me, because I’m thinking, this is like sitting with one of the greats, for days on end, like as a master class, you know, and he’s just telling me, like, we quickly went into a place where it was not even about Mary Poppins anymore. It was just about music, like going over other people’s songs that we loved and playing songs for each other and Beatles songs and just kind of like having a dialogue through enthusiasm for chord progressions.

That’s really cool.

Yeah, it was the greatest. I said to him, because I played a Beatles song, and he played a song, I played a Beach Boys song, and then I said, "Oh, Richard, I’m so sorry. I’m dorking out," and he said, "I could dork out with you all afternoon," and it just made me so happy.

You’re part of a duo in this film, with B.J. Novak playing your brother, Robert. Did you guys kind of collaborate as well? Were you guys working together in that process?

Yeah. We got together. I mean, we talked about it a lot, about the characters and he spent a lot of time with Richard too, by himself. I think that, you know, I’m not like Richard and B.J. is not like Bob, you know, like everyone’s different, but I would say that I am more like Richard than B.J. and B.J. is more like, and I think that it is, like I see when I watch interviews with Richard, I see an element of myself in that, which is, you know, I can get really enthusiastic if I love something as we’re talking about it. Even if I’m nervous, I will start talking too much, and I become extroverted, even though I might not naturally be, whereas maybe B.J., he’s quiet and we probably feel the exact same way, we just handle it differently, and I feel like there wasn’t really that much like in terms of who’s your guy, who’s my guy, because we naturally sort of gravitated towards those characters anyway.

Most of your scenes we get to see you interacting with P.L. Travers, and she’s a pretty hard personality to deal with. It’s an aggressive personality [laughs]. Was Richard as tolerant of her behavior as we see it in the film? How would react in those situations?

Well, I think that if you listen to the tapes, I’m sure maybe there were moments when he wasn’t, but for the most part, if you listen to the apes and you listen to Richard talk, he was the guy who was in the room. He tried to make it work, like he was sort of the peacekeeper, and trying to say, if she would suggest something or, "I don’t like this. Can we try this word?" He would say, "Alright, we’ll try it. Absolutely. Let me make a note of that," whereas Bob was a little bit...

More aggressive.

Aggressive, more like less vocal about agreeing to something, a little bit more like, "Let me think about it," but you know, so Richard would tell me that his attitude was, "You don’t like that song? Ok, here’s another one. You don’t like that? Ok, here’s another one." So, it’s an optimistic…

It’s amazing that he could come up with it that quickly.

He had all the songs, or a lot of them. He just never was like, I think that at the end of the day, he’d be exhausted, but he said like. I said, "What would it be like if I were to see you in the room?" He said, "If you were to see me, you’d see Bob sitting in the corner, a bit more clearly stressed out, but if you were to see me, I’d be smiling and trying to play the piano and just let it work," So, that’s, yeah, and me, I don’t think I would have, I probably would have been somewhere between Richard and Bob. I think I would have been quiet, because like, maybe like, yeah, maybe I would be, I would try to play a song and if it got shot down, I wouldn’t feel like so comfortable coming back out of the shell, you know, you feel like you’re in school and you answered a question incorrectly and the class laughs at you.

You don’t want to raise your hand again.

You don’t want to raise your hand again, exactly, so the fact that Richard had that kind of, aggressive enthusiasm is amazing.

I think it’s fair to say that you’re best known for you collaborations with Wes Anderson. You obviously have a shared language in that relationship. What is it that you’re looking for in the relationship with a director and what did you take away working with John Lee Hancock’s style?

Well, I already knew about John Lee Hancock, because my older brother John Schwartzman, shot his first movie, and when John came back from shooting the movie he said, "I just worked with the greatest director. His name is John Lee Hancock and he’s a great writer," and I loved The Rookie, so when I got the call to come meet with him, I was really looking forward to it, and I loved The Blind Side. I was excited, and you know, if you meet John Lee Hancock, he’s so smart and he’s so humble, and he has a real vision for how he wants to do it, but he also was open to your ideas and i just knew, I just, there was no doubt that I thought he could make a great movie, and I was just excited to be a part of it.

