Rob Riggle, star of the horror comedy Cursed Friends, talks about Comedy Central’s decision to start making movies, the ensemble cast, and more.
With the release of Cursed Friends, Comedy Central deepens its commitment to original feature films. The plot of this horror comedy centers on four friends from their youth who, upon rediscovering an old copy of their predict-your-future game book, unwittingly set in motion a curse that makes all of their wild and fatal prophecies come true.
Starring Nicole Byer, Jessica Lowe, Harvey Guillén, Andrew Lewis Caldwell, Joey Fatone, James Austin Johnson, Nikki Glaser, Kathy Griffin, Nicole Richie, Ken Marino, and Rob Riggle, Cursed Friends boasts a formidable ensemble cast of comedic veterans. The release of the picture coincides with the beginning of the scariest month of the year, and moviegoers can look forward to a satisfying dose of both comedy and horror to get the season started off right.
Screen Rant had the exclusive privilege of speaking with Cursed Friends’ lead Rob Riggle before the film’s premiere. Riggle opened up to us about his excitement for the film’s premiere, his gratitude to Comedy Central for making movies, and his enjoyment of working with the other comedians in the horror-comedy.
Rob Riggle Talks Cursed Friends
Rob Riggle: I really like the actors, and I think everyone involved is incredibly amusing; they’re all individuals I enjoy watching, and I also like the filmmakers. Will Arnett, the producer, is an excellent person. It was the people, the great potential of the initiative, and the kind invitation to participate that sealed the deal.
Rob Riggle: It was quite good. As is the case in Hollywood, I often reprise roles that are strikingly similar to one another. So, it’s both praise and a rebuke. But I enjoyed playing this role because I found the character to be optimistic, peppy, and a little strange.
Rob Riggle: Harvey is so much fun to be around and an absolute delight to work with. We were having such great chats even when we weren’t filming. Since I greatly admire Harvey, I was excited to learn that we had previously worked together on the film The Internship.
It was great to work with him, and we got to meet each other back then, so we were already familiar with each other. Poor Harvey had to go around in that sweatshirt in the midst of the summer while the rest of us were dressed like it was the middle of October. So, needless to say, we worked up quite a sweat in the open air.
However, I was content to let it go because I was having a good time. There haven’t been many original movies from Comedy Central until this one. While I’m aware of your extensive background in the comedy industry, I’m curious as to your thoughts about working with Comedy Central on a film rather than a stand-up special or TV series.
To quote Rob Riggle: It’s always a nice blend of the screenplay, what’s actually scripted, and improvised when you get a strong bunch of comedic performers, directors, and producers who really value comedy and get it.
In most cases, you’ll see a combination of the two; nonetheless, it’s important to maintain adherence to the written material because, else, everyone would quickly derail the performance. Having a script to follow is helpful in this case. However, I believe that every actor/comedian makes some verbal choices or physical actions that merely enrich the moment, the character, or the scene.
You should always keep some room open for things that you uncover at the moment; the directors and the producers will even see something that you might have missed.
The benefit of having a talented comedy ensemble is that it encourages experimentation and the question, “Would it be fun if we tried this? Or I might say, “What if I did this instead?” and you’d be like, “Oh my God, that’s ten times funnier, you gotta do that.” That’s why I believe the individuals they assembled are the key to success.
There were a few tense times, Rob Riggle admits. We were having a great time doing some stuff out in the street, and I can still remember it clearly. When Harvey turned around, I was always standing right there, and his reaction was invariably a piercing scream of surprise. In the end, all I can recall is how much he made me laugh out loud on the sidewalk.
Rob Riggle: I believe the directors and I discussed it. We only had a broad impression of the individual. Someone who first appears cheerful and optimistic, but we wanted to add a sinister twist to keep people wondering. Another thing: excellent partnerships and terrific synergy are not always possible, but when they are, I believe they soar.
About Cursed Friends
After a night of heavy drinking at an old friend’s house, the four thirtysomethings awake on Halloween to find that the bizarre and funny prophecies of a game of M.A.S.H. (Mansion Apartment Shack House) they played in 2002 are starting to come true. They’ve had 100 kids with the local loser, founded a cult, and even been married to Joey Fatone of NSYNC, so they need to stick together to get out of this mess.
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