If it weren't for the English accent there'd've been times during the motion picture Paul where I might hadve thought I was watching a mirror.
The XXL science fiction fanatic known as Clive Gollings is a nerdtastic character for the ages - and one that won't be too difficult for most Comic-Con attendes to dress up as.
I had the good fortune to speak to Mr. Frost on the horn the other day - here's what went down.
Jordan Hoffman: The last time I saw you we were eating BBQ at South by Southwest together.
Nick Frost: I’m doing exactly the same thing again! I’ve gotten them to install a branch of Salt Lick in my own backyard. We have precious little good BBQ here. Or Mexican food, even.
Jordan Hoffman: Well, there's hardly any fish & chips in newspaper here in NYC. But that's mostly because we use plates!
Nick Frost: Well, after the Second World War there weren’t any plates because we threw them all at the Germans. The great 1945 plate famine.
Jordan Hoffman: Of course. Now, I follow you on Twitter, so before anything else congrats on the birth of your child.
Nick Frost: Thank you! I’m almost 40 and I turned to my wife the other day and I said, “I wish we did this when I was younger – this is nackering!”
Jordan Hoffman: So on to Paul. What’s gonna kick ass on the Blu-ray?
Nick Frost: Much like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz we stay inventive, we like to pack in a lot material. There’s a fantastic featurette on how we blew up the house – it’s a great joy. And a documentary on “Who is Adam Shadowchild?” It’s always a pleasure to get more of Jeffrey Tambor.
Jordan Hoffman: I was quite touched by the amazing nerdy T-shirts in Paul. You’re in a Creature From The Black Lagoon shirt and some others – can you talk about some of the shirts you loved as a kid.
Nick Frost: Actually, the Empire Strikes Back T-shirt that Simon wears in the film. I had one of them. But mostly bands. I’ve got an old Dinosaur Jr. t-shirt I used to wear. I went to Reading Festival when I was 15 t-shirt.
Jordan Hoffman: I don't get out much, what’s the Reading Festival?
Nick Frost: It was alternative – The Smiths, Sonic Youth, The Pixies.
Jordan Hoffman: Never an Iron Maiden “Eddie” T-Shirt?
Nick Frost: Actually, yeah, I think I might have. I think I had a “Number Of The Beast” T-shirt? Or maybe it was “The Trooper?” I dunno if it had Eddie on it.
Jordan Hoffman: Was he holding a torn flag?
Nick Frost: Yes! Well remembered!
Jordan Hoffman: So you were a collector, much like your character in Paul?
Nick Frost: You’ve got to have a bit of yourself in your character.
Jordan Hoffman: As a science-fiction nerd, why did neither you nor Simon’s character speak to Paul about faster-than-light travel? I mean, if I met an alien I’d want to know if they traveled there by wormhole or by faster-than-light propulsion.
Nick Frost: [mock rolling his eyes] Yeah, that’s a very good question.
Jordan Hoffman: [laughs]
Nick Frost: Well, yes, we sit opposite each other in a tiny office and talk for hours about things, but there has to be a moment where you say “fu*k it, let’s not address it.”
Paul is out on Blu-ray August 9th.