Just because I’m a huge fan of Bored to Death, I was also wondering if there has been any forward movement on the movie.

Yeah, it’s funny, he’s writing the script as we speak, but it’s one of those things where if it doesn’t happen, I’ll be embarrassed. I was like, "Yeah, there’s a movie," but that’s the state of it. He’s writing it now. Everyone’s excited and everyone has signed on to Rocket to do it.

As I mentioned, love the show.

HBO is ready. We’re ready.

After delighting audiences with a bittersweet story of first love in Moonrise Kingdom, writer-director Wes Anderson has cruelly made us wait until 2014 to see his follow-up The Grand Budapest Hotel. But for those of you who need more quirk and warm-toned storytelling in your life, he's graced us with a short film called "Castello Cavalcanti" made for Prada, and tipped by The Playlist. While his 2007 short "Hotel Chevalier " served as a sort of introduction to its soon to follow feature The Darjeeling Limited, "Castello Cavalcanti" looks to be unrelated to The Grand Budapest Hotel. In the prior Jason Schwartzman stars as a racecar driver Jed Cavalcanti, while in the other he plays a mysterious character called M. Jean.

"Castello Cavalcanti" clocks in under eight minutes and is set in 1955 Italy within the quaint titular town that is a point on Molte Miglia (translation "Many Miles") rally. The quiet evening is interrupted by a cluster of cars motoring through their town square in a blur of revved engines and raised dust, but the townspeople happily wave pennants in salute. Then, way behind the pack comes the red and out of control car of cursing American racer Jed Cavalcanti.

After crashing into a local landmark, he coarsely entreats the villagers for help. Then with his hopes dashed at winning the race, he laments his poor luck and quits, demanding a "shot of the local hooch." Soon, he discovers this is no town of friendly strangers, but long lost family.

True to Anderson's style, the colors are vivid, the dialogue is sharp, and the performances are brightly dynamic. What this has to do with Prada I have no idea, but it's certainly a welcome appetizer while we await the mischievous murder mystery of The Grand Budapest Hotel, which will open in the US on March 7th, 2014.

"Castello Cavalcanti" actually marks Anderson's second collaboration with Prada, as he and Roman Coppola previously created the lovely looking French-language advertisements for the fragrance Candy L'Eau. Starring Blue is the Warmest Color's Lea Seydoux, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland's Peter Gadiot, and A Very Long Engagement's Rodolphe Pauly, the campaign told the story of a very stylish love triangle. Check it out below:

For three seasons a Brooklyn-based writer turned amateur detective-for-hire sleuthed his way through sidesplitting scandals and goofy mysteries on HBO's quirky comedy series Bored to Death. But the noir-inspired fun came to an end in 2011 when HBO pulled the plug, causing fans to lament the loss of one of television's most bizarre but engaging three-way bromances, which had blossomed between Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson. However, there's now a chance that Jonathan Ames—the show's fictional character loosely based on its real-life writer—might rise again! And this time in the movies!

THR reports Ames, the show's creator, is currently drafting a screenplay that would be a continuation of the plot cut short at the end of season three of the series. HBO is at work developing the feature that's logline reads:

So, basically it's business as usual for the Bored to Death crew.

It seems safe to assume that Schwartzman, Galifianakis and Danson would return for the film, especially as it was Danson who first leaked that a script was in the works. Since then, he slipped some plot details, revealing that Jonathan (Schwartzman) becomes a police officer—meaning he'd have legit authority in his crime fighting—and that the slovenly comic artist Ray (Galifianakis) and the ever-dapper ladies' man George (Danson) become roommates. Based on this bit of plot alone I'm eagerly anticipating the return of this deeply deranged trio.

There's no word on when the Bored to Death movie might shoot. But in the meantime, audiences can see Schwartzman in A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, which opens February 8th in limited release. Then this summer Galifianakis will return with The Hangover Part III. As for Danson, he has nothing currently slated for a 2013 release, but some are still holding out hope for another Three Men and a Baby movie.

It would probably be more surprising if we told you that Jason Schwartzman wasn't participating in the next Wes Anderson movie, given that the actor has worked with Anderson on Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Moonrise Kingdom. But with the cast for Anderson's next film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, finally coming together, it's good to hear Schwartzman confirming that he'll indeed be working with Anderson again… though he made a joke that initially got my hopes up about who he might be playing.

