It has one of the single most disgusting sequences in movie history.
Thats a reference to a scene in which Strong and Cohen take refugeinsidea female elephant.
(Cohen posted part of the scene on his Facebook page, which can be viewed below.)
Were you shootingThe Brothers Grimsbywhile appearing in the play?
Mark Strong:Funny enough, they ran hand in hand.
And then when we did the West End run in London, the reshoots came up.
And now I literally just finished the play last weekend in New York and heres theGrimsbypremiere.
Is there any ways in which it’s possible for you to compare these two projects?
But I think there is something, a kind of connection between Miller and Sacha.
Its that they both scratch away at the veneer of civilization.
Miller is interested in the idea that underneath the surface, everything isnt quite right.
Sacha is the same in his comedy.
He scratches away at peoples sensibilities.
To see how far he can take things by pushing their buttons.
Are you drawn to that?
I mean, Im fascinated by the stories that Sacha has told me.
He told me there were plenty of occasions when he would have security or a bodyguard standing around.
And then something dangerous would happen and hed turn around to see his security literally running out the door.
I think at that rodeo, for example, inBorat, he was in mortal danger.
And the same when he ran naked through the group of people at the end of that film.
I think he jumped in a van and they were thumping the sides of the van.
Yeah, he does put himself into very dangerous situations.
Youve never really done this throw in of ribald comedy.
Who thought of you to costar opposite him?
Well, first of all, they were looking for somebody who could believably be his brother.
Sachas a tall guy, hes dark.
And I kind of fitted that bill.
And I think somebody was watching TV and heard my voice, actually.
And then I went into improvisation with Sacha.
And it all happened very fast.
I got sent three scenes.
But we just threw them away and improvised.
Had you been told when you signed on about the ridiculous scene with the darts?
Sacha Baron Cohens character has to suck venom out of your scrotum.
Im pretty sure that was in the original script.
And when it came to shoot, those scenes took days to film.
Im curious about making the elephant scene.
I couldnt believe my eyes as I was watching it.
I think Salvador Dali would have loved it.
It was almost like a silicone sleeping bag.
We were snuggled up together like a pair of lovers for about three days in this tiny space.
And we were soaked to the skin.
It was a pretty harsh and hostile environment.
And it was hot and it was damp.
And we spent days in there.
I think that was the basis of our now very firm friendship.
What was the substance that, shall we say, eventually squirts on you?
It was some sort of benign moisturizer.
Our skin felt absolutely fantastic after we got out of there.
And what was going through your mind while filming it?
Were you skeptical that it would be funny?
It was really hard work, honestly.
But its always fun when youre around Sacha and hes always a real professional.
Hes constantly on the search for laughs.
So it feels like more of an adventure.
Theres alsoa killer gag about Donald Trump getting AIDS.
Do you appreciate topicality in humor?
To be honest, yesterday at the premiere, those moments got some of the biggest laughs.
People feel excited to be involved in watching something with references as immediate as those are.
What are youre feelings about Trump?
Generally, I feel like a lot people do.
Which is that I never thought hes be this successful for this long.
And I think everybody is slightly in shock.
Well, I shouldnt say everybody.
Obviously he has a lot of supporters.
But some people seem to be in shock that hes come as far as he has.
But its a democracy.
And hes apparently the man that some people want with his finger on the button.
Are you being recognized a lot more recently, because ofThe Imitation GameandKingsman?
Those are successful movies where you played British characters and looked like yourself.
Yeah and its a shame.
Im losing my anonymity.
Yeah, all the time.
I used to walk there in the afternoon and back at night, every day.
Is that how you stay so fit?
People might be surprised to know that youre 52 years old.
I blame all those young guys in their 20s coming out of Drama School now.
Which was never the case when I started out.
But what do you hope people take away from it?
I hope people take it in the spirit in which its intended.
We all need a bit of comedy in our lives.
And the main thing is, just relax and enjoy and dont be afraid to laugh.
Anarchic chaos can be hysterical.
And what about for yourself?
Are you glad you took this leap into utter lunacy?
As an actor, thats what you want.
Theres no point in playing the same part again and again in different guises.
