There were a lot of awkward silences
Kristen Bell and Ben Platt have carved a niche for themselves making some of the funniest shows and movies over the years. So when the two reunite in the upcoming The People We Hate at the Wedding, it's expected to be a roller coaster of laughs. The movie sees them play brothers who reluctantly go to their estranged third sister's wedding, which leads to several hilarious and awkward situations. The two stars spoke to Hindustan Times about the film, their chemistry, and the awkward real-life situations they've been in.
The movie relies heavily on the chemistry your two characters have. How did you develop it before filming?
Kristen: I was pretending to have chemistry with Ben for years and years before he even knew I existed. I am the number one fan of Ben Platt. So, I had to reduce my intensity when I worked with him. We see everything he does. My daughters are obsessed with him. I felt that he came with a very well-formed relationship.
Ben: I felt the same. I've loved Kristen from afar forever and we're both musical theater nerds and I felt like there was a shared wavelength that was there. I felt like she had known her for a long time. It was one of the easiest and most brilliant parts of the whole experience.
So you didn't get the stalker vibes Kristen is talking about?
Ben: No, I just got a lot of warmth and love.
Kristen: But I played very well. It's one of my best acting jobs: being great with Ben Platt. (laughs)
The show is about awkward situations at a wedding and feeling like unwanted guests at a social gathering. I want you two to refresh your memories and recount the most awkward thing you've ever felt at a social gathering.
I recently went to a bachelor party for a friend of mine, whom I love very much. But I'm the only friend of his who's not a frat brother. So, I didn't have much to connect to. It was watching a football game, going to a sports bar and watching more football games, and then drinking beer. I felt a bit out of place. I navigated well, but there were a lot of awkward silences.
I watch awkward situations from afar and the closer I get, the embarrassment I get secondhand. Then, I go to bed very early, so I leave before anything gets awkward. So even at family dinners, I'm a big fan of what you call the Irish goodbye. As soon as I feel like things are getting awkward, I slide into the background and don't say goodbye to anyone.
The film has a vibe of '90s and 100s wedding-themed rom-coms that audiences loved two decades ago. Were you inspired by that?
Kristen: I felt that too. The script reads very well. And also, Claire Scanlon, our director has the ability to base the movies on what she saw in the '80s and '90s, like a John Huges kind of vibe, combining it with a modern situation.
Ben, how did you manage to hold back your laughter on sets while filming? All the performers are hilarious, so how did you manage to film those comedy scenes without taking 20 takes?
Ben: The answer is that I failed. I laughed, particularly in the scenes with Kristen and with Karan Soni, who plays my boyfriend in the movie. He's such a brilliant improviser and he did so many hilarious improvisations that he made me laugh.