"I'm going to be in it. Yes, I'm going to be in it. I'm playing Cousin Ben," he told Movies.com on the phone this afternoon, referring to the scout leader character he plays in Moonrise Kingdom. But then he continued: "No, I'm just kidding -- wouldn't that be crazy? No, but I'm excited about it. I'm very excited about it. It's a beautiful movie."

With the exception of the short Hotel Chevalier, which featured Schwartzman as the character he played in The Darjeeling Limited, Anderson has never re-used characters between his film-- though some of them are so similar to each other you might think he had. And yet, I'd totally love for the all-knowing Cousin Ben to return, giving Schwartzman another chance to wear his merit badges and boss around some kids. With a cast that already includes Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray and Jude Law, there's a nice balance of Anderson regulars and newcomers-- and man, Cousin Ben would fit right in.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is set to shoot in Germany later this year

Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom, the seventh feature from the American auteur, has been the best reviewed film of the summer and in its limited first weekend release broke the record for non-animated per screen averages. As the film's been expanding to more venues, the ticket sales have not slowed and the quirky and idiosyncratic comedy about a couple of runaway, star-crossed tweens seems poised to follow the Midnight in Paris route all the way to the Oscars. Okay, wishful thinking but there is no reasons to think that Anderson, already a two time Academy Award nominee, couldn't sneak his beloved little gem into the big race just like Woody Allen did last year.

Of course, Allen never used "Funny or Die" as a platform to market his Original Screenplay winning film. Well, not intentionally anyway. Wes Anderson, however, has turned to the popular online comedy portal for a nice tie-in advertisement for Moonrise Kingdom. Written and directed by the filmmaker himself, the short features Jason Schwartzman reprising his role as Scoutmaster Cousin Ben as he holds a private screening for his troop of, you guess it, Moonrise Kingdom. So meta and yet, no spoilers. Enjoy! Admission is only 50 cents (or a bus token, but you'll have to sit in the back). And no late entries! Fine, get in there.

The spot does an amazing job showcasing the film's tone, color palette and signature Anderson dialogue without giving away any of the actual plot events. I also love the joke about the meaning behind the film's title. I wish more marketing material followed this formula where the writer and director (or in this case, writer-director) create something separate and special for the previews without using any material from the finished film. That would be a nice change of pace, especially with most trailers giving away the entire movie these days. Moonrise Kingdom is now in theaters in limited release. For more on the film, check out our Blend Film Database.

Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach share a great history. The writer-directors still make interesting movies without each other, say The Royal Tenenbaums and Greenberg, but there's something special when they work together. Case in point: Fantastic Mr. Fox. The pair haven't really extended themselves much beyond their own work, each with one producer credit not including the films they themselves directed. Actually, Baumbach has only the one (Joe Swanberg's Alexander the Last) while Anderson's extra credit came from the former's Academy Award nominated The Squid and the Whale.

The duo have been trying to add another to their names for some time, coming together to produce Peter Bogdonovich's long gestating Squirrels to the Nuts and with the cast finally starting to come together the film is finally a step closer to getting made. Variety reports Owen Wilson, Olivia Wilde and Brie Larson have already joined the cast with Jason Schwartzman also close to coming aboard the project. Of course, Wilson and Schwartzman should fit right in as Anderson regulars and the leading ladies have both recently shone on screen with Wilde the only saving grace in TRON: Legacy and Larson 'Fuck Yeah Mother Fucker'ing in 21 Jump Street.

Written (and to be directed) by Bogdanovich, Squirrels to the Nuts is about a Broadway director (Wilson) who falls in love with a prostitute (Larson) and helps her pursue her acting career. This, of course, is only after he's been paying for her services even though he's married to the production's star. Wilde will play his therapist and there's no word on Schwartzman's role just yet. I know the legendary director hasn't made a feature film in some time, and those leading up to his hiatus were not exactly stellar, but Bogdanovich is still responsible for a few truly great films (Last Picture Show and Paper Moon) and well suited to work with Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach's sensibilities. Add this exciting cast to the (neurotically heavy) talented trio and it makes the screwball comedy seem pretty promising. Squirrels to the Nuts hopes to start shooting in the fall but is still looking for both financing and distribution.

