Jason Segel, from "How I Met Your Mother" and "Freaks and Geeks" fame, wrote and stars in the latest comedy from the Judd Apatow factory, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
Segel had a recent stop in the Valley, where he sat down with The State Press to talk about his comic influences, co-stars Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis and, of course, his nude scene.
State Press: Who were your comic influences growing up?
Jason Segel: When I was 12 years old, I faked sick. My mother said, "Alright, you can stay home on one condition." She made me sit down and watch "Harold and Maude" and "Being There."
So, I guess, my first comic influence was my mother.
And my second was probably (director) Hal Ashby and that was my first introduction to Peter Sellers who is my comic idol.
If I could be half as good as Peter Sellers, I'd be a happy man. And "The Muppet Show" was huge for me. I remember watching Kermit the Frog thinking I want to do that.
SP: This is the first movie you have written and this is the first movie Nicholas Stoller has directed, so did you have any apprehension?
JS: I was scared at first for myself and for Nick. Frankly, we were both really new at this. But Nick has been a friend of mine for eight years and one thing I knew is that we were in this s---- together.
Nick and I both supported each other really well. Nick is a great writer in his own right and (he) did a ton of work on this script with me. There were things that I knew about being on set that Nick hadn't experienced, just because I have been acting for ten years.
SP: What's your personal history with breakups?
JS: I had a naked breakup, which was the impetus for that (nude) scene.
I got dumped once while naked. While I was desperately trying to pay attention during this breakup, all I kept thinking was this was hilarious and I can't wait to put this in a movie someday, which is probably part of my problem with relationships — I'm observing when I should be experiencing.
She called me from the airport after she got back from a trip and said, 'I need to come see you,' which I thought meant, "I need to have sex with you."
So, when she arrived at my house, I was waiting there naked.
And she looked at me and said, 'We need to talk.' And everyone knows what that means and then this breakup commenced.
SP: And with your nude scene, you are not shy?
JS: I wouldn't have done it if it were a "hacky" joke.
It does two things. One, it shows someone at their most vulnerable and most raw. It is a funny layer to what otherwise is a very dramatic scene.
The other thing (relates) to romantic comedies. The thing I don't like about them and — men especially don't like about them — is you know how a romantic comedy is going to go from the moment you sit down. Here's the main guy, here's the main girl. There's going to be some sort of obstacle between them and then they'll end up together, right?
Men kind of take their girlfriends to these things with the roll of the eye. And what I wanted to do was right from the outset of this movie make you throw away your expectations of what you think was going to happen and just sit back and just take it in.
SP: Your co-stars Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell, how were they on the set?
JS: Unbelievable.
These two girls came in and were just fearless. They attacked the improv and they held their own (and) beyond. They were better than all of us were.
Kristen had a difficult role. The movie suffers if she's just the unlikable cheating girlfriend, and she brought such three-dimensionality to that character.
Mila as well could have been the beautiful charming new girl, but she played it layered and troubled and we were so blessed with the cast.
SP: There were many funny characters who added a lot to the movie. When you were writing the script, was that something you wanted to focus on?
JS: We cast hilarious people. We cast the net out (and asked) who wants to do a guest spot in this movie, which is not difficult because we were shooting in Hawaii.
Paul Rudd said he could do something, Jonah (Hill) said he could do something and (Jack) McBrayer said he could so something, and from there, we let them create their own parts.
So, I would like to take credit for it, I have to say those guys came in (and did it).
SP: Sarah's new boyfriend, played by Russell Brand, was something else. Where did you find this guy?
JS: Russell walked into audition (and) none of us have heard of him before.
He was visiting L.A. from England where he's a huge star, but I didn't know that at the time.
The part was a straight-laced British author, like a young Hugh Grant-type.
And Russell Brand came just like he is in the movie. That's him in real life, and (he) was so wildly funny that Nick and I just decided it was worth it just to rewrite the movie and make him a rock star so we could work with this guy, because he's clearly (on the) verge (of) being a huge star.
SP: Any advice for anyone going through a tough breakup? Going to Hawaii seems like a great idea.
JS: Going to Hawaii is the worst idea, I found out. Funny you said that.
You think it would be a great idea, however, you arrive in Hawaii and you are immediately surrounded by couples and honeymooners and families.
There are no single women anywhere in Hawaii.
Do not go to Hawaii if you've just been dumped.
You'll be miserable.
Reach the reporter at: jeffrey.mitchell@asu.edu.
"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" comes out in theaters on April 18. It's rated R for sexual content, language and some graphic nudity.
