Posted in: Exclusive, Interview, Movies, Paramount Pictures | Tagged: jason biggs, Meaghan Rath, Untitled Home Invasion Romance

Untitled Home Invasion Romance: Biggs & Rath on Black Comedy, Casting

Untitled Home Invasion Romance stars Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath spoke to us about its Coens' influence, Biggs' directorial debut & more.

Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath have been fortunate to have eclectic careers in Hollywood across film and television. Both emerged into the scene as child actors and built impressive filmographies as Biggs started making waves on TV before landing his breakout hit in the raunchy teen comedy American Pie (1999), which launched a franchise, embracing the genre roles from the success, but also playing against type with the occasional dramatic role on Orange Is the New Black and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Rath would have a sustained career on TV, largely doing eclectic guest-starring roles on hit shows like Schitt's Creek, New Girl, Supergirl, and Banshee with equally memorable runs as part of the cast of Being Human, Hawaii Five-0 (2017), and, most recently, the Canadian sitcom Children Ruin Everything. The two star in the black comedy Untitled Home Invasion Romance, which follows Kevin (Biggs), whose marriage is on the rocks as he whisks his wife Suzie (Rath) away on a romantic getaway with a wildly misguided plan: fake a break-in and play the hero. But when things spiral, and someone turns up dead, Kevin finds himself at the center of a murder investigation, with lies piling up faster than the alibis. The two spoke to Bleeding Cool about how the Jamie Napoli (The Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery) and Joshua Paul Anderson (The Comeback Kid) script appealed to them, how Biggs saw the perfect opportunity to make his directorial debut, and how his co-stars helped get him through the process.

Untitled Home Invasion Romance Stars Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath on Script, Bigg's Directorial Debut, Cast & More

BC: What intrigued you about Untitled Home Invasion Romance?

Biggs: I got passed this script to just play the role of Kevin initially, and my agent and I saw this as an opportunity to direct as my first. It's the kind of movie that I watch a lot. I'm a big Coen Brothers fan, and it had that vibe to me, insofar as it's a weirdly dark comedy, disturbing at times, but wildly hilarious at times, while it's disturbing at the same time. It's populated with these bizarro characters, side characters, and I also felt like it had a lot of heart. It felt to me like it would be an unexpected choice and quite a challenge for me to direct and to take on the role, acting in it as well. Those parts intrigued me.

Rath: Oh, me?

Biggs: Yeah, what was intriguing about it for you?

Rath: Well, the script.

Biggs: What about the director? So, the script was the first thing?

Rath: You know what? When Brad called me and said, "I have a script that I think you should read."

Biggs: Did he not say Jason Biggs?

Rath: Can I finish my sentence? He said, "I have a script that I want you to read, and it's directed by Jason Biggs. I went like this, "Oh! Huh!"

Biggs: Your voice went up so many octaves there when you…

Rath: Yeah, because I was like, "Oh, that's really interesting. Oh!" [laughs]

Biggs: When you say "interesting," and "Oh!" What is the thought being? What is the meaning of "interesting"

Rath: Oh, that's cool.

Biggs: Oh, cool. Yeah. OK, that's good, and then when you read the script, "Were you like, 'Oh! This is…'

Rath: No, what do you mean? I read the script, and I was like, "This is incredible. I need to be a part of it."

Biggs: Okay, so, got it, so there is a difference between the "Oh!" being a positive and…

Rath: So here it is, it started like this. "Oh!" And then I read the script, and I was like, "Oh." [in a lower voice].

Biggs: Okay, and so that's the script, and now Jason Biggs as a director. Initially, when it was just an abstract idea, it was, "Oh!" and now, what would you say?

Rath: Well, now, having seen the movie, I'm like, "Oh…okay," whereas, entering the process, sometimes I was, like, "Oh, okay" [Biggs covers his forehead.]

Biggs: Because of my directing…

Rath: Yeah! [laughs]

Biggs: Oh my god!

Rath: That's not true, that's not

So Jason, were there other opportunities to direct, and what made this film ideal to get that debut out of the way?

Biggs: Yeah, I'm really affected by what just happened here. Sorry, so forgive me. I…

Rath: You're shaking.

Biggs: You can feel it?

Rath: Yeah.

Biggs: There was another. I was briefly attached to direct a movie that was much more in line, comedically and tonally, with movies that I've acted in in the past, namely the American Pie films. It was broader, more shock value comedy, and although you could say this has somewhat shocking comedy, it felt a little more expected. For me, this, I read this and thought, "Oh, this would be a challenge," and it was. I loved the idea of not quite knowing, having the opportunity to go different ways with this.

Like I was going to be able to put my stamp on it, whereas the other film I mentioned I was previously attached to, it felt like there was one way to do it. We've been talking about this all day. There's a broad version, a very broad version of this movie, but yeah, we made a choice to go with this, and here we are. Meaghan, not sure it's the best choice, but…

What did you like about working with Justin [Min], Arturo [Castro], and Anna [Konkle] on this project?

Biggs: I will say this about the entire cast, namely Meaghan [Rath laughs], and not just because she's sitting next to me, but of course, also Arturo, Anna, and Justin. They trusted me, or at least, they said they trusted me, and they stepped up in such a big way. I'm certain that for all of them [chuckles], they've all done a lot of movies and TV shows, and this was one of the hardest experiences in their careers.

It was not an easy project ever. We never really caught a break, so it's partly just the nature of the film. The location, just a lot of difficulties, expected and unexpected, so I thank God for them, because they were such team players, and they understood that I was trying to make this movie. It was very difficult for me, and I was trying to get through these challenges. They really helped me and gave incredible performances, but they also just stepped up in a big way and pushed me through the whole thing. It was great, especially her [points to Rath].

Anything you want to add, Meaghan?

Rath: No [laughs], but I will say I love those three so much, have so much respect for them as actors. They're truly so deeply talented, and I remember right away when it was like first or second week, I was like, "I'm so lucky to be able to be doing this and working with people of this caliber of talent." I'm always looking for what I can learn and take from people. It felt like an embarrassment of riches.

Republic Pictures/Paramount's Untitled Home Invasion Romance is available on digital.

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