By: Izumi Hasegawa

Izumi Hasegawa: What have you been doing to workout there? Looking good!

Seth Rogen: Thank you!

IH: Now that you are looking good…

SR: Exactly, I know the implication. [Laughs] I’ve been eating right and dieting. It’s such a lame answer — no one wants to hear that. I’ve been exercising — it sucks, I hate it. I hate what I’ve become. [Laughs]

IH: Why didn’t your character call the film “Starfucks”?

SR: Starfucks — that would have been good! We probably couldn’t clear it, some legal issue. Starbucks will sue you. [Laughs]

IH: How does it feel to be the stick figure up there?

SR: It’s good. I like it. I think it’s a funny ad. I think it looks a lot like me. I think it’s startlingly like me. [Laughs]

IH: You really like that better than the headshot ad?

SR: Yeah, I don’t feel an urge to get my face up there anymore. [Laughs]

IH: No I mean the head, head…

SR: Oh the head shot. Oh no, that one’s way better [laughs], but Canada got it right yet again. Guys, c’mon, take your cues. [Laughs]

IH: What do you think brings them together romantically?

SR: In the movie? I think that it’s the unspoken love. I think a lot of people have been friends with people and they’re in love with them, and it takes an event to bring that to the surface, and in this movie, that event is making a porno movie. [Laughs] I think it’s a very relatable premise, just kind of brought to a somewhat odd place.

IH: What did you first think of the script?

SR: I thought it was funny. I thought, “I’ll do it.” That’s exactly what I thought.

IH: This is kind of your dream-come-true project because, according to the IMDB, you said to the agent, “I want to be in with Kevin Smith.”

SR: Yeah, I always wanted to work with him and that was always a goal of mine, and it’s thrilling. It’s exciting that it finally happened.

IH: Could you give us more reaction when you received the e-mail, here’s the script…

SR: Yeah, I was very flattered. It was shocking that he even knew who I was. I met him months before very briefly, but like when someone you really like wants to work with you, somebody who inspired you to do what you do in the first place, it is thrilling.

IH: Elizabeth [Banks] said that she was totally prepared to do your love scene nude because she’d have Seth Rogen covering all of her.

SR: Exactly. I cover a lot. [Laughs]

IH: Chemistry with Elizabeth — can you speak a little about that?

SR: She’s great — we’re friends. I think that helps. I think you can tell that we know each other. I think she has a really kind of dirty sensibility, which is one of the reasons I thought she’d be good for the movie in the first place. I knew she wouldn’t sue me. I give her all the credit for that.

IH: It seems like a relatable quality, like best friends make the best lovers.

SR: Yeah, that’s what I think. That’s why Superbad works.

IH: What about you — were you ready to do it naked?

SR: Yeah, it wasn’t my decision. I was ready; I didn’t know what his plan was. I don’t prepare. I just kind of show up and, “What are we doing today?” and if he had said, “Today you’re pulling your dick out,” I would have said, “Okay,” but he didn’t say that. He said, “Oh we’re going to shoot it like this,” and I said, “Okay. ” I’m in for anything. I’m a team player. [Laughs]

IH: Was Kevin noticeably awkward about shooting the love scenes?

SR: He was a little awkward about it. It wasn’t that bad. There wasn’t a ton of direction that day, but it was very professional. [Laughs]

IH: If you had to choose one celebrity to make a porno with, who would you choose?

SR: I would choose Jonah Hill. [Laughs] Just kidding.

IH: What advice can you give someone who wants to make their own porno?

SR: Just don’t talk a lot, if you’re behind the camera. [Laughs] If you’re a man and you’re behind the camera, keep your mouth shut. No one wants to hear it. People just want the woman — focus on the woman. [Laughs]

IH: Were you curious at meeting Traci [Lords] and Katie [Morgan], and did you have anything you wanted to ask them about?

SR: Yeah, there have been porn stars in literally every single movie I’ve ever been in, so it was not weird to work with them. It was par for the course. To me, you need a porn star on set just to make the film. [Laughs]

IH: If you ever had any financial woes, would you go and make a porno?

SR: I don’t know. I honestly don’t know who would go and see it, but maybe I would. [Laughs] I thought about it, yeah.

IH: What movie director, dead or alive, do you think would make the best porno?

