Up Next – Fred Claus: Paul Giamatti recently wrapped work on the comedy movie Fred Claus opposite Vince Vaughn, an actor known for loving to improvise. Giamatti said everything about that movie was pretty much improv’d. “I had never done something like that,” explained Giamatti. “I had never done something purely improvised like that, but I figured that was what the thing was going to be and so it would be fun to go with it. You know, it’s not my preferred way of working because I’m too paranoid to do that, but it was fun. It ended up being a lot of fun. I mean, once I really got the hang of it, it was actually really enjoyable.
He can just go, that guy. You just kind of follow him around and you figure it out, and then it was actually really fun. I wouldn’t have known what to do if they’d given me lines, actual lines to say. I wouldn’t have known what to do so it ended up being good. I mean, that thing was fun. It was a big, giant thing with big sets and all that kind of stuff. But it was good. The director was great – David Dobkin. We had a good time. I don’t know what it’s going to be like, but we had a good time.”
Giamatti plays the jolly old elf himself: Santa Claus. Explaining his take on the character Giamatti said, “It’s Santa Claus, but just a kind of overworked, neurotic guy who is working too hard. A compulsive eater who has ulcers and stuff like that. The idea was to make him like a guy who is just running a giant company. Stressed out and stuff like that. Just make him a real guy who happens to be Santa Claus. That was the idea. Prematurely white hair and stuff like that.”
Also in the Works – Pretty Birds: “We are doing that now,” said Giamatti. “We are doing it in New Jersey, unfortunately. It just takes four hours to get to New Jersey from here. But, it’s unbelievable to get over there. I thought it was going to be much easier. It’s like the worst thing I’ve ever done in my life. I thought this would be an easy job. But that’s based on a real story on these guys who invented a jet pack – a rocket belt - and the three of them started stealing it from each other and one of them ended up killing the other one. It’s funny though. (Laughing) It’s very funny. Billy Crudup is in it, playing the other guy. I play the guy who actually built it who is a real guy who is in prison now for life because he killed the other guy.”
Asked if the belts really work Giamatti replied, “The belts? The actual belts? People have them. We actually had a guy who flies them in Colorado for sporting events. They only go up for 30 seconds. They are the most useless thing in the world. But we had him come out and actually fly in them. It’s insane. It’s the craziest looking thing I’ve ever seen in my life. So, they exist and people do them, but they are dangerous as hell. You can burn yourself horribly.”
What’s Up with the Bubba Nosferatu Rumors?: Giamatti says he hopes to be involved in that film. “You know, I would really like to do that. Did you ever see Bubba Hotep? Great movie. And that director, I love that guy’s movies. All the Phantasm movies and stuff. But we are trying to do it. Ossie Davis, yeah, yeah.”
Would Bruce Campbell be reprising his role as Elvis Presley? “Well Bruce Campbell was waffling around about whether he wants to play Elvis or not again. So, that’s the problem. I mean, I’m playing Colonel Parker which will be great, but you’ve got to have Elvis. You really want him playing Elvis so, hopefully, we can get him to do it. If not, I’m sure they will try and find somebody else. But I think it’s contingent on whether he’ll do it or not. It’s a great script - a completely insane script. Yeah, and I would love to do that because I love that other movie. It’s a great movie.”
