Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
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Faris, Derbez chat about going ‘Overboard’
nna Faris and Eugenio Derbez were attracted to “Overboard,” a genders-switched remake of the Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell comedy, for the opportunity to turn comic stereotypes inside out and upside down.
In the original 1987 movie, Hawn plays a spoiled socialite who falls off her yacht and loses her memory. A handyman (Russell) whom she recently fired arrives at the hospital and convinces her that she’s his wife and the mother of his unruly brood.
Even though Hawn is initially horrified at his living conditions and the amount of work she has to do every day, she eventually falls in love with him.
For Faris, the fun of the project was playing a lowly rug cleaner who turns the tables on a wealthy playboy (Derbez) who winds up working four jobs to support her and her kids.
“[I] think with comedy, there has to be a progression because comedy is constantly shifting and updating itself,” says the actress, 41, who is best known for her turns in the “Scary Movie” franchise.
“I think what [the filmmakers] brought to the table initially was the idea of flipping stereotypes. I really loved that. That was such a gratifying element and I’m really proud to be part of a movie that does that.”
A native of Mexico, Derbez is also a fan of playing against expectations.
“I’ve always thought that if I have the chance to break stereotypes in Hollywood, I want to do that because they always offer me the same roles,” notes the actor, 56, who’s on a run with hit comedies including “Instructions Not Included” and “How To Be a Latin Lover.
“[Hollywood] says to me, ‘You’re going to be a gardener or a cook or a valet parker or the criminal or the drug lord. Now that I had a chance [to produce a movie], I said, ‘let’s flip the roles.’ ”
Adds Faris with a laugh, “He just wanted to be on the yacht, with the bikini girls.”
Derbez believes any remake is a big gamble. “It was really tricky… A
because we know it’s a very beloved film and it’s risky,” he says. “I just want to tell all the people that love the [original] movie…that this is an homage.”
It was Derbez who was responsible for Faris being cast in the Hawn role.
“She’s exactly like Goldie Hawn, right?,” he says. “She looks exactly like Goldie Hawn when she was young. She’s as beautiful…. We think Anna is one of the funniest comedians in this country and we were lucky to have her on this project.”
After Faris signed up for the remake of “Overboard,” she happened to run into Russell during a press event for “Guardians of the Galaxy 2,” which stars the actor and Faris’ former husband, Chris Pratt.
“Kurt said, “We’re going to dinner.” He didn’t say it as a question. He said, ‘I hear you’re doing our movie.” I was, like, “oh God, oh God. What is this? Is this the most terrifying dinner?’
“For a few hours before, my palms were sweating and I was, like, ‘What are they going to say?’ ”
“But by the end of the dinner we’re all happy and Kurt was like, ‘All right. We give you our blessing.’ And he picked up the check. It was really nice because that was definitely something [to get his blessing] because it’s a movie that I loved growing up so much.”
Faris says Hawn was just as supportive. “We talked about their experiences during the movie. They [experienced] a lot of love and joy making the movie together,” notes Faris.
After shooting “Overboard,” Faris went back to her day job starring alongside recent Oscar winner Allison Janney on TV’s “Mom.”
Thanks to Janney, “Mom” is something of a dream job for Faris.
“I’m so lucky that I get to drive to work every day, knowing that I get to act with my best friend,” says Faris.
Asked if Janney brought her Best Supporting Actress Oscar to the set, Faris says she did and offered everyone the chance to take selfies with the golden boy.
“I got to hold the Oscar,” Faris enthuses. “If I’m being honest, it would be a little difficult if I didn’t like Allison so much. It would be, like, ‘she gets another [award!]’
“But I just love her so much and I’m just so happy for her. “