From his comical turns in the Scream series to his character-driven sketch/prank TV show The Jamie Kennedy Experiment to his rapper-spoof comedy Malibu’s Most Wanted, Jamie Kennedy can get just a little wacky.
That’s why his newest film, Son of the Mask, suits him to a tee. In a sequel to the Jim Carrey-starrer The Mask, Kennedy plays an aspiring cartoonist who finds the Mask, has a whirlwind night of romance with his wife (played by cute Traylor Howard) and nine months later welcomes the birth of their son–who is born with the Mask’s spectacular powers.
Hollywood.com ran the gamut with Kennedy, talking about all the madcap fun he had on the set, asking Jim Carrey for advice and what it was like working at K-Mart.
Hollywood.com: What was the craziest thing that happened on the set? Babies crying? Dogs running amok?
Jamie Kennedy: What I thought was crazy is we had a baby. Then we had stand-in baby. And then we had stunt baby. I guess the stunt baby came from those parents who were really desperate to get their kid into show business. [with an Australian accent] “It doesn’t matter, we can throw the baby in the air! He’s a stunt baby!”” We even had a robot baby. I would work with him when the other baby was sleeping. And when I was working with the CG baby, it was just a silver orb. I mean, its hard with an orb. They really aren’t actors and don’t know their lines.
You ready for fatherhood?
NO! Too much responsibility. I don’t even have a cat. With a baby, you have to be responsible for it. You can’t just put it away and pick it up again, like a bike. You got to deal with it, shape its future. It’s bananas.
I didn’t know that was Bob Hoskins under all that makeup, until I read the credits [Hoskins plays Loki’s father, the Norse god Odin].
Oh yeah, he was in a lot of makeup and he just loved it! NOT. [with a thick Cockney accent] “I can’t see a f***in’ thing here. I got to take a piss. How I’m gonna see it?” He was hilarious. Then there’s Alan Cumming, amazingly trained actor. It was great. With these guys from the English stage and me, an American improver, cool mix.
Was the makeup process tedious? I’d imagine you’re kind of used to it, playing all the characters that you have.
Let’s just say I’d like to do a movie where the only thing I wear is base.
Did you call up Jim Carrey and ask for any advice?
I met him at the Teen Choice Awards, had never met him before. I mean, I’m kind of in awe of him. So I went up to him and said “It’s nice to meet you…doing Son of the Mask but its going to be totally different. Don’t mean any disrespect.” He said, “No, no, go do what you want! Make it your own!” He was doing this joke at the Teen Choice Awards, where he said he wanted to be more useful to the kids. He takes off this bandage, after saying he got plastic surgery, and he’s got an eye hanging out and some other weird stuff. Jim was in this makeup when I was talking to him. Sort of off-putting but funny as hell.
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You used to work at K-Mart?
Yes, I did. I was a janitor. I was so excited when I got the job, too. I was in ninth grade. My boss is like “Congratulations! Welcome to K-Mart! This is a scraper!” And I was like, “Yeah, what’s that for?” He said, “See all those black spots on the floor? That’s gum. Begin scraping.” It was the WORST job.
What would you say to someone working at Wendy’s or something who wants to make it in showbiz?
Quit. Get out of Wendy’s as quick as you can and move to L.A. Just go to Wendy’s for their late-night menu.
I also read that you were once Janeane Garofalo’s maid?
Yes, I was. Just when she was getting famous and I wasn’t famous at all. I showed up at her house and she answered the door and I was like “Wow, you’re great!” And she’s like, “Mmm-hmm, yeah…clean the sink, there’s the toilet and my shower needs to be scrubbed.”
What was your first conscious memory of a show or movie that made you want to be a star?
I remember watching The Tonight Show, when I was little. I remember those curtains and seeing Don Rickles come out. And he was so funny. I was like 5, or something. I didn’t know what it was but I just remember really liking it. How about that for an influence, huh? Having Don Rickles permeate your youth at 11:30 at night when you were 5-years-old.
Doing The Jamie Kennedy Experiment must have been a dream come true.
It was amazing, yeah. It was finally a way to tie in characters, play massive pranks and do sketches all in one show.
Did you call up Punk’d‘s Ashton Kutcher and give him whatnot for copying you?
You know, he also stole my other idea, too. I was just about to have sex with Demi Moore.
What’s up next?
I did a voice in the upcoming computer-animated film Robots, with Robin Williams and Halle Berry. That was an interesting experience. They show you what you look like on screen. And then they tell you lines and you say them. No interaction at all with the other actors. But hey, if you can act with a silver orb, you can act with anything.
Son of the Mask opens in theaters Feb. 18.