Though I wouldn't trade his The Fantastic Mr. Fox for anything, it's been far too long since Wes Anderson made a live-action film, which makes his new effort Moonrise Kingdom even more hotly anticipated than it might be otherwise. Starring a lot of his regular cohort, including Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, it also adds the likes of Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Bruce Willis and Frances McDormand to the list, giving us a chance to see even more talent adapt to the cock-eyed world that Anderson creates in his films. And from the looks of the first trailer, which debuted today at Apple, there's plenty for us to look forward to from all of them. Watch it there in HD or embedded below to see exactly what I mean.

From the golden colors to the dead-center framing in the camera to the slightly anachronistic clothing, everything about this feels purely Wes Anderson-- and man, does it feel good to have him back. There's definitely an element of magical realism going on up here, with a house perched precariously high in a tree, something called Khaki Scouts dispatched to hunt down one of their own who went missing, and the entire fantastical notion of two kids who run away together and apparently get to just hang out on a gorgeous beach the whole time. If you saw this trailer from just about anybody else you might wonder if they could pull it off, but Wes Anderson has done a lot to earn our trust over the years, especially with the cheerful and wonderfully ambitious Mr. Fox. This movie looks more like a live-action version of that film than anything else Anderson has made in the past, but if it nails a sweet tone with genuine comedy the way that film did, we can be 100% fine with that.

Moonrise Kingdom is set for release on May 25, which is amazingly soon given the usual autumn releases you expect from high-profile directors like Anderson. Think of it this way: it opes opposite Men In Black III, and a weekend after Battleship. Don't you know which one of those choices you really want to see?

It was only a couple months ago that Charlie Sheen was making daily headlines with his outrageous behavior and ridiculous comments about things like "Tiger blood." His actions and attitude led to him being fired from Two and a Half Men, one of the highest rated shows on television, and everyone assumed that his acting career was over. Recently, however, the actor has actually managed to rebound, now set to star in a sitcom based on the Adam Sandler comedy Anger Management and now Roman Coppola is going to bring him back to the big screen.

The filmmaker has hired Sheen to play the title character in his newest film, A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charlie Swan III, according to Variety. In the project, which will also star Jason Schwartzman, Sheen will be a world-famous graphic designer who has everything he could want. But when his girlfriend breaks up with him, he is unable to take the rejection and his life goes into a tailspin. While Sheen had cameos in two film's last year - Todd Phillips' Due Date and Oliver Stone's Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - the last time he had a major role in a film was the 2004 Elmore Leonard adaptation The Big Bounce.

For some reason I don't think it will be too much of a challenge for Sheen to play a guy whose career is quickly headed down the toilet. The real question now is whether Sheen is merely a caricature or if he actually still has the skills that made him a star in the first place.

Sitting in a room with Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman, you never get the sense that they would ever get into a fight with each other. Playfully riffing off one another and talking about how much fun they had working together, they act like best friends who couldn’t stay mad at each other for more than an hour. That dynamic somewhat changes, however, when you see them sword fighting in the epic climax of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

Excluding a strange moment where the two kept trying to build on to the name of music producer Rick Rubin (read below to find out what that means), the two actors stayed fairly on topic as they discussed their new film, from working with director Edgar Wright to the warmth and embrace of Comic Con.

This is like a new image thing for you, and you don’t do a lot of buttkicking in movies, so you did that last scene. So how much fun was that and how horribly uncomfortable was any of the fighting.

MC: Some of the harder stuff was horribly uncomfortable to the point where I was like “It shouldn’t feel like this, right? Something is very wrong.” That means it’s working. But so much fun, all of it was so much fun. It was amazing. All the guys, there was such a camaraderie amongst that culture of guys and stuntmen. And there’s stuntmen and then there’s also gymnasts that were all involved in this. It’s amazing just the way that they all relate to each other and how seriously they take their craft.

Were there two different teams that worked together?

