Simon Pegg is a busy man. As well as starring in rom-com 'Man Up', he’s been hard at work filming the latest ‘Mission; Impossible’ alongside Tom Cruise AND penning the latest ‘Star Trek 3’ film – a project that nearly came unstuck at the end of this interview, when I picked up what I thought was my brown bag and prepared to leave.
“I think you’ve got my bag,” says Simon amenably, as we swap back. “Don’t worry, it’s only got the latest ‘Star Trek’ script in it.”
Whoopsie!
Simon Pegg co-stars with Lake Bell in rom-com 'Man Up'
Before this near-debacle, Simon admitted he finds it harder to play straight than funny when he’s performing on screen, but thinks it’s important to find elements of both.
Simon, who stars with Lake Bell in ‘Man Up’ in cinemas today, tells HuffPostUK:
“The one thing Edgar (Wright) and I have always done in our comedy is try to infuse it with seriousness.
There is a serious human story at the heart of every one of our movies, whether it’s ‘Shaun of the Dead’ or ‘Hot Fuzz’ or 'The World’s End', there is a guy who can’t grow up, and there’s a guy who can’t let go, and one who’s addicted to drugs and alcohol. I like playing the light and shade.
“I feel like there’s always comedy in even the most searing drama, and vice versa. It’s just about the ratio. And 'Man Up' has a fun ratio between the two, there are moments of unrealistic comedy as well as real heart.”
In ‘Man Up’, Simon stars as Jack, a recently separated bloke out who heads out on blind date, and meets Nancy (Lake Bell) under the clock at Waterloo. Which is fine, except she’s not really his date, she’s just another lonely London bod who’s decided she likes the look of him and is determined to take a chance.
“Both characters here are very fallible, they’re real in terms of their fears and desires, they’re both pretending to be someone else,” says Simon.
“He’s pretending to be all together, and really he’s crying inside, his heart his broken and he’s putting on an act as much as she is. That dynamic between them was irresistible.”
'Man Up' goes on release to UK cinemas from today Friday 29 May. Watch the trailer below...