INTERVIEW: Jason Segel Fools Hollywood
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Created: Tuesday, 15 November 2011 07:36
- Published: Tuesday, 15 November 2011 07:36
- Written by Lupe Haas
Jason Segel helped bring THE MUPPETS back to life on the big screen, but his biggest trick was getting an Academy Award winning actor to rap and sing in the Disney movie.
As a huge fan of the Muppets since childhood, Jason Segel spearheaded the move to bring back the famous puppets for a fourth movie. The "How I Met Your Mother" and Forgetting Sarah Marshall star helped write the script and became an executuve producer, bringing in "Flight of the Conchords" creator James Bobin as director and Get Him To The Geek writer/director Nicholas Stoller on board to co-write the script.Jason also had a big hand in casting the lead roles. Jason and Kermit wooed Amy Adams with a singing performance on DVD to inspire the three-time Academy Award nominated actress to join THE MUPPETS as Jason's leading lady (sorry Mr. Piggy). For the role of Tex Richman, the villain of the film, Jason approached Academy Award-winning actor Chris Cooper (Best Supporting Actor, Adaptation). Jason told CineMovie, he knew he had pulled the greatest trick ever one day on set of THE MUPPETS when Chris Cooper did his musical number with the famous Muppets.
"When Chris Cooper started rapping and dancing, I privately thought to myself - 'Wow, I really tricked everyone!' First of all, I'm working with the Muppets in a new movie. I've got an Academy Award winning villain rapping and dancing... it just seemed like this is the craziest thing that's happened."
There was another day on set that he counts as "the greatest moment" of his life. On the day of his thiry-first birthday, the production closed down Hollywood Boulevard for the final musical number in the film which had thousands of extras and all of the Muppets gathered in one scene. When he stepped out into the set, the Muppets and crew sang Happy Birthday to the birthday boy. He called that night a "special night."
As his five-year journey to return to Muppets to their former glory comes to fruition on opening day, Jason isn't nervous. The great word-of-mouth surrounding the movie, according to THE MUPPETS star, makes him feel at ease.
THE MUPPETS is in movie theatres November 18, 2011.