Posted in: Exclusive, Interview, Movies | Tagged: Austin Zajur, exclusive, interview, ken jeong, kevin smith, Nicholas Cirillo, Reed Northrup, Saban Films, Siena Agudong, The 4:30 Movie

The 4:30 Movie Stars Talk Kevin Smith 80s Rom-Com, Ken Jeong & More

The 4:30 Movie stars Austin Zajur, Siena Agudong, Nicholas Cirillo, and Reed Northrup talk to Bleeding Cool about Kevin Smith's 80s rom-com.

There's no shortage of homages to the 1980s, especially in the streaming era with coming-of-age films like Superbad (2007) and Adventureland (2009) and TV shows like Stranger Things and The Goldbergs. The latest comes from Kevin Smith with the Saban Films rom-com The 4:30 Movie. It follows three 16-year-old friends (Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, and Reed Northrup) who sneak into movies at the local Cineplex on Saturdays. When one of the guys invites the girl (Siena Agudong) of his dreams to see an R-rated film, all hilarity breaks loose as a self-important theater manager (Ken Jeong) and teen rivalries interfere with his best-laid plans. Zajur, Cirillo, Northrup, and Agudong spoke with Bleeding Cool about casting, how the young cast born after the decade got into their roles, Brian and Melody's chemistry, how Jeong went above and beyond, and learning from their more seasoned peers. The following contains sensitive subject matter; reader discretion is advised.

'The 4:30 Movie' Stars Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, Reed Northrup, and Siena Agudong on Bringing Kevin Smith's '80s Story to Life

Bleeding Cool: Austin, did Kevin [Smith] initially pencil you in for the role of Brian for ['The 4:30 Movie'] after 'Clerks III?' The rest of the cast, how did you guys get involved?

Zajur: I feel like he wrote ['The 4:30 Movie'] a little after 'Clerks III' and then, I guess, got the idea once things started moving into becoming a reality. I was like, "Oh, no. This is crazy. I was grateful." Nick? Reed?

Northrup: I don't know, maybe it is the same for Nick and Siena as well, but I was sent the audition through my team and the casting director, Amey René, who's amazing. I got it like I would any other audition, and it went well, so I'm fortunate it worked out for me, and I'm grateful to Kevin and Amey.

Cirillo: Took the words from my mouth right there. I had the same pathway and people to be appreciative of.

Agudong: It was the same for me; I submitted a self-tape and quickly got a call.

Cirillo: It wasn't that quick for me, so I guess it was an easy decision for Siena, but it took them at least a couple of days to hammer me out. [Agudong laughs].

How did you get into your roles? Did you do any research to get in the mindset of the 80s, or did Kevin and your older cast mates help fill you in?

Zajur: I watched a lot of 80s movies, music, and old recordings. I feel like Justin Long gave me advice on how to be vulnerable in a John Hughes-type movie, something that's similar [leans to his right].

Cirillo: He's behind you.

Zajur: Similar to 'Superbad' (2007) meets 'Stranger Things,' but without the monsters. It was fun. Ken [Jeong] gave you a lot of advice, Nick, right?

Cirillo: It's funny you said that because Ken pulled me aside, and he was the first one to say, "Hey, you got to stop drinking before you come to set." You must stop. What he said is, "You got to be professional." I said, "You're slurring your words. You're forgetting your lines." He says, "And I've been there before, trust me! I had 'The Hangover' films", so what was the question?

I'm asking how you got into the mindset of your characters.

Cirillo: Okay, yeah. So, Reed?

Northrup: Similarly, I listened to 80s music and watched 80s movies, and I feel the real trick is not overthinking. It's easy to get into your head as an actor and say, "Am I doing this perfectly? Is this going to be a period-appropriate enough? I trust Kevin, and the team will tell you if something is way out of place. I tried not to overthink, did my best to educate myself as much as possible and have fun. That was it for me, and Ken never had that talk with me because he respects me, Nick.

Cirillo: Have fun, don't run!

Agudong: What Reed said is well-spoken. I said the same thing on my side and made sure the references in my scenes specifically, such as the "Whatcha talking about, Willis?" I made sure to watch at least an hour of 'Diff'rent Strokes' and make sure to get that down, but other than that, I trusted Kevin, and Kevin trusted us.

Austin and Siena, can you break their chemistry with each other and the way Brian and Melody connect?

Zajur: It was natural and a lot of fun. Siena's a great actress, aware and in the moment, not overthinking it and seeing what happens. She might have a wholly different perspective.

Agudong: I personally hated it [laughs]. Austin was Austin. It was inspiring because he would not move on until you had a take he was happy with. I loved it because it gave me another chance to try something new. You were constantly trying to find something more underneath everything, which was inspiring. We had one Zoom in the beginning. Early on, around a month before filming, we met, and I remember Kevin was like, "We got a movie, so it was easy from the beginning."

The four of you are surrounded by a lot of comedic veterans and Kevin Smith regulars like Kate [Micucci], Rachel [Dratch], Ken, Jeff [Anderson], Jason [Biggs], Justin [Long], and so forth. Was it hard not to get starstruck? Did you get a chance to poke their brains, or did they offer any advice?

Zajur: Justin and I got close quickly, learning from him. He is an improv master. What would you say you learned from Ken, Nick?

Cirillo: Ken's somebody who should be and could be aware of who they are, their presence, and the great history that precedes him with great roles and gravitas. He came and, instantly, was a silly goose with us. Doing that allowed himself in a way to be on our playing field as an equal and silliness. It freed us up, and he was free from the get-go. It created a fun and safe environment that allowed for goofy performances, which I hope translates to funny scenes and comedy for audiences.

Zajur: And he also saved your liver.

Cirillo: He also enrolled me in a tremendous program in Palm Springs, and off the grid, better things.

Northrup: We're very proud of you.

Do you guys have a favorite scene in the film? Being wary of spoilers, of course.

Northrup: This is not a scene per se but a moment that doesn't spoil anything. The way Ken holds the phone. I'm not going to say anything more than that. The way he has the phone and his scenes tickled me and always got me laughing offscreen.

Agudong: My favorite part is this scene between, sorry, Austin, if I'm going to take it from you [laughs], between Austin and Justin. This is also a specific moment once you watch the movie; you can pick it up immediately. I've played it repeatedly.

Zajur: That's so kind of you to notice. I must piggyback off what Siena said. I made that strong connection, naturally. It was a great scene, and the whole bit with Stank in the climax, I can't believe he made that up out of the blue. That's the climax in terms of the comedic jokes of the film, and I feel, "Long nailed it!"

The 4:30 Movie, which also stars Betty Aberlin, Diedrich Bader, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Garman, Jason Lee, Logic, Jason Mewes, Jenny Mollen, Adam Pally, Sam Richardson, Genesis Rodriguez, Jennifer Schwalbach, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, and Harley Quinn Smith is available in theaters.

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