Joss Whedon's interpretation of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing opens wide in U.S. theaters this weekend. Whedon brought together a cast of his frequent collaborators for the project, including: Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Fran Kranz, Clark Gregg and Firefly's Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds himself, Nathan Fillion.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Fillion recently to talk about the 12-day adventure that was shooting Much Ado in Whedon's home; his participation in the Marvel Universe (or lack thereof); being a part of the Whedon company of actors; and when we might see a Dr. Horrible 2.
IGN: I'd once heard Clark Gregg describe Joss Whedon as a "contemporary pop mythologist."
Nathan Fillion: Oh that's good, I like that.
IGN: Isn't that great? He really is that, and what's interesting is that, in many ways, that's what Shakespeare was in his day. There really are several similarities between the two men and the kind of work they do; in the sense of the work being very funny, often bawdy, and yet with these larger-than-life, archetypal characters and stories at the center.
Fillion: Yeah, I mean I would hate to be quoted as saying, 'Joss Whedon is the William Shakespeare of our day!' It sounds a little ridiculous, but the similarities are there. They are both incredibly talented, they are both poets. You don't paraphrase Shakespeare and you don't paraphrase Joss Whedon. Joss Whedon has a rhythm and a singular vision. I can't even understand what it is that he does, but I can certainly see how he picks people that can understand his rhythms, that can understand his voice, that can hear it and make it live and breathe and sing. I know that when I watch a Joss Whedon movie that there are lines that I hear on screen that I hear Joss' voice, that's him saying it.
IGN: When we heard about this production, it seemed almost spontaneous. It felt like the idea was, 'Let's get together for about a week in between all of our insane lives and schedules and do this play just for passion, just for fun.' What was that like for you on set?
Fillion: What you just described is incredibly accurate. If you have that one friend, and I have a couple of these people in my life, where you know that if you're going to go their house, and they're going to introduce you to some other people, that they're going to be great people. They're going to be high quality, and you're going to have a great time, and you're going to walk away with new friends. There are those people in my life that gather unto them only great people. Joss Whedon is one of those people. I have met and made so many friends through Joss. He is the center of this Whedonverse and I basque in it, I love it. So when I can come and I can participate in something with Joss, first of all I know I'm going to have a good time and I know it's going to do very well for me. It's embarrassing if Joss ever says thank you. If he ever says to me, 'thank you,' it's embarrassing for me because I reap so much more from the experience than he could ever possibly. I make new friends, the quality of my life improves because I get to do great projects and meet great people. I learn, I'm challenged, I become better. [Laughs] He's like the pope of my new religion. Is it weird? Do I worship him? Yes.
IGN: I think there is a thing close to worship that exists around him. He also does seem to have this community around him, like Shakespeare, this company of actors. Is that something that you see continuing on for the remainder of your career? Is that a thing that is discussed, or it just sort of exists?
Fillion: No we never actively discuss it. I never want to point out to him that he uses me a lot, lest he realize it and think, 'Oh, maybe I should pull back on Nathan.' When I first moved up to Los Angeles I used to hear 'It's not what you know, but who you know.' And I always thought that was like a dirty thing to say. I thought it was nepotism or that is doesn't matter how good you are, unless you know someone you're not going to get in and I always thought that was a bad thing when now I realize that there's another side to it. If I was going to do a project, if I was going to spend twelve days, three months, five years with anyone I would want it to be people I enjoyed working with; people's whose talent I know I could trust and rely on. I know what I'm getting into when I invite this person to take a responsibility for something I need them to handle, that I know that they can handle it. I have complete confidence when I go work with Joss. I have confidence and trust in Joss and whoever he brings into the fold. I have that feeling of, 'It's who I know and I can count on it.'
Continue on for more on Fillion's thoughts on his participation in the Marvel Universe, to Ant-Man or not to Ant-Man, and the possibility of Dr. Horrible 2...
Source : ign[dot]com
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