Maya Rudolph talks about her life, her music and Away We Go

GIANT: Was part of the motivation behind taking this part showing that you could handle a more dramatic role?
Maya Rudolph: I think that’s usually the perception when you do something different from what you’re known for—that you’re trying to change your image or maybe redirect the way people look at you.  But it was really just another part of me I wanted to express. When I started working, I had always hoped for some kind of project like Away We Go to come along.  This was one of those lucky things where I got to play a character who is closer to the real person I am without abandoning any of my roots to do it.

GIANT: There are lots of similarities between your own life and your character.  Do you know if the role was written with you in mind?
Rudolph: There were rumblings that the screenwriters Dave [Eggers] and Vendela [Vida] had me in mind when they were writing the script.  But I didn’t know them and I haven’t heard that from them, so I don’t know if that’s a wonderful folk myth or if it was true.  I just tried as hard as I could to show I was interested in the part, so I kept buzzing around passing messages to Dave and Vendela saying, “Hey, I love the script!  When are you making it?”  That went on for a long time.  Then I finally met up with them when I happened to be in the Bay Area.  We ended up meeting in the park with our kids—it was kind of a playdate.  It didn’t guarantee anything, but I could finally tell them to their faces how much I loved the movie.

GIANT: What was the audition process like?
Rudolph: I auditioned for Sam on my own and then with John [Krasinski] later on.  It was just really nice right away between us.  Our senses of humor are totally in sync.  And once we knew we were making it together, he couldn’t have been more positive and interested in cementing something between the two of us.  We spent so much time together whether it was moving to our weird corporate housing in Connecticut or helping each other buy pillows at the local Target or making sure we had stocked fridges.  It quickly helps you care about the other person’s well being.  That and a lot of Guitar Hero.

GIANT: Was it weird being “movie pregnant” not long after giving birth in real life?
Rudolph: It was a breeze, because the fake tummy was only two pounds!  It’s flattering to be fake pregnant in a movie because you look fantastic and all you have is a big round belly.  Other than that, you’re skinny and have no water weight and you can eat whatever you want.  Apparently I waddle naturally, so I had the walk down.  I was really big when I was pregnant with my daughter and I’d constantly have people asking me “Are you having twins?”  I was like, “I don’t need to hear that man—that’s not making me feel any better about my day.” [Laughs]

GIANT: You left New York for Los Angeles after your daughter was born.  Was that a hard transition?
Rudolph: I was in New York when I was pregnant, but I knew I wanted to be near my family, which is here in LA.  It’s nice to be close to family when you have a child.  I didn’t get to grow up getting to see all my aunts and uncles and cousins because they all lived back east and I always fantasized about living on the same block as all my cousins.  But I hope to live in New York again.  There’s so much about it that I feel brings out a part of me.  It was such a life changing experience to move there for Saturday Night Live and the show meant so much to me.  I don’t feel like I’m in New York without feeling SNL somehow.  If I’m ever there and it’s a Saturday, I feel like I need to be in that building.

GIANT: You started out as a musician before transitioning into acting.  Any plans to record another album one day?
Rudolph: I always fantasize that one day I’ll get my shit together and record an album.  I know that I would have so much fun doing it.  Music is my family’s business so it feels very normal.  I was living down the street last summer from the Lonely Island guys and they were making their record and I was like “See Maya—it’s so easy!”  They called super late one night and asked me to sing backup on one of theirs songs.  And I’m like no problem.  I just need to find my female Lonely Island.

GIANT: What’s up next for you on the acting front?
Rudolph: I’m going to be shooting Adam Sandler’s new comedy this summer.  The story is based around a bunch of old friends who grew up together and now all the families are getting together for a summer weekend.  I play Chris Rock’s wife in the movie.  I like those guys so much—I feel like we’re part of the same family.  There’s a lot of love between SNL alumni.  It’s a special group.  We’re in the comedy army together and we have this special unique history that bonds us for life.

GIANT: What do you hope moviegoers take away from Away We Go?
Rudolph: I just hope people like it.  I feel like there’s a lot of goodness in it so I hope people get that, but really I just want them to like it.  I don’t want them to throw tomatoes at it.  I feel really proud that I’m one half of this couple.  I really like them and I think we did them justice.  Maybe we’ll inspire a new generation of babies named Burt and Verona!

Away We Go opens in limited release tomorrow.  For more with Maya, pick up GIANT’s July ’09 issue, on stands now.

The Saturday Night Live star sasses it up on Fox’s new animated sitcom.

Actors don’t always know why they’ve been cast in certain roles, but Kenan Thompson is perfectly aware how he landed the part of acting principal Sue Sezno on Fox’s new high-school themed animated series Sit Down, Shut Up, which premieres this Sunday at 8:30pm after The Simpsons.  “I sassed it up a little bit,” the he reveals.  “The writers wanted a character that’s about to take over the school and people aren’t giving her the respect she needs.  I guess the lady that had the part before me didn’t sass it up enough, so I gave it a little attitude.”

As any SNL-addict knows, Thompson is that show’s go-to guy for chicks with attitude.  During his six-year stint on TV’s longest-running sketch-comedy series, he’s donned a wig and fake bra to play such sassy ladies as Virginiaca Hastings and Whoopi Goldberg.  “I’m just trying to be on TV,” he says modestly.  “Whatever they need me to do, I’m there to do it.”