MC: There were several, yeah. They had, like, battle of the teams. Well, they all formed one big team. They all came from different backgrounds, you know, like gymnastics. There was an incredible gymnast named Chris Mark who did a lot of my stunts. He does all the crazy, flipping around stuff in the movie. And there were stunt coordinators who worked with Jackie Chan and they were all incredibly talented.

If you’ve seen any of Edgar Wright’s previous work he obviously has a very particular vision. What was it like working with him?

JS: I didn’t want to watch any of the stuff he did because I didn’t want to be influence by it. I wanted this to be its own thing. I’m just kidding. Working with Edgar, it was insane. What was the exact question?

He has such a specific vision and a unique way of filming, what was it like working with him?

JS: For me it was amazing just because I’ve always wanted to work with him and I never though it’d be possible cause most everything he’s done is U.K. based. So it was a weird situation, it was like, man…

MC: United Kingdom.

JS: Yeah. Well, I’ve always thought it would be great to work with him, but, you know, maybe he would never have an American part or something in one of his movies. So to work with him it was a real dream come true. It was so cool because he’s so communicative as a director, and articulate, and enthusiastic. You walk on the set and he’s has nothing else he wants to do more than make that movie. He’s smiling all the time with enthusiasm, and wanting to come up with new ways to try things. But my favorite aspect of working with him, it never felt like a huge movie. The set was kind of big, it was in a room the size of this studio set, but he was always just, like, five feet from us. And you never had to yell, “Edgar, where are you? I have a question!” There could be lots of people around and you could just say, “Edgar,” and he would say, “Yeah?”

MC: “Edgar where are you, I have a question.”

JS: You just felt so close to him, and that was such a great, awesome thing coming from this guy working on this big, kind of overwhelmingly scary movie. You always felt like he was close and focused on you and what you needed.

You felt that way too, Michael?

MC: Yeah, all through the shoot. Edgar would have this little hand-held monitor that he would hold and just sit right behind the camera instead of being over sitting at his chair. So he was always right there, on the ground. It was really nice.

Did he give each of you the 10 things, the list that’s secret and that’s your motivations that nobody’s supposed to know? How did that help you and can you tell us some of them.

MC: It was very helpful. He gave me mine the night before shooting. So instead of something to develop it was something to just get you ready to jump in and inspire you.

So you didn’t know any of them before hand?

MC: No. The night before, it was just to get into the spirit the night before. It was great. There were really great things on there. I wish I had remembered all of them for the sake of these interviews, but the one that really stays in my head is that Scott, in his mind, is the star of his own movie. This movie is, in a way, existing in his own mind. This is his weird perception of the world around him.

And what about you [Jason]? Do you remember one of yours?

JS: One that I really liked was just that Gideon is very passive aggressive, and so he’s not overtly evil. He smiles a lot, just kind of “kill ‘em with kindness,” but you can feel that it’s not sincere almost instantly.

The screening at Comic Con can either make a film or break a film, and obviously, I was at the screening, people loved it so much that I have to see it again because I could barely hear some of the lines. It was such an amazing experience. How did that feel to feel that kind of love and acceptance for your film?

MC: Amazing. I was a little worried, you know, that’s a very scary frying pan to jump into. People who loved the books and were instantly…well, they have expectations and they want to be wowed. But, you know, they were on our side right from the beginning. Edgar really got them on our side in a really good way. He gave a really good panel where he didn’t disappoint. He was very in control and funny and that immediately got them on our side. And then he surprised them with the treat of seeing the movie and then, you know, he had Dan The Automator and Kid Koala DJing while they were sitting in their seats, which was amazing. So it was a real event, it was more than just a movie. The theater was a big, beautiful theater, a 1,300 seat theater, and pretty full, and they were just ready for a fun movie experience. They were right in the right place. He’s smart. He made them happy and they were on our side.

JS: I feel like if Edgar hadn’t directed this movie he’d be the first person in line at it and he would have been at that Comic Con screening. He’s a member of his own audience. He wanted to make them like this movie.

The music was really cool in this, and you’re [Jason] a musician.

JS: So is Michael.

So did you [Jason] help him [Michael] or did you know your stuff on the guitar?

MC: Well, we had a guy named Chris Murphy who was kind of our musical coach. He’s from Sloane, a Canadian band. And he spent a lot of time with me, Mark [Webber] and Alison [Pill], Johnny Simmons, just making us feel confident playing because we had to play in front of the crew and in front of the big audience Mark had never played guitar, Alison had never played drums, I had never performed music.

I’d only seen you singing with your acoustic guitar in Juno. No electric guitar.

MC: Yeah, that was really helpful. It was also really nice for us all to get to know each other. Spend that time together, learn those songs, which were great. It was fun.

Did you’re experience in the music industry give you any insight to basing Gideon on anyone you’d met along the course of your ride through that business?

JS: No, I racked my brain, I racked my brain.

MC: I racked…my brain.

JS: Maybe I wasn’t creative enough with my thinking but I kind of just scanned my memory for anyone who was exactly like Gideon and I didn’t find anybody.

MC: It took five hours to do the scan.

JS: Yeah, I scanned every single person and I’ve never met anyone like Gideon. As in any industry you meet some people who don’t mean what they say, but we always had older A&R [Artists and repertoire] guys. We never had a young whippersnapper-type guy, so not really. I was basing him more like on, I’m going to say this, and then don’t just like judge it, “you totally failed.” But like Swan in Phantom of the Paradise, and like Z-Man in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, kind of more like a 70s kind of like Phil Spector-y…those kind of producer stars. You know what I mean? Not really many of them now. Maybe like Mark Robson is one.

MC: Rick Reubens.

JS: Rick Rubin, yeah.

MC: Rubin. Reubens.

JS: Rubin, yeah.

MC: Reubens.

JS: Yeah. Rick Paul Reubens. Slick Rick Paul Reubens. Grace Slick Paul Reubens. Amazing Grace Slick Paul Reubens. The Amazing Grace Slick Paul Reubens.

A lot of people…

JS: The Amazing Grace Slick Paul Ruben’s Place. The Amazing Grace Slick Paul Ruben’s Place…

Okay! A lot of people are saying that this is very much the first of it’s[Michael looks like he is about to add] No! A lot of people are saying that this is the first of its kind. In a world of things people have seen before, or not that many original ideas, especially within comic books, this is completely new. Are you going to be pissed if people start ripping you off or are you going to find it endearing or sweet when you see people trying to do what was just done.

MC: I wouldn’t be surprised if people are inspired by Edgar as a filmmaker, but it would be the same. He’s got his own voice, I think. So I’d be surprised if people tried to imitate him, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he inspired people to make movies and find their own voice.

JS: Bill Hader said right after the screening that this is the kind of film a 13-year-old kid sees and then they get a camera and they make a bunch of movies in their backyard.

How did you guys come to the project initially?

MC: It kind of fell in my lap, really. I was just in the right place at the right time. I had a meeting with Mark Platt about it, I met with Edgar, and Edgar was really enthusiastic about me being in it, which was amazing. It’s so nice to hear that from a director you respect, that they want to work with you. It’s so nice, and to have an opportunity to work with a director that you love. And I loved the graphic novel too, so it just presented itself and was just an amazing opportunity.

Were you familiar with the book before?

MC: Yeah, before I had heard they were making a movie.

And you, Jason?

JS: Edgar Wright was in Los Angeles, we had the opportunity to meet with him, which was really exciting for me. During that meeting he talked about that he was adapting these books. He never said, “and I’m thinking of you,” he just told me he was doing it. And I said, “Oh, that sounds great.” So I bought the books, and I read them and I just liked them, and I was really excited for Edgar, “he’s going to be great when he directs these.” And then I heard you [Michael Cera] were involved, and I was like, “that’s going to be so great!” I was just excited about it, Michael, Edgar, so cool! And then, like six months later, Edgar called me and said, “Hey, would you like to meet for coffee?” and I said, “Yeah, absolutely.” And while we were there he reached in his bag and took out Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

MC: The script.

JS: Slid it over to me and said, “Would you be Gideon Graves?” and it was so exciting. And, honestly, I just put my hand on it and said, “Yes.”

MC: You didn’t even read the script.

JS: It was all I needed. Michael, Edgar, Scott Pilgrim – there’s like three people I would do that for.