SR: That’s a good question. I’d like to see a [John] Cassavetes porno. It must be real and have that really real feel. And he’d put his whole family in it. [Laughs]

IH: What would be your porn name? It’s usually your pet’s name as your first name — your childhood pet — and the street you grew up on is your last name.

SR: It’s Alawishes St. James. [Laughs] It’s a pretty good one. I had a hamster named Alawishes.

IH: So is Fleshlight asking for an endorsement?

SR: No, I don’t think they are. [Laughs] I don’t think they exist. Do they exist? I didn’t even get one. They didn’t even send me a free one. [Laughs] What do you have to do?

IH: You’ve worked with Judd Apatow and now Kevin — they’re kind of the kings of raunchy comedy. What are the similarities and what are the differences between working on their sets?

SR: Well, you all know their movies totally and definitely are similar and, like you said, they both kind of mix raunchy with sweetness on their styles. On set [is] very different and it’s as simple as Judd doesn’t really know what he wants — he knows what he wants the scenes to be about, but as far as how the information comes out — who says what, what the jokes are — he discovers all that while we’re shooting. Kevin’s very specific — he knows exactly what he wants, he knows what the shots are, he literally edits the movie. So that’s the fundamental difference, and they’re both great, they both have their things that make them more fun, and more relaxing and things that make them a little more difficult, but I wouldn’t want to do only either way.

IH: I hear a lot of women have said to me that they’re happy you’re doing nerdy romantic roles now, that they’re more interested in guys that are nerdy.

SR: Good. [Laughs]

IH: Do you like playing these kind of romantic roles?

SR: Yeah, I just try to do the types of movies I like to go see, and I think romantic comedies, when handled right, can be a very great genre. That’s all the thought I put into it. [Laughs]

IH: In real porn, what do you find more interesting — the sex or the dialogue?

SR: I don’t watch porn with dialogue [Laughs]. I’m far beyond that. I watch the down and dirty stuff. [Laughs]

IH: Have you been to a horrible high school reunion where people turned out to be just what you thought they were or totally different?

SR: No, I never went. It’s still two years from my ten-year reunion and I would never go. I’d be such a dick for going. Guess what I do, guys? [Laughs]

IH: Was there anyone from the past you would want to see, like a high school crush?

SR: No, I see everyone I want to see from high school and I’ve stopped talking to everyone I don’t. [Laughs]

IH: Can you talk a little bit about some of your upcoming movies — one you just made with Judd?

SR: We just started shooting it, actually. We’re three weeks in and it’s going great! Me and Adam Sandler and Jonah and Jason Schwartzman, and Eric Bana and Leslie [Mann] and a slew of stand-up comics, and it’s been going really well. It’s a lot of fun.

IH: You’re playing a stand-up comic?

SR: I play a stand-up comic and Sandler plays a stand-up comic as well, and it’s a really interesting movie. I’m really excited about it.

IH: Is it a little bit more dramatic than others?

SR: A little bit more drama. It’s a little heavier, definitely, in its subject matter. It deals with death in a lot of ways. It’s an interesting mixture of penis jokes and death jokes, so that’s new for us. [Laughs]. It’s a beauty. Janusz Kaminski is filming it, which is incredible to watch, and it’s great to see him because people always say our movies don’t look good, so now they can fucking shut up about that. [Laughs] Judd was like, “How do I get people to shut up about this? I’ll hire Janusz,” and it’s great. He’s found ways of shooting our improv; he shoots with three cameras at once and it still looks beautiful, so that’s really fun to watch. And then we start The Green Hornet in May or April, and Stephen [Chow] is directing that, and we’re psyched about that.

IH: It’s reported you chose him to direct it.

SR: Yeah, he was always our first choice. We thought we’d just like to consolidate our team, so just the fact that one guy could be Kato and direct it was appealing to us [laughs] — just less people to deal with. And we love his movies. I’m a huge fan of his movies. I think he’s hilarious, and we got him!

IH: How much is it going to be a comedy?

SR: We don’t know. Originally, we were going for more of a serious action movie, but we feel no obligation to live up to anything we’ve told any of you in the past. [Laughs] So right now we’re really in the process of discovering what the tone is exactly, and we know the story we want to tell — that’s always been the same. But you don’t bring a guy like Stephen on and tell him, “No, this is what we’re doing. We don’t want your ideas.” He’s a genius, obviously. You’d be stupid not to let him interject some of his own sensibilities.

