Nephew of the travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux, and the cousin of writers and TV presenters Louis and Marcel, Justin Theroux made his film debut in 1996, in Mary Harron’s I Shot Andy Warhol. As well as many stage productions, he has also starred in a string of film comedies, such as Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, The Baxter, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, Broken Hearts Club and Zoolander. He has also tackled more serious films, such as American Psycho, Strangers With Candy and Miami Vice, and two films for David Lynch, Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire. In 2006, he directed his first film, Dedication, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Theroux co-wrote the Ben Stiller-directed Oscar-nominated film Tropic Thunder. In 2008, he played John Hancock in the HBO mini-series John Adams and also wrote the screenplay for the 2010 film Iron Man 2. In director David Gordon Green’s comedy fantasy Your Highness he plays Leezar, an evil virgin wizard who kidnaps a princess as part of his bid to enslave a kingdom…
Do you prefer acting, directing or writing?
Writing is probably more satisfying and directing I have only done once but I would like to do some more. It is deeply satisfying to make all the decisions, but writing at the moment has been very nice and cool. Acting is just more concentrated fun, especially on something like this where it is such a fun comedy. And it is really fun. It’s one of those things where you read the script and it’s such a good idea, a no-brainer.
Was it difficult not playing too broad and arch?
Yeah, although the thing that is fun about this movie, and the tone that David is keeping, is that is that it is not too broad, not like a Mel Brooks movie. So hopefully the film will be an interesting story in itself. There are a couple of scenes which are really well thought out and well written so if I was to fall into the trap of trying to ease some jokes out of the scenes it would take actually take some of the jeopardy out and make it a little tiresome. I think my character, above all of them, has to remain as serious as possible. The comedy is more situational, and the actions he has to take are fun, as opposed to the things he says or does and that’s something that is carried out throughout the whole film. It just happens to be a movie where they talk about masturbation and things that would never be talked about in, say, The Clash Of The Titans.
How did you get on board?
I was just finishing up Iron Man 2 and David Gordon Green and Danny McBride both called. I have worked with Danny before and I have worked with a bunch of the Southern crew that they roll with, so I guess that they just had the idea to call me and ash whether I would like to do something with them. I said, ‘Of course’ and they sent me the script to read. A lot of movies are fun but every movie has it’s own tone to it and this is probably one of the silliest things I’ve done.
Did you have much input into the character?
Yes, although I defer a lot to Danny because he is a real funny guy and I respect the way he writes stuff. A lot of it wouldn’t be in line with my dramatic sensibility but because there is a bluntness to his writing which is really fun to do, I try to respect that as much as possible. And if then he asks me to have input into the character and help to construct some of the scenes I am totally happy to be there and we have hatched out some stuff, like trying to figure out what the guy’s motivations are and why he wants to do stuff. The idea that Leezar is a virgin came up through us talking. He has never had sex and so that ups the stakes for the character immediately. It all leads up to this moment at the end of the movie where Leezar has to impregnate this girl; I thought it would be fun to call it the ‘fuckening’ so that’s one of my little bonbons that I have added to the script, but apart from that not much else.
Have you spoken to David Lynch recently?
I saw him about a month ago at an exhibit and we have been talking over on the phone. I am not sure what he is going to be doing. I think he is going to teach a class at one point but I don’t think he has retired from making movies!
Would you like to work with him again?
Yes. Working with David is really, really fun – as fun as a film this. Honestly! It’s just that the product is so much stranger. Lots of times when you are inside it, it is just as light and just as funny. He is a really, really funny guy. He is properly funny. You laugh a lot with David and then you see the movie and it looks unlike anything that you have shot. It’s like, ‘It was such a fun day but now it is such a depressing scene!’ I don’t know what he has planned but of course I’d love to work with him again.
You said you’d like to direct more in the future. What kind of stuff?
I have been working on something for HBO, which I am the director of, with Steve Coogan [Documental]. I think I’d like to do a comedy. When we did Tropic Thunder Ben [Stiller] was really such a good director. It was fun watching him direct and that is what is great about the action comedy genre, because you get to scratch the edge of doing big huge movies but you don’t have to deliver on drama. I’d like to something like that, an action comedy.
Your Highness is on general release right now.
