Joining "Dodgeball" stars Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Justin Long, Stephen Root, Rip Torn, Missi Pyle, and Jamal E. Duff for the movie's World Premiere in Los Angeles, Williams and Moore kept with the team spirit as they paired up to answer questions before taking in the special screening.
CHRIS WILLIAMS AND JOEL DAVID MOORE INTERVIEW:
Did either of you suffer any dodgeball injuries?
CHRIS WILLIAMS: Those balls leave big welts. We got a couple of good hits but we don’t know if they made it into the movie.
How would you describe the team you play for in "Dodgeball?"
JOEL DAVID MOORE: We’re the underdogs, but you know what happens in the end? The underdogs always win.
Why dodgeball?
MOORE: We’re not the type of characters who could go and enter a basketball competition, or go and enter a football competition. We had to pick a sport we could do.
What are your own personal dodgeball memories?
MOORE: I was the guy who spent most of my time sucking my thumb in the corner. I was very small, very small. I think I spent the last decade trying to wipe it from my memory.
How will this movie impact the sport of dodgeball?
MOORE: What "Fight Club" did for fighting, "Dodgeball" will do for dodgeball.
What type of training did you go through?
MOORE: We had an intense two weeks of training. At least we’re both athletic guys, we thought nothing of it. But by the end of the two weeks, we literally could not play for the muscle aches. We’re popping Advil. It’s all on the screen. Everything you see is real – no stunts, no tricks.
Who is the absolute worst player out there?
WILLIAMS: The worst player out there… Well, you know, everyone has their hidden talents. Some were better, some were not as quick, but there’s no one that was bad. All the Globo Gym guys, they were all bad. We consistently beat them in practice.
Chris, you also have a role in “Spider-Man 2”, right?
WILLIAMS: “Spider-Man 2” and “Anchorman.”
What’s your role in “Spider-Man 2?”
WILLIAMS:It’s a scene with Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus and he’s going to blow up something – and I can’t really tell you (laughing).
So your scene was in front of blue screens?
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
What’s Sam Raimi like on the set?
WILLIAMS: It’s amazing. It’s a lot of complicated stuff going on.
Who do you play in “Anchorman?”
WILLIAMS: In “Anchorman,” I play an intern – the first African-American intern in newscasting history.
Was there a lot of ad-libbing on that film?
WILLIAMS: It was all improv, actually. It’s pretty much all improv. The director gave us a couple of little lines to work with and then we took it from there.
Did you create a backstory for your character?
WILLIAMS: Of course, you have to. I’m an actor (laughing). I was this power, militant 70s afro-wearing news anchor.
ADDITIONAL "DODGEBALL" RESOURCES:
"Dodgeball" Premiere Interviews: Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor & Stephen Root / Writer/Director Rawson Marshall Thurber / Justin Long / Premiere Guest Kimberly Brown ("Be Cool")
"Dodgeball" Photos, Credits, and Trailer
