Summary
Paul Walter Hauser discusses his approach to playingChris Farleyin the upcoming biopic about theSaturday Night Livelegend.A handful ofSNLcast membershave gone down in history as not just being the funniest people on the show during their tenures, but some of the funniest comedians, period. Farley, who passed away in 1993 at age 33, is undoubtedly one of these figures, and he’s now set to be the subject of a biopic from director Josh Gad.
In a recent interview withVariety, Hauser comments on the challenges inherent in playing a larger-than-life comedy legend like Farley for Gad’s biopic. The actor acknowledges that the movie is sure to elicit some strong opinions from audiences, but stresses thathe’s going to approach the role with as much respect as possible. As far as his appearance, Hauser confirms that, after losing weight for some other projects, he’ll “shoot back up to about 250 [pounds] for Chris Farley”. Check out his other comments below:
“Oh no, it’ll make it more difficult just for perception. Everybody’s going to judge the crap out of the movie and have very passionate, hard-line opinions. I’m not worried about playing Chris because I know I’m going to approach it with a lot of love and effort.
“At the end of the day, all you may do is work hard and try your best to love the character and the project as much as possible. To me, that doesn’t seem like much of a hurdle with Chris. I adore him. I want to honor him. I want people to leave the theater, having laughed and cried together.”
Paul Walter Hauser Is A Great Choice For The Chris Farley Biopic
The Actor Has An Impressive Resume
While exactly capturing Farley’s unique comedic energy is likely going to be an impossible task, there’s reason to believe that Hauser is the best person for the job. The project, firstly, has been given the Farley family’s blessing, andSNLcreator Lorne Michaels will serve as an executive producer.Approval from Farley’s family and Michaels' involvement is certainly a positive signright off the bat, and it suggests the project will explore the comedian’s life with care and thoughtfulness.
SNL: The 10 Best Chris Farley Skits & Sketches Ranked
Chris Farley is a legend in the realm of Saturday Night Live, with his best skits often having his co-stars break character due to his outbursts.
From a performance perspective, Hauser has also proven that he’s up to the task of portraying theSNLlegend. It wasRichard Jewellthat first put him in a prominent starring role, and he’s since appeared inBlacKkKlansman;I, Tonya;Cobra Kai;Black Bird;Americana;Bupkis;The Afterparty;andOld Dads. He also voices Embarassment as part of the voicecast ofInside Out 2, which has been a critical and commercial mega-hit in recent weeks.
In addition to starring onSNLfrom 1990 to 1996, Farley appeared in movies likeTommy Boy,Beverly Hills Ninja,Black Sheep, andConeheads.
All of these roles have allowed Hauser to show thathe possesses not just comedy chops, but he’s also a skilled dramatic actor with a compelling screen presence. If reports are to be believed, director Quentin Tarantino certainly thinks so, as Hauser was once apparently being eyed to lead thenow-cancelledThe Movie Critic, which was expected to serve as the director’s final film. Judging from Hauser’s latest comments, however, it will likely be some time before theFarleybiopic comes together and audiences get to see him in action as theSNLicon.
