The State Press recently spoke with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who previously worked together in films such as “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz.” Now they're teamed up again for the new science-fiction comedy “Paul,” a film about two middle-age nerds who meet an alien in the desert.
The State Press: Where did you guys come up with the idea for this movie?
Simon Pegg: We were shooting “Shaun of the Dead” and the weather was terrible. Our producer said, “Wouldn’t it be great to make a film where it didn’t rain?” And that was that. We came up with this idea about two guys in a desert, which became Nevada, which became Area 51 because of my love for UFO mythology. It wasn’t a big leap to “Paul. ” The film is about being alien. But it isn’t Paul who is the alien. It is Graeme and Clive, these two British tourists who find themselves in this foreign land who hook up with a mystical figure in a “Ferris Bueller” sense.
SP: In the past you two have typically worked with director Edgar Write. For “Paul” however, you turned to Greg Mottola of “Superbad” and “Aventureland.” Is there a reason why you went with Mottola over Write?
Simon Pegg: We wanted to give the movie an American sensibility so we wanted to work with an American director. Edgar’s directorial style is very present and has an amazing connected style. This film didn’t need that. It had to be more laid back and retrained. If you saw Paul in an Edgar Write film, he’d fit in because Edgar’s style is so hyperrealist. We wanted to offset the extraordinary appearance of Paul against a bleach American landscape.
SP: Your characters in the film are really die-hard fan boys. Do you think they resemble yourselves in real life at all?
Simon Pegg: There’s a bit of us in every character we do. Graeme and Clive are us at our most enthusiastic about UFO mythology. But we’re not as low functioning as them.
Nick Frost: Part of the joke is that Paul meets the two guys who are most desperate to meet him. We felt qualified to play these characters because we go to Comicon for fun. We don’t just go for work.
SP: Is there a funny story about how you two first met?
Simon Pegg: We bonded over the voices of probe-mates in “Star Wars.”
Nick Frost: Simon made this probe-mate noise. And that was it. I knew exactly what he was doing and I liked it.
SP: Whose idea was it to have Seth Rogen provide the voice of Paul?
Simon Pegg: When we wrote the script we didn’t have Seth Rogen in mind. We thought maybe an old man like Rip Torn throughout the writing. But the studio wanted somebody more comedy relevant. So we made a list and they had a list. Seth was on both lists and it made perfect sense.
SP: Is there any possibility that Nick will appear in the next “Star Trek” movie with you, Simon?
Simon Pegg: Probably not. We like working together but we don’t come as a pair. We’ve done as much stuff apart as we have together. We’ll always work together if we can though.
Nick Frost: I’m happy that Simon goes off and does his little things on the side. I like “Star Trek.” I like watching him in “Star Trek.” I wouldn’t like watching me in “Star Trek.” But if somebody offered me a million dollars to do it, maybe I’d do it.
Simon Pegg: I think he’d make a terrific Harry Mudd from the original “Star Trek” series.
Reach the reporter at nspake@asu.edu