Can you guys talk about doing the whole climactic fight scene? Mary and Ellen were saying it was almost like filming a separate movie from the rest of the movie because you were on the set for so long and it was such a long process to get that scene.

MC: It was a long time. There was that big pyramid which they kept deconstructing and we had to get up on top of, and just a lot to figure out. A lot for Bill Pope, the cinematographer, and Edgar and Marcus Roland, the production designer, just so many things to figure out, and I’m glad it wasn’t my job. We just had to show up and do these moves that we would learn sometimes on the spot, on the day.

JS: I kept thinking I would do these scenes and then be driving home and be like, “I’m doing this, this is great. Michael has done six of these before I had even arrived in Toronto.” So it’s like, “How’s he doing it?” It took a long time to shoot, I’ve done whole movies in the time it took us to do this fight scene, you know what I mean? You do a low budget movie and the amount of time is like three-and-a-half weeks. It’s a long period of time to focus on one scene. It was amazing, it was such an awesome experience.

Michael, you’re in almost every scene, you have so much work. Is this more work than you’ve done in any film? How did you keep it together?

MC: Absolutely. We just had to cram. We had already shooting for so long we couldn’t take any time. There was no hiatus or anything. So, you know, try and get sleep, watch a lot of movies with Michael Bacall late at night in my apartment. Played a lot of Nintendo together. I had friends around, it was fun. They had a physio-therapy masseuse that came to set that would work people’s backs. They treated us pretty decently. They took care of us. It was grueling but it was always fun and I was always happy to be there. I was sad to leave.

Can you talk about, without the honesty of your relationship for how crazy everything gets it’s so important that we actually believe your relationship with everybody else. Can you talk about establishing those and the importance of that for your character?

MC: I think that’s very important. I was so amazed when I saw the movie how well that worked, how well Edgar pulls that off. He does that so well in all of his films. In Shaun of the Dead you totally get hit by the emotion of it, and it really grounds the movie, it’s what makes him special. There are a lot of people who are capable of making really funny comedies, which I think he does incredibly, but he’ll always leave you feeling something afterwards. They always really resonate because there was something in there that was really true, whether it be a story about friendship, like Shaun of the Dead with the two friends, Nick Frost at the end. Or even his step-father, the thing with Bill Nighy, I think he realizes the value of that in cinema and does it really, really beautifully. It was in good hands.

So have you guys had a chance to read book six?

MC: I haven’t. Have you?

JS: I haven’t.

MC: I’ve signed a few copies and I was flipping through them at Comic Con and it looks amazing. There’s just a page where it’s just two blank pages in the book.

Mary [Elizabeth Winstead] and Ellen [Wong] have read it so you’ve have to catch up.

JS: Well, girls tend to read things quicker than us. That’s my experience from high school. “Have you done summer reading?” “Yeah, I did it in June.” “Oh.”

MC: “I started in June.”

What is it about the two of you that works so well together? What do you like about each other as human beings?

JS: I just like being around Michael. He’s a great guy. I don’t want to say too much, it’s too embarrassing. Next question.

MC: I like Jason a lot. We’re getting to travel together.

What do you guys have coming up next?

MC: The only thing I know that I’m going to be doing is promoting this movie for the next little while and then hopefully find a job that I feel as much love for as this one, hopefully.

JS: I’m going to promote this movie for a little while and then I’m going off to promote this show Bored to Death, and then kind of wait to see. You have to wait a little while to see if it gets picked up again.

What can you tell people that aren’t into videogames or comics to go see it?

MC: If you love movies and you love really fun movie-going experiences this is a really fun one. It’s fun to see with a crowd and I think it’s really satisfying. Afterwards you feel really good. I couldn’t wait to see it again.

JS: Yeah, I think it’s just a really unique movie. There aren’t a lot of movies with this kind of tone where it’s really funny, and really awkward, and you’re like “did someone just say what I think they just said?” and then there’s romance, and then there’s a musical number. It’s just so exuberant and it’s got a spirit of total freedom and it’s just like a giant, fun time. It’s like running through a crowd of people trying to hug you all the time.

MC: Like taking a people bath. Taking a youcuzzi.