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YOU ARE HERE CERA

After bursting onto the scene in 2007's Superbad and Juno, Michael Cera has been steadily climbing Hollywood's It list. This month, the 20-year-old actor stars in Youth in Revolt, based on C.D. Payne's bestselling novel.
by BRET LOVE - February 2009

Published in Media :