To create his character for Sit Down, Shut Up, Thompson drew inspiration from some of the teachers he had during from his public school days in his native Atlanta.  “There was this one assistant vice president who later became the principal.  The way she carried herself made her seem a bit like a ghetto-type person, but she had through school and had her degree.”  Those memories helped him find the voice for Sue, who “takes no mess” even when she’s dealing with such disasters as a PTA-organized fundraiser gone wrong or students sabotaging a school fair.  In one clip, she orders a full body search for a kid that dares to smile at her after walking through the school’s metal detector.

Based on a popular Australian series, the American version of Sit Down, Shut Up is overseen by Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz and features many of the stars of that cult sitcom, including Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler, along with such past and present SNL players as Cheri Oteri and Will Forte.  “This is just full steam ahead comedy,” Thompson promises.  “Even if the characters confront a serious situation, it would be handled in a comedic way.  I want people to love this like they love The Simpsons or Family Guy.  It’s something new and different and super-funny.”

Check out Kenan Thompson’s official rules for being a great voiceover actor–and watch two promos for Sit Down, Shut Up–below.

Don’t stop at just one funny voice.
“Try to come up with as many different voices as possible.  That way, when you do land a job, you can show people the range you have.”

Leave your props at home.
“Props take away from your imagination.  When you’re doing voiceovers, it’s all in your mind.” 

Be open to improvisation
“I love to explore.  That’s the good part about comedy—you have to leave the window of exploration open.  You may think you have a funny premise, but as you explore, you’ll find yourself coming up with two or three new jokes.”

When possible, it’s always good to record with other actors
“When you record by yourself, it’s all on you.  When you’re with other actors, it’s more of a joint effort.  Also, it might save you some re-records because they won’t have to call you back in and say ‘Can you calm down this line?’”

Go for more than one take
“I like to do record each line a few different times, because you never know what they’re looking for until they’re happy.  You can always ask for one more, but it’s usually a consensus when you should move onto the next line.” 

From the cover of GIANT to Saturday Night Live? Sounds about right to us. GIANT’s March 2009 cover star Dwayne Johnson will host Saturday Night Live this weekend (March 7). Check out his promo reel with the equally funny Andy Samberg below:

For more Dwayne Johnson, click here to see his exclusive GIANT gallery!

And for more Andy Samberg, click here to see him get crunck with T-Pain!

Andy Samberg of Saturday Night Live and Lonely Island comedy troupe fame teamed up with Auto Tuner T-Pain to proclaim their love of being on a boat. Lonely Island will be releasing their full length comedy album Incredibad on February 10, 2009.

Check the hilarity below.

Seth Myers also had a hilariously honest take on the Michael Phelps “controversy.” Watch it below:

Mark Wahlberg: The Happening and Max Payne

Poor Mark Wahlberg: a little over a year ago, he was sitting in the front row at the Academy Awards ceremony listening to his name being read as one of the five Best Supporting Actor nominees for his role The Departed.  Well, awards time is rolling around again and there’s one group that will definitely be honoring the former Marky Mark’s work in 2008: the Razzies.  It’s not just that Wahlberg was unfortunate enough to headline two of year’s dumbest movies–M. Night Shyamalan’s laughably awful “horror” picture The Happening and the unwatchable video game-based action flick Max Payne–he also delivered career-worst performances in both.  In fact, the only thing of value he did in 2008 was inspiring that awesome SNL sketch, “Mark Wahlberg Talks to the Animals.”  In fact, let’s see that clip again.

You know it’s tough times for music when Andy Samberg’s Saturday Night Live skits make for some of the best music out. Eat your heart out, Kanye!

Samberg has done it again. This weekend’s Digital Short, titled “Jizz In My Pants,” is already a viral sensation. Featuring Molly Simms, Jamie-Lynn Sigler (this chick is everywhere!) and Justin Timberlake, the video is posted below. Expect your friends to be singing this all week!

(Thanks, Alyson!)

Emil’s blog post two weeks ago totally reminded me that Justin Timberlake is consistently fuhreakin’ awesome on SNL because he randomly has impeccable comedic timing. Here, for no reason other than making you ugly-laugh at your desk is one of my absolute favorites.

It never feels good to be replaced. But when someone outshines you like the Blizzard Man did to T-Pain on this week’s Saturday Night Live. Sometimes you just have to give credit, where credit is due. Peep the video below:

Beyonce’s new video for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” has become an instant cult classic. Fans and imitators alike have been creating their own interpretation of the Beyonce styled Bob Fosse video and spreading it virally. Justin Timberlake’s spoof (including Beyonce as Beyonce) on Saturday Night Live proves the point. Check out the original version, Beyonce’s take on it and a few of the other homages. What do you think? Can you do it better than Bey? 

Probably shook by the ratings numbers that Saturday Night Live pulled in during the Presidential race, Fox has finally pulled the plug on its ailing sketch comedy series Mad TV. Though we can’t say that we’ll miss (or ever really watched) it, there were some L-O-L-worthy skits buried in the show during its 13-year run.

Check out our roundup below:

“Kenny Rogers Jackass”

“Tickle Me Emo”

“Stuart Goes to the Doctor”

“iRack”

“Gump Fiction”

“Miss Swan in Eyewitness”