Seth Rogen picks out cinema’s greatest living actor: “His process is so specific”
He might be best known for his childish comedies, but Seth Rogen has been in his fair share of ‘serious’ movies. He played a major role in Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans, playing the man whom his mother would end up leaving his father for. He’s also played Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak in Steve Jobs, a man going through a divorce in Take This Waltz, and even scored a minor role in Donnie Darko as a young man.
His successes in various fields have brought him into contact with some of the finest comedic actors of his generation. Michael Fassbender played the titular Mr Jobs opposite him, while he shared screen time with Michelle Williams in both Take This Waltz and The Fabelmans. Then there’s The Studio, the much-discussed satirical comedy series in which Rogen plays a Hollywood executive struggling to balance his artistic ambitions with keeping his business afloat.
The hit show has attracted plenty of big names. Alongside Rogen, both Catherine O’Hara and Kathryn Hahn can call themselves regulars, while Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, and Zoë Kravitz all have recurring roles. Then there are the cameos. An embarrassing number of superstars have had walk-on parts, from Rogen’s old co-stars like Zac Efron and Paul Dano, to actors like Charlize Theron and Steve Buscemi, to superstar directors like Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese, the latter of whom turned up in the pilot episode.
Just one season in, and The Studio is pulling in some of the biggest names in the business. However, there is one name that Rogen wants more than anyone else – the great Daniel Day-Lewis. “I think he’s like the greatest living actor,” the funnyman told IndieWire. “His process is so specific, I think that would be an interesting thing to explore on the show.” He made a plea to the deity-like thespian to consider a Zoom call with him and his team, although he conceded that Day-Lewis probably “watches nothing other than [Variety red carpet interviews]”.
The Studio is one massive send-up of Hollywood and the way it operates. It has labelled a weapon for good in the fight for a safer and better film industry, calling out the worst parts of the business while highlighting some of the more ridiculous aspects of pretending to be other people for a living. Day-Lewis, a well-known Method actor and three-time ‘Best Actor’ Oscar winner, would be a perfect vehicle to challenge some of the more pretentious parts of the acting game. If he’d be willing to skewer himself, that is.
As well as starring in the series, Rogen also co-created it with (among others) his long-term writing partner Evan Goldberg. The pair have a long history together, stretching all the way back to Superbad and Pineapple Express. When asked who his dream cameo would be, he replied with box office-topping director James Cameron. “[He] is a genius and is also known for sometimes getting angry,” he explained. “I think that would work really well on the show.”
With a second series of The Studio in the works, Rogen and Goldberg will need to use every celebrity connection they have to keep supplying viewers with more A-list bit parts. Will Day-Lewis and Cameron agree to bash the industry that made them stars? Only time will tell.