IH: What kind of physical training are you doing for The Green Hornet? And any casting besides yourself and Stephen? It says here that Jason Mewes is in it.

SR: Is in The Green Hornet?

IH: Yes, that’s what it says. It says “including The Green Hornet.”

SR: Maybe. I don’t know. [Laughs] Let him go for it. No, I mean, that is not official. [Laughs]

IH: Going back to the training, what kind of training are you doing for The Green Hornet? Martial arts or anything?

SR: No, not right now. We’re a long way off from choreographing our fights and whatnot. Right now it’s just getting into better physical condition.

IH: What do you think it’s going to be?

SR: The Green Hornet always just fought criminals. There [were] never really any flamboyant villainous characters. There always was just men in suits, and we’re taking that as our cue.

IH: Can you say anything about Observe and Report?

SR: Yeah, I think it’s amazing. I’m unbelievably proud about it and psyched about it. I don’t know if any of you saw The Foot Fist Way; [it's] the director who did that, and it’s a very dark, dark comedy. It’s like a comedic Taxi Driver — that’s exactly what it is. And that’s what we were going for, and they somehow let us do that [Laughs] It’s a very edgy, dark, hilarious movie and it’s one of my favorite movies, if not my favorite movie, that I’ve been in, just because I can’t believe how edgy and balls-to-the-wall it is. If people watch Pineapple or this and they think, “How did they make that?” they’ll watch that movie and think, seriously, “How did they make it?” [Laughs]

IH: There’s another movie that’s finally being released that you’re in as well – Fanboys.

SR: Is it? I don’t believe that. [Laughs] I’ll believe it when I see it, guys. [Laughs]

IH: Did you do a lot of improvisation in Zack and Miri?

SR: I did some. He has a much more, like I say, clear idea of what he wants going in, but he’s definitely open to changing lines and changing jokes and getting stuff like that, so yeah, there’s a fair bit in there.

IH: It’s interesting the way men and women view sex, but this film is very interesting the way it depicted it. Can you comment on that?

SR: Yeah, I’d say, to women, sex is a much more emotionally driven act, and for men it’s a much more physically driven act, and I think it’s as simple as that. I think the movie gets into that.

IH: But even when you were doing the love scene, it was immediately a love scene versus anything else.

SR: Yeah, that’s in that situation.

IH: Or they changed their views the minute that they had sex…?

SR: It definitely brings things to the surface [laughs], and I think that’s exactly what that scene was meant to be — they think one thing’s going to happen, and emotions that they didn’t expect are what happened instead.

IH: How was it working with Craig Robinson?

SR: Oh, it’s great. Craig’s the best. He’s hilarious. I’m glad he got in the movie. I heavily implored Kevin to bring him in on audition, and I knew he would nail it and it’s great. I’m glad for him. He’s got a big part in the movie, and I know one day I’ll have a small part in one of his movies, and that’s all I hope for. [Laughs]

IH: As a Canadian, how was it dealing with the cold weather and ice hockey?

SR: In Pittsburgh, I was actually equipped to deal with the cold weather, slightly better than, say, my girlfriend, who’s from Florida. It wasn’t that bad. I actually can’t play hockey at all. I didn’t actually skate in the movie — that was fake. But the cold weather wasn’t so bad. I kind of enjoy it.

IH: What did your girlfriend think of the movie?

SR: She loves it. It’s romantic. What this is is a romantic comedy. Women love romantic comedies, you know, so yeah, she really likes it.

IH: Last year, you really hit it big in movies and you’re going along doing a lot of work this year. What’s your perspective on your success now?

SR: I’m psyched about it. [Laughs] It’s nice, and now I’ve got to just keep doing it. I think I just have to keep doing movies that I find interesting, and that’s all I know how to do really. I take it on a movie-by-movie basis and just think, “Is this a movie I would see? Yeah, okay, then I’ll do it.”

IH: Any desire to do straight dramatic stuff?

SR: Again, if it was a movie that I honestly thought I would be excited to go see, I would do it. Honestly, I’m not the first in line for Changeling [laughs], so that’s generally not the type of movie I would be drawn to doing. [Laughs]

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