Ari Graynor is starring along side Colin Hanks in the new film “Lucky”. The film is directed by Gil Cates Jr. and was released July 15th in theaters and on demand. Ari really steals the show playing Lucy, who is such a colorful character. Ari will be co-starring in this fall’s “What Your Number?” with Chris Evans and Anna Farris and also”The Sitter” with Jonah Hill & Sam Rockwell. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Ari about her role in “Lucky” as well her upcoming projects.
Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what you first thought when you saw the script for “Lucky”?
Ari Graynor: It was insane and I didn’t fully understand it. I essentially went back and read it again to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me. I thought it was really funny with really unique characters that I have never seen anywhere else before. It was very exciting.
MG: How did you prepare for such the interesting character Lucy?
AG: Gil Cates Jr. & Kent Sublette wrote such a colorful character on the page. So much of her language is already there. I used dreamwork, which is an acting technique where you use your dreams to understand how you and the character are similar. I am not doing it justice, but it is really intense beautiful work. It is a way to really connect to the character. Since Lucy’s behavior is so outlandish, it was a way for me to get close to the emotional undercurrent of her actions. I was able to tone in to what was going on with my life, so that I could identify with Lucy. I got to wear these different costumes which were super helpful. I started doing this little dance next to the camera before we would roll to get me into her little bouncy energy. Little things like that.
MG: How was it working with Colin Hanks?
AG: We fell in friendship love over our first lunch in North Hollywood. We realized we better like each other since we are going to be in Council Bluffs, Iowa together for the next two months. We pretty much were forced into thinking we are the best people ever [laughs] because we had nothing but time to spend together. He has this natural talent. He is so funny, smart and creative, as a human being. He is just so silly and funny to be around. We had a really great time together.
MG: You worked with Michael Cera on both Youth in Revolt and “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”, how did that come about?
AG: I think Michael was big help in “Youth in Revolt” happening for me. We became really close on “Nick and Norah” and had an amazing time together. He was very involved in the making of “Youth in Revolt” and was a lot part of me being in the movie was because of him. It is nice to have friends in good places [laughs]. It was kind of going from playing high school friend to me essentially playing his step mom.
MG: How was it working with such a great cast in “What’s Your Number”?
AG: Yeah, we had like a crazy good time. I am from Boston, so it was such a dream come true to be able to shoot in my home town. Anna Faris and I created a really sincerely relationship. She is one of my favorite people on the planet. I played husband and wife with her real 
husband. So we are like all bonded like a family now. It was such a fun cast. It was a funny fun time.
MG: You work again with Andy Samberg in “Celeste and Jesse Forever, as well as “Nick and Norah”, was that a coincidence?
AG: Yes, I did. It was a joke we started. We only met very briefing during “Nick and Norah” and “What’s Your Number”, so it was finally great to work with him for real this time and get to know him. He is going to blow people away in this movie. He kills it in such a real heartbreaking and funny performance.
MG: Tell us about working with Jonah Hill & Sam Rockwell in “The Sitter”?
AG: It is the bomb of a movie. It is so good and so funny. It has an amazing early 90’s vibe. Jonah is just one of the funniest guys around. Not only is he a professional actor he is like a mini mogul. He understands everything about the film business. I learned so much from him. We had a great time hang out together. Sam played my dad in the film “Conviction” is now playing my drug dealer. It is funny to be reunited with him but under very different terms. We shot the film in NY in the Fall and I felt so lucky that this is my job.