INTERVIEW: Russell Brand On Get Him To The Greek

Russell Brand's latest film Get Him To The Greek is set for release on Blu-ray and DVD on Wednesday 3rd November. Here is our exclusive interview with the man himself.

Have you always been wearing heels?

I’m obsessed with wearing heels, I think it’s because the elevation, like the Tower of Babel reaching skyward, challenging the gods.

Why do Get Him To The Greek?

The reason I did this movie is because I really enjoyed working with Jonah and Nick Stoller, also as a calculated career move. It made sense to be in films as opposed to not being in them, which was the other alternative.

It’s a continuation of the character from Sarah Marshall. Did you feel this is a great way to expand upon it?

Yes, it’s very easy territory for me to occupy comedically because I’m allowed to use a lot of my personal history. It’s kind of a battle, hedonistic, decadent and sort of fun things that I experienced in my own life so yes, I was very happy to do it.

What is it about a rock and roll star, I mean, from the leather pants to the hair to the attitude?

I think they represent anti-establishment and I think at the origin of rock and roll what was implicit was revolution and rebellion before the counter culture became submerged into the dominant culture. At that time you had a lot of civil rights and a lot was happening in Cuba and with feminism and I think it was an exciting time. Somehow it got aligned to these broader, more powerful ideas and there was something that was shamanistic and ritualistic about those sort of attractive Christ like figures who stood on stage, writhing, gesticulating and promising other worlds - this sort of serpentine revelry just over the horizon, bacchanalia, excess, death. You know, these things are appealing broad ideas for people, but ultimately, like all things, it became a commodity.

How difficult is it for you to play a character that is like you?

I prefer it. I enjoy revisiting the hedonism without the terrible consequences for a drug addict.

Can you talk about improvising with Jonah, Rose and with Sean?

I prefer improvising because for me, when I’ve got to do scripts, I get a bit bored of having to say the same thing again and again. Sometimes I try and invent alternative realities, endless parallel universes are infinitely happening, constant possibilities of every possible alternative to every moment of reality, so if I’m always saying the same thing twice, it’s going to do my head in. Rose Byrne is amazing to work with, she’s incredibly intelligent, and she’s got an elegant, ethereal beauty. Puffy is intense, you know, people that conjure up success from nothing, you’ve got to admire them. Jonah is very funny and sweet, he is a warm human being. So all of them, when you are improvising, you get very unique voices, they are very attractive and appealing.

And your kissing scene with Katy, were you sorry that was cut?

No, because I kiss her all the time in real life. It would have punctured the reality of our movie. I’ve never asked Nick why he cut it out, because it’s not my business but I think it’s a good idea. He’s a good director, because otherwise, the reality would be compromised, if you go over and release it, it would take over the film.

The scenes with your father in the movie how did that feel?

I think there’s a lot of biographical information that makes its way into a Judd Apatow movie. Colm Meaney is a fine actor and he’s an education to work with. I’ve written about my relationship with my dad and I suppose the fact that the drama conceptually works is because of all the dynamic of parental relationships is relatively consistent throughout all of our lives. That’s the nature of that triangle I think, so of course there are similarities.

Is the movie saying drugs are bad? In California marijuana is practical legal.

Here’s my opinion on that. Make all drugs legal, drug addiction is not a crime. It’s an illness and if you criminalize people for being ill, you just create a complicated society. It’s about the third biggest industry in the world. I refuse to believe that someone, somewhere isn’t making money out of it, something is going on. Making it criminal is sort of daft, so I guess legalizing marijuana is a step in the right direction; otherwise, criminals are in charge of it. Speaking as a drug addict from recovery, I had to go to dodgy places to score like crack houses in Bethnal Green. It’s not nice there and they’re all slumped around, people don’t look very well, they need help - the drug addicts.

What did it feel like to be on stage at the Greek theater?

It felt nice. It was good to show off, sometimes to express myself but it was very, very grueling. I’ll tell you what it’s not like, it’s not like what it looks like, seeing it in the film is not what it looks like. It’s tiring, it’s repetitive. There’s arduous long waits. When I was a child, I just saw the glistening glamorous baubles, the trinkets, the superficial appealing elements of this world, but those things aren’t real.

Are you more excited or nervous about the big day?

About marrying my wife? I call her my wife already, it’s nice. I’m quite excited about it when I think about it now, but sometimes you’re nervous, of course.

How did you propose to her?

In India, on an elephant at midnight, under a blue moon, there were flowers everywhere, men bearing torches. The ritual became so powerful and theatrical, I was overwhelmed to the point where it was difficult to speak, difficult to utter even those few words, but I had to say it to make the transition, from the life I had had to the life I have now.

Anyone who’s read your book would say that you probably don’t have very good role models for marriage, how do you make it different?

I suppose by acknowledging that all of us have responsibility for our own lives and all of us have responsibility for how we treat people and we can make a transition at any point. I care for her very much and I care for me and I wanted, not just in that relationship, but broadly I want to live a good life. I want to make people feel better. I don’t want to be part of a problem anymore.

Do you think you’ll make a good dad one day?

Yes, I hope so, I would like that. Although, sometimes I worry that if you have children you are compromised in that you might lose your social ethics, because you’ve become genetically predisposed to protect that child.

Is it good that people are talking about you or do you find the press is too much?

Well of course, right now I have a private life. I don’t enjoy the intrusion, but I have something and someone I want to protect, but this has brought out different aspects of my character.

Were you thinking about Madonna and Angelina with African Child?

Oh no, I don’t criticize people for things they’ve done, because I don’t care for people criticizing me too much, so no. I just think it’s a funny thing for someone that’s not been to Africa and apparently doesn’t care.

What was the first record you ever bought?

Some rubbish like Pinky and Perky, they were like two pigs like Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Who were the groups you started to really appreciate?

I liked The Smiths, The Smiths is what I care about…

Are you going back to England at some stage or are you staying here?

Always, I’m going back there. I’ll go see my mum.

What does Katy think of England? Does she drink tea and eat crumpets?

No, she has not adopted a ludicrous stereotype of English behavior to appease me, but I have filled the house with nationalistic iconography. There are Union Jacks everywhere and I’ve got a beefy statue in my room (laughter).