Seth Rogen is up to more than the usual screen mischief lately, morphing from mindless mall cop to blue blob and green hornet. And the gabby funny guy had plenty to say during this interview for Monsters vs. Aliens, but proceed with caution when bringing up getting into his sexy side for that Playboy cover – the first for any man in a decade – that he shares with model Hope Dworaczyk. Because judging by Seth’s mock prudish reaction, he’s just not into talking about it. Though the grossout guru has no problem identifying with being a brainless blob in this movie, not to mention an end results kinda guy who’s more into watching than doing.
Now about that Playboy cover of yours…
SETH ROGEN: I don’t want to talk about Playboy. It’s filthy, and this is a kid’s movie! Don’t do that, man. Get your mind out of the gutter!
Okay…So what turned you on about Monsters vs. Aliens?
SR: Watching it! I’m kind of an end results guy. Like to me, it’s cool to be able to sit in a theater and see the movie in 3D. It’s just fun to have people for once in my life, of all ages, that are laughing.
When you got the call that they wanted you to do the voice of a gelatinous glob with no brain, they thought of you right away. Does that bother you?
SR: Yeah, I figured I’ve played a few gelatinous blobs with no brain! So it’s time I do it in the animated world as well as the live action one. Hey, I’m in on the joke. I get it, I was flattered more than anything.
Seth, there’s no doubt about it, you’re a funny guy no matter what you’re up to.
SR: That’s very nice of you to say!
So is it harder to be funny when you’re just a voice in a movie like Monsters vs. Aliens?
SR: I think it’s actually a lot easier to be funny. You know, when you have hundreds of geniuses that are paid to animate your every facial expression with painstaking thought and minutia. And I just kind of mosey on to the set most of the time, and spit out the lines. Then I pray something good happened!
But these guys put a lot of thought into every second of the movie that winds up in front of you. And I think that they add a lot of the humor that is in it. I would watch it and be like, man, this is hilarious. I wish I was that funny! But no, it’s them.
What was the best part of it for you?
SR: I just enjoyed the whole thing. You know, it’s fun to see yourself thrown into these worlds and hear your voice coming out of these hilarious creatures. But to try to verbalize what it might sound like to get stretched out by a monstrous shoe can become, well not that difficult!
But yeah, I enjoyed every aspect of it. It feels much more like playing than acting. You know, there is not a lot of technical aspect to it, no lights, or cameras, or physicality you have to be aware of, or other actors.
Do you ever worry about being locked into adolescent raunch with most of your movies?
SR: I am very thankful that people are allowing me to do this. And I’m kind of shocked that I’ve gotten away with it. Like I can do a movie like Observe And Report, and a movie like this. One has been described as transgressive, and the other is a delightful family romp.
But I try to do the types of movies that I like to go see. And I genuinely like to go see both of those types of movies. And being responsible for the writing of the majority of my movies, I don’t feel typecast. And if I did, I would probably write myself a different role.
What’s up with Green Hornet?
SR: As far as Green Hornet, it will be a PG-13 movie. I think it has a lot of the humor that people are used to from us, but obviously in a finessed way that more people can enjoy it. And it’s also a big action movie.
Are you a funny guy normally, offscreen too?
SR: I’m hilarious every second of the day, my friend! It’s a nonstop roller coaster of laughter. You know, it’s not like working coal mines or anything!
