Perhaps best known for playing geeky, genial types in the likes of Scott Pilgrim Vs The World and Juno , Michael Cera is taking a darker turn with his latest role – in dark psychological thriller Magic Magic .
Screening in the Director’s Fortnight strand of Cannes 2013, Sebastián Silva’s film sees young American traveller Alicia (Juno Temple) start to lose her grip on reality during a road trip across southern Chile with her best friend ( Sucker Punch ’s Emily Browning) and the increasingly sinister Brink (Cera).
“He has real authorship over his work and that’s exciting to work with – someone who has clear ideas and doesn’t compromise,” said Cera of Chilean director Silva when Total Film caught up with him on the Croisette.
“Sebastian sent me the script and it was just a great character,” Cera continued. “It had a very different feeling and the script was so playful – every scene has some fun, weird idea in it. It was a good excuse to learn Spanish and get weird, you know…”
We also quizzed the actor about whether he might possibly reteam with his Scott Pilgrim director Edgar Wright for upcoming Marvel adap, Ant-Man . “I’d do anything – I’d be on set with him any day he wanted me to be,” laughed Cera.
“For me [ taking on a role ] depends on what the movie is and who the director is. Edgar is the most focused and careful filmmaker I’ve ever worked with. He’s a very specific engineer and has a wonderful sense of craftsmanship. I actually just got to see his new movie [The World’s End]… It may be my favourite of his. It’s got all of his control and his muscle as a director, but it also has this looseness, with this great cast – it feels so spontaneous somehow…”
Magic Magic opens in the UK this August.
