JASON WINER (Panos)
Can you describe your character in this film?
I play Panos Patakos, the President of the geeky fraternity. I really get the action started when I show up and ask Van Wilder to help transform our fraternity from the scum of campus, the rejects, into something much better - guys who get laid.
The commercial with the skating rink features your party, right?
Yes, that's the big party that Van Wilder throws for my fraternity, the Lambdas. He doesn't tell anybody that he's throwing that party; he gives us complete credit that's just the kind of guy that Van is, and that's what really transforms our image. Throughout the rest of the film all you see us with is hot chicks.
Is this kind of humor, the gross-out kind, the type that you would partake in?
I know this is going to sound like a cheesy quote, okay, but what I love about this movie is that it actually balances some smart stuff and some romantic stuff, with the gross-out stuff. There's a little bit of something for everybody in it. Personally, I like the smarter stuff but there's nothing like making a big audience full of people belly laugh, and that's what the gross-out stuff does.
What was it like working on this film?
This set was so much fun. Walt Becker does an amazing job of making the set really fun and comfortable. He has an incredibly laid-back attitude. Everybody really got along great. I mean, there's a lot of party scenes and that's kind of what it was like behind the scenes.
What's next for you?
I'm in a movie with Piper Perabo called “A Piece of My Heart.” I play a completely different kind of character. I play the vaunted role of the jerky best friend character in a romantic comedy. I have the talky monologue giving the guy bad advice about women. That one's coming out probably this Fall, but we'll see.
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You worked with Ryan Reynold in "Buying the Cow" and now in this film. What is it about Ryan that attracts you to working with him?
You know, I don't know. I just think he's the next big, great comic talent. I really do. In fact one of the preconditions for me doing "Van Wilder" was I needed lead cast approval in terms of the guy being Ryan Reynolds, and if they would do it with him, then I was in. They saw a clip from my other movie and said, "Okay, go get him." I just think he's going to be a huge star. 10 years from now, I think he's going to be up in the $20 million range.
What attracted you to this film?
It's funny because I got it sent to me by a bunch of people - agents and friends - and after I read the first few pages I was like, “Oh God, a college comedy.” You know what I mean? Then I just gave the script a chance and finished it and it was not only funny, but it had a sweet quality. In a weird way I thought it was kind of like “It's a Wonderful Life” where the lead character is such a philanthropist and did everything for everybody, then got in trouble and everybody kind of rallied around him. It had kind of a sweet quality to it that you don't find in a lot of other movies.
