Pollari fits into ‘Inbetweeners’

HE’S NOT popular. He’s not an outcast. He’s an “Inbetweener,” and he has a big suit and briefcase to fill.

Premiering Monday (Aug. 20) at 10:30 p.m. on MTV, “The Inbetweeners” stars Joey Pollari (r.) as Will, a private-school transfer who dresses like he’s headed to a board meeting at his new public high school.

“He’s very pedantic and takes himself really seriously, and he’s totally out of his element when he comes to public school,” Pollari says.

The show is based on the hit British TV series of the same name.

Will he become friends with Simon (Bubba Lewis), Jay (Zach Pearlman) and Neil (Mark L. Young) because they’re the only ones who will talk to him? The series follows the four guys as they support — and mock — each other through the awkwardness of high school.

Fans of the original show, which has a devoted following in the U.K., have expressed concern online about MTV botching the U.S. version.

Pollari, 18, best known for his role in Disney XD’s 2009 film “Skyrunners,” says he understands the skepticism.

“I get that people are going to be worried about how a remake of their favorite show is handled,” he says. “But I definitely think we put our own unique spin on it.”

Pollari had a hard time deciding if he should watch the British version, for fear of his performance being too influenced by it.

“In the end, I decided to watch the original to get a vibe for the show,” Pollari says. “We looked more toward it while we were filming the earlier episodes to kind of keep in mind what the show is all about. But by the end of the season, I think we really came into our own.” He believes remakes can definitely work. “I love the U.S. version of ‘The Office,’ ” he says. “That’s a good example.”

It’s unclear if “The Inbetweeners” will be as successful. But even if it’s not, the guys had as much fun on set making the show as they’ve had off set promoting it.

Pollari and the others in the cast have become good friends in real life. He says the characters they play remind him of his own childhood pals and says many teens will be able to relate to the story lines.

“Most people are in the in-between place in high school,” Pollari says. “I was definitely like that. I drifted around and didn’t really belong to one clique.”