Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” is clever, corny and chockfull of celebrity cameos, so it is a fun film for the entire family, with lots of innuendos that are only for the adults in the audience. But could you expect anything less with Ricky Gervais and his outrageous sense of humor as one of its stars?
In “Muppets Most Wanted,” Gervais portrays a slimy showbiz manager, who convinces the Muppets gang to head out on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most romantic destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London — despite a cautious Kermit thinking that it sounds too good to be true. Which, of course, it is.
Mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves embroiled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine — a dead ringer for Kermit and the World’s No. 1 criminal, who has escaped from the Gulag to put his nefarious plan into action, along with his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka No. 2.
At the press day for “Muppets Most Wanted,” Gervais talked about his love for the Muppets, why he was happy to star with a frog, the fun of playing a sleazy bad guy, and more. Here is what he had to say:
Were you worried at all about being in a movie musical? How did you approach it? Will there be more musicals in your future?
I was okay with singing. I’m a failed pop star. I always sneak a song into everything that I do, but dancing, a little awkward. I don’t move well, but I was with a frog, so it doesn’t matter. I will do anything with a frog. He is a great tap … no flap dancer. That is my motto. No one is going to be looking at me when we are doing that dance.
What was it like working with Constantine?
I love this guy. He looks as if — he literally has a cold exterior — he’s an amphibian — but I think I’ve melted his heart a little bit. He had a bad upbringing. He was born in a Russian pond. One of 800 siblings. Many of them dead. Eaten by fish. He came over here and we met and we bonded. We bonded over our mutual hatred of most of the other Muppets.
What do you think kids will like about the movie?
It doesn’t patronize kids. It aims high. I remember when I was a kid watching The Muppets, I had older brothers and sisters and they were laughing, so I saw that it was cool, as well as good for me, so I think kids relate to that. They like things that adults like.
Do you care about reviews at all?
Yeah, you like it when they get it. If you only believe the good ones and don’t believe the bad ones, then, I think, that is a slippery slope. The best thing to do is celebrate the people who like the film and know that it was made for them. I don’t do anything for reviews, or the audience, or awards, you do it for yourself if I am being totally honest, and, of course, like-minded people. But it’s crazy. If you are worried about pleasing everyone, you’re not going to please anyone, and it will send you mad.
I would love it get good reviews. I’d be lying if I said otherwise. You really mustn’t worry about it. It will drive you crazy. Having said that, just say f–kin’ nice things about it. Not for me, but for the kids.
You’ve been a manager for a rock band, and now you’re portraying a manager, what did you get from this experience?
Oh, yes, because I’m pretending to be a sleazy L.A. agent — not that there are any sleazy L.A. agents. It was quite nice playing a slime ball, a villain. I quite like that. I like playing flawed characters, it is fun. It is sort of an exorcism. You’re saying, “See, I’m not really like that myself.”
The Muppets did what I tried to do in “Extras” many years before – take famous people and let them make fools of themselves. Doing stuff like this and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” you enjoy it and you want to be worse because you are sort of saying, “Look, I can’t be like that or I couldn’t be joking about it.” I think that’s why they want to do it in a way. So, it was great fun for me. I have loved The Muppets for 35 years.
What did it do for your street cred to be working with The Muppets?
I haven’t got children but when I found out I was doing this film, I went and hung around schools telling them … just at playtime. “Hey kid, you don’t know who I am yet, but … you’re going to be impressed.”
Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” also stars Tina Fey as Nadya, a feisty prison guard, and Ty Burrell as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon. The film is directed by James Bobin and produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Bobin wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller, who is also executive producer with John G. Scotti. Featuring music from Academy Award®-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie, “Muppets Most Wanted” hits the big screen March 21, 2014.
The post “Muppets Most Wanted” Star Ricky Gervais on Being Mean Instead of Green also appeared on PCM Reviews.