Interview - Couples Retreat

By Sean Lynch

Interview with Faizon Love

Star of Couples Retreat

It's not often you come across a fully grown man, baring his butt on the big screen without a second thought - but that doesn't seem to be the case with Couples Retreat comedian Faizon Love.

After a stint as one of stand-up comedy's hottest acts, Faizon switched the mike for the studio and embarked on a Hollywood career which includes appearances in cult comedy Friday, Will Ferrell's Elf and the highly under-rated Idlewild.

Web Wombat Movies' Sean Lynch caught up with the hilariously funny Faizon Love during his trip to Australia to talk tropical islands, his history with Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn... and Bruce Lee.

Let's get straight to it - how much thought was there in deciding to bare your arse in Couples Retreat?

[Laughs] It was nothing really, to tell you the truth.

Jon [Favreau] saw me do it in another movie, and he said it was "wasted". So he wrote it in here.

He said "I got to have you do it in another film", because the response was so cool, so he wrote it in this one.

But it was nothin'. I felt comfortable doin' it.

Halle Berry was paid $2 Million just for showing some Boob in Swordfish - you should be holding out for more cash!

Well I'm settin' it up now! Now if they wanna see it - they're gonna have to pay now [Laughs].

Now this isn't the first time you've crossed paths with Favreau and Vince Vaughn is it...

No it's not. I worked with John in 1999 on a film we did called The Replacements and he wrote another film called Made, which starred John, Vince, Myself and Sean "Puffy" Combes.

Then I worked with John again on Elf, and then Vince and John got together for Couples Retreat and were like "We've got this great role for you, its nothing like you've ever done before - you're gonna kill it".

Do they tell you beforehand you're going to have wax poured on your naked body...

You read the script and you're like "Ok, let's see how it works"...

Or do you put that specifically in your contract : MUST HAVE WAX DRIPPING...

[Laughs] When I saw it in there, I was like "Cool", because I like playing the scenes as real. I don't really like saying "Ok, get me some fake wax".

I want to give a real reaction to the crowd, I don't want to think about what I'm gonna do.

The film is actually shot on a Tropical Island - is that the sweetest job you've ever had?

It's probably the best job I've ever had.

You live on the island. Every morning you wake up at 5 O'Clock no matter what.

Was it just a constant party atmosphere?

Yeah! John brought some DJ equipment, we threw a Halloween party. In our dressing rooms were a pool and a spa - so we would go in there and smoke cigars, have some wine and play our music.

It was awesome - so it was work, but it wasn't like work.

Like I said, you wake up at 5 O'Clock each morning, whether you're call time is 6 or 7. You go to breakfast, where everybody is there and you just walk, or take a bike, to work. It's just awesome.

Do you ever look back as your days doing the Def Comedy Jam and just sit in awe of how far you've come - that you would be paid to sit on an island?

That's one thing about me - because these guys are pretty smart. I have no [Laughs]... no blue print as to what I'm doing. I'm kind of like Picasso, I'll just throw it on the wall and if it looks good I'll keep it.

You've performed in quite a diverse range of roles, what's the most under-rated movie or TV Show you've ever been in that hasn't got the credit it's deserved?

I think Made, the one Jon wrote, as it was the first role ever written for me. And that was with Jon and Vince again.

So NOT That's So Raven?

[Laughs] Nooo.

You're involved in the upcoming movie The Zookeeper - is this a voice over first for you?

I'm the voice of a bear in Zookeeper, yes. My very first film was Bebes Kids - that was an animated feature, my very first one. And then I also did Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas...

Are you a video game player?

I'm not a video game player! I knew it was out because the day it came out Jon and Vince both called me and said they were "playing" me and needed my help. [Laughs] But I don't know how to do it [Laughs].

There is a lot of improv in the flick - do you have a favourite line that didn't make the final cut?

All mine went in there. I'm a big Bruce Lee fan, and I got in there "You've got us trapped on Han's Island" [Laughs]. Some people get it, some people don't [Laughs].

You basically were stuck on a tropical island with a ridiculous number of half naked hot women - what does your wife think about that?

Well, [Laughs], I'm not that attractive. They weren't looking at me [Laughs]. Bateman and Jon - those are the handsome guys [Laughs].

Now before we go I have to ask you a question, it's a question we ask everyone... but if you could start your own myth or rumour to spread about yourself in the press... what would it be?

I'm Fidel Castro's illegitimate son. [Laughs].

COUPLES RETREAT sailed into Australian Cinemas on October 8th 2009 and is OUT NOW on DVD!