We chat to Ricky Gervais on the set of Muppets Most Wanted to find out more about the film…
This interview contains a spoiler for a costume that Ricky Gervais wears in Muppets Most Wanted.
Well have, as a result, a lot more on the film for you in the weeks ahead.
Turns out the room belongs to one of the stars of the film, Ricky Gervais.
And turns out too that hes wearing a lima costume, for some reason.
On then with the interview…
Can we start we how you got involved?
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I remember where I was.
I was in Scandanavia.
And I said no at first, because I just couldnt do it.
I was worried about doing press for that, and I was about to start directingLifes Too Short.
And they said we can make this work, we can make this work.
So I havent had a day off since Christmas!
[this interview took place in March 2013].
I went from finishingDerek, doing this mini-tour… but Im so glad.
I was also worried about letting people down.
That I wouldnt doDerekjustice, I wouldnt doLifes Too Shortjustice.
I thought Id be doing three things half-heartedly, as opposed to one at a time.
Theyve been really accommodating.
They even created a hiatus in the middle of filming for me to doLifes Too Short.
And Im so glad I did it.
Because every day is funny.
I have loved the Muppets for about 35 years.
So I thought theres something about this, theres something else about this kids show.
This isnt a kids show.
This film in particular, the comedy is certainly on two levels, as they say.
Theres something in it for… well, I dont know what an adult means really.
Ive never grown up.
Particularly men men never grow up!
Im laughing all the time on set, Im just talking to a frog!
If someone said whats your best day, Id say spending time with the talking frog.
So whats with the lima costume youre wearing?
I can explain it, yes, as opposed to it being my weird foible!
Im doing the film, but dressed as a lima!
That or no deal!
This is a costume for the film, yes, and not my own.
Im a master criminal, and the lima.
Thats all I can tell you.
Its actually quite comfortable its like a babygrow, a onesie.
Im having a great time.
The guys are funny.
The operators theyre actors and comedians, great puppeteers, but sometimes I just dont look at them.
Theyre probably my first love anyway.
And the personification of animals, it should almost be illegal.
Its too instantly funny, its too good.
I do a lot of it in my stand-up.
My first stand-up was calledAnimals.
So when you might make one talk, Im a sucker for it.
Having said that, its a great film as well.
This is not a silly little knockabout thing with a tie-in.
Its a big Hollywood movie.
Youve seen the sets, the amount of production that goes into it.
I watch it every year.
Its already one of the greatest stories ever told, given that its Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol.
And the only way you could improve that is to put Muppets in it.
Basically, Im in my element!
Hows the singing and dancing?
There are little bits.
Theres one big number between me and Constantine.
Im okay at singing!
Im a pretty good singer actually, as a failed pop star!
That doesnt phase me.
[Sighs] That sends a chill down my spine.
I dont know if youve seenThe Office, where David Brent dances: thats the peak of my powers.
Thats as good as it can be.
Luckily in this, its written that its meant to be awkward, and that I dont like it!
But I think I got away with it.
Its meant to be fun.
Its a joke as well.
But Ive never done anything like this really!
Well, the first Muppet I met was Elmo actually.
Not part of this gang!
But I didSesame Streeta few years ago, and Ive cited that as the highlight of my career.
And Ive worked with Bowie and De Niro!
Ive won Golden Globes, Ive doneThe Simpsons… but I couldnt take my eyes off him.
Again, there were no humans around this guy was a living, breathing little red furry thing.
He made me laugh, the fact that he answered back…
I dont see them when theyre slumped.
Its like I cant see them unless theyre on a hand, talking!
I think thats the important thing about creativity.
People have got to be willing to suspect their disbelief.
Particularly in comedy, and particularly for kids as well.
To remember how nice it was to be fooled.
I get that every single day.
So to answer your question: I was blown away, and the novelty hasnt worn off.
On the part of The Muppets team, they improvise quite a lot and really enjoy it.
Have you found a lot of improvisation on this set?
So you do it with little, more verbal things.
And I found this the funniest thing, that theres a frog knitting.
So we started improvising.
I asked him is that a present for someone?, and he goes maybe.
I just smirked to myself as if the frog is knitting me a scarf!
Everythings problem solving: every day theres hours of problem solving.
With things likeThe OfficeandDerek, of an eight hour day, seven hours of it is acting.
Whereas here, one hour is acting, and its seven hours of how do we do that?.
Its a very different process.
I think its about the Muppets.
Theres no room for ego if youre in a Muppet movie!
I couldnt be a diva anyway.
One, Im dressed as a lima.
And two, I cant help but smile when theres a fucking talking frog!
Have you heard that Walter does an impression of you yet?
Hes just a little… a bit too goody-goody, Walter.
And he hasnt got a nose!
Can you tell us about the scenes you shot in Ireland?
What happened when you all turned up there?
I dont want to diss anyone, but I had a similar experience.
I didAlias, with Jennifer Garner.
And there, it was meant to be Ireland, and there were a lot of flat caps.
Its a bit like that 1960s Ireland.
Everythings a bit heightened.
It looks amazing, looks beautiful, but its fairytale Ireland.
Where do you get your comedy inspiration?
Ive no idea, Ive no idea.
I like realism, I like human behaviour.
Ive done surreal stuff, and deconstructed nature a lot withFlanimals.
But animal comedy, to a certain extent, is undermining a societal norm.
But I think my best results come with real life, real people, the minutiae of human behaviour.
The excruciating social faux pas.
I think thats more universal, and it gives you a scope for drama as well.
Its about whats inside, rather than whats happening around you.
Everything Ive done has come from character first.
Then I had to think about what would be the best place for him: an office.Derek.
You have to have a reason to do something, and it has to have a voice.
And that comes from character.
Then you build everything around it.
I think if people feel it viscerally, almost subconsciously….
I think comedys about empathy.
Id say my inspiration is probably empathy with people.
And this will sound like Im doing a song for the United Nations, but everyones the same really.
Thats the same for everyone, it doesnt matter where you are.
And I think thats what I mean.
Does this humanitariasm extend into the film?
Do you all get redeemed?
Do I get redeemed?
I dont think I do, except I was never in charge.
I was always number two.
So Im like a pawn in the game.
But its funny you should pick on redemption: its probably my favourite theme in everything Ive done.
David Brent, you sort of forgave him because you realised his life hadnt turned out as he thought.
For all his sort of prattishness, he needed a hug.
Thats funny you should pick on that.
But its a cartoon world, so as long as our villains get their comeuppance at the end…!
Its not that manipulative.
Its not aimed at six year olds.
Its difficult to explain, but its sort of more grown up than youd imagine.
Its on two levels.
Its sort of likeThe Simpsons.
I cant understand howThe Simpsonsis for kids.
I dont know whats in it for kids.
A bald man hitting his head?
For me,The Muppetsseem more grown up.
Maybe Im just a kid!
And with that, time is called.
Ricky Gervais, thank you very much…
Muppets Most Wanted is released in the UK on March 28th.
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