If you’re looking for a hilarious new comedy, starring familiar faces and peppered with lots of nudity, the new movie Wanderlust hits theaters this Friday starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd!
After starring together in the 1998 movie The Object of My Affection, we already know that these two have some pretty good on-camera chemistry to make for a great film.
The movie Wanderlust is about a couple living in Manhattan who is facing unemployment, and have to move to a rural area in Georgia to make accommodations.
We caught up with Paul and Jennifer to see it was like to star together in another film, how they feel about being famous, and if there’s special pressure in doing comedy.
Check out the interview below!
What was it like to team up together again in a movie?
Jennifer Aniston: Heaven. We were so happy! It felt like no time had passed. We had also seen each other through the years, but it was just that excitement that it was going to be so comfortable and fun. Especially playing a married couple with that ease and familiarity.
Paul Rudd: Knowing that there were certain things that we wouldn’t have to create because we have the benefit of knowing each other for as long as we have. The first movie we ever worked on was ‘Object of My Affection’ and Alan Alda was in that movie too, so it was cool for us all to be hanging out again. Even though we were all playing very different parts it’s still fun to be nostalgic.
The whole idea of this couple is that they want to get away from this busy New York lifestyle and wind up in a place that is completely different. As a celebrity, do you ever want to disappear from the paparazzi and the public eye?
Jennifer: Every day! For me, shooting this movie in Clarksdale was a version of that because there was no paparazzi or secret cell phone pictures being taken. It was just this great community and amazing people. I realized how walled up I was, this protective armor I had. Not with my family or friends, but just being outside. After the first week it was just a sigh of relief. I felt like John Travolta in ‘The Boy in the Plastic Bubble’! Since then, I’ve tried to tell myself not to wall up like that because you can miss out on a lot.
How long do you think you would last in a place like Elysium? Or was there a time in your life when you would have been more open to a life like that?
Jennifer: I honestly don’t think I would last very long. I think going for a little bit could be sort of interesting.
Paul: It depends what version it is. If it’s the version in the movie? I don’t know. Because I remember being 20 and thinking wow, what a cool way to live, living communally. There’s something really cool about living off the land. And I think there’s something really healthy about living communally; I think it’s good.
Did you surprise yourself with the things that were coming out of your mouth in the mirror scene Paul?
Paul: It was just gross. That was our first day of shooting! That was the second thing we shot. And I remember vividly seeing the many faces of the crew looking like, ‘What the f*ck am I working on?’ Legitimately concerned.
Jennifer: But they ended up loving it and they had the best time.
Do you feel a pressure now to bring the comedy?
Paul: Well, there’s pressure every single time to not suck. But, now that you pointed it out…
You shot so much stuff that didn’t even make it into the movie, does that make the finished product more of a surprise for you as actors?
Jennifer: Oh God yeah. Well we haven’t seen the “Bizarro” cut, but there’s been so many incarnations of the movie. That’s what’s fun, is experiencing that sort of shock and awe.
Paul: In ‘Our Idiot Brother’ we saw you play a character that would have been very at home at Elysium. What was it like playing such a juxtaposition of characters back to back?
Paul: I looked at Justin [Theroux]’s beard and got nostalgic. I loved working on both of those movies, great experiences. And also working with friends on both of those movies, it was cool.
Do either of you believe that an open relationship could work?
Jennifer: No. For some people it’s possible, but to each his own. I think eventually it’s gonna start to not feel good.
There was a lot of nudity in this movie, how comfortable are you with nudity?
Jennifer: It was kind of easy. There’s a little bit of nerves, but then you get an adrenaline rush that takes you through it. Then you have your crew that comes and covers you up. But I got very comfortable seeing naked people because we worked with actual nudists on the set. You could tell the ones that were not authentic nudists because they were groomed. Shockingly, it was bizarre how at ease we all became with having a bunch of nudists everywhere.
Paul: You do have to focus on eye contact so you don’t look too pervy or weird.
Jennifer: Right, but that’s where sunglasses come in.
Jennifer, how do you feel about getting your own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
Jennifer: I feel very humbled, nervous and excited all at the same time. It feels very surreal. I was born here and as a kid walking and seeing all the names and to imagine that you’re going to be there too is very special.
Jennifer, your character bounces around from different careers and dreams almost every few months. For both of you, what were some aspirations you had if Hollywood didn’t work out?
Jennifer: There was the period where I wanted to be a therapist if the acting thing didn’t work. That was pretty much it. I was always the girl that people would come to and talk about their problems. I still am. But I always knew that acting was something that I was gonna do, I had a good feeling about it. I was waitressing and waitressing and waitressing, I couldn’t get hired to save my life. I would do off, off Broadway shows, but I was like at least there’s a “Broadway” in there!
Paul: I just did shows that were awf-awf-awful!
