Rainn Wilson

Interview By: Rick Mele
RickMele@TheCinemaSource.com

Don't let the last name confuse you, Rainn Wilson isn't related to co-star Luke. He's probably best known for his role in NBC's acclaimed sitcom The Office (based on the popular British series of the same name). In it, he plays Dwight Schrute, the paper salesman with the inflated ego and obnoxiously gung-ho attitude, earning him quite the cult following. Rainn is also well-known for another recurring television role, on HBO's Six Feet Under, in which he plays Arthur, the odd mortician intern. Certainly no stranger to playing eccentric roles, he jumped right in at the chance to play Vaughn in the quirky romantic comedy My Super Ex-Girlfriend, in which Rainn dispenses loads of less-than-helpful advice to Luke's character, Matt.

When asked about his connection to comic books as a kid, Rainn invokes another famous superheroine/actress, replying, 'I had some very deep fantasies about Linda Carter as Wonder Woman as a child that, um, really screwed me up as an adult. Just like her thighs and her golden lariat, and' yeah.' Fine company for My Super Ex-Girlfriend's Uma Thurman to be in.

And speaking of fantasies, My Super Ex-Girlfriend takes the traditional male catfight fantasy to a whole new level, turning into, what else', a super catfight sequence. When Anna Faris's character, Hannah, becomes newly endowed with superpowers, her and Uma's G-Girl square off in an epic battle for Matt's heart. It's a scene Rainn facetiously calls, 'the hottest catfight in the history of superhero comedies.' As to whether or not Rainn has ever had two women fight over him in such a way, he replies, 'I don't know that I've ever had women actually attracted to me. So [Luke], why don't you take this one' [laughter]'

But Rainn jumps right in again to defend the film's PG-13 rating, explaining, 'I used to say [in the film], when asked what superpower I would have, I used to say 'I would like the power to blow myself,' and we did an optional, uh, take there where I said the ability to orally gratify myself. So I think, like both 3 year-olds and 13 year-olds, that will go right over their heads and is safe for adult consumption, [so] you can enjoy the joke.'

Rainn's wry sense of humor is apparent as he teases Luke, saying of his pickup lines, 'Luke often uses, 'Hi, I'm Owen Wilson.' [laughter]' But Luke gives it back as good as he get it, retorting, 'You wanna know a really bad one I heard' 'Hi, I'm Rainn Wilson, do you like TV' Get around TV much' Do you have a TV'''

And, indeed, it's Rainn's role as Dwight on The Office that remains his biggest claim to fame. When asked about the possibility of several of the British cast members showing up on the American version this season, Rainn quickly takes to bragging, 'I hadn't heard that, that's news to me. But I know that Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant [the original creators] have written an episode for us this next season. 'You see, I'm on a TV show, and, this movie, you guys do great with your movie business and stuff like that, but television' God, it's so great. 10 million people a week watch me, do my thing. ...I'm gonna shut up now.' And indeed he does, leaving Dwight fans out there anxiously awaiting The Office's next season. For now, though, those 10 million people will have to be content watching Rainn in his supporting role in My Super Ex-Girlfriend, and I'm sure that's exactly what Ivan Reitman and the gang were counting on when they cast him.