With performances in "Scream" and "Scream 2," "Bait," and "Three Kings," Kennedy's now ready to take on the lead role in a film based on one of his characters. In "Malibu's Most Wanted," Kennedy plays B-Rad a rapper who, despite an affluent upbringing, bemoans society and busts out rhymes about his tragic life in the 'Bu.
In this one-on-one interview, Jamie Kennedy provides insight into creating the world featured in "Malibu's Most Wanted," working with a talented cast of supporting players, rap music, and even addresses the question of what will happen when he does become too recognizable.
You co-wrote the screenplay along with starring in "Malibu's Most Wanted." Where did the idea for this movie come from?
It came from a character that I did on my show, Brad Gluckman. The character was something that I always wanted to do because there are so many guys – I'm one of them – white kids that think they're black. So I thought that would be a good character to do a movie about.
How tightly scripted was "Malibu's Most Wanted?" Was there a lot of improv during filming?
We were very tight in terms of writing all the jokes that we wanted to say but then if we had other jokes, we'd write alternate lines, and then other ones that I'd just come up with off of the top of my head.
I know that Anthony Anderson loves to improv when he's filming. Did you allow him much freedom?
His whole part is improv'd. He's hilarious. I improv too, you know. Actually the whole cast did, but we wanted to have a base for people to jump off of.
Are there entire scenes that were improv'd that ended up in the film, or is it just specific jokes and lines?
It was more the dialogue within scenes. Every scene was planned out but the dialogue within that scene definitely changed a lot. Sometimes, us white guys writing this script about the black culture, we're like saying something and they'd be like, "No dude, it's hoochie." We were wrong about certain things and they'd have to correct us.
Did you feel any extra pressure being the lead character and having the film center around you?
Sure, yeah, I definitely felt pressure but I didn't think about it. I was constantly working and putting my best work into the film. Rewriting jokes and adding and subtracting, just really trying to make it the best it could be. I really want people to like it.
Was there even more pressure because you also wrote it?
Yes. I'm real close to it. The whole thing started because I used to do the character in stand-up. Then this whole movie that he's in, the whole world we've created, is from that. I definitely was into it.
So you feel a lot of ownership for how the movie turns out.
I wouldn't say 'ownership.' I could never write the movie myself; I tried two or three times but I could never get past page 40. I just couldn't do it. I didn't know how to tell it. The guy that wrote the script, who created my TV show really, I owe that because they really were able to create a whole world and really populate it with a lot of different characters.
NEXT PAGE: Jamie Kennedy on Being a Romantic Leading Man, Kisses From Ryan O'Neal, and Improv on the Set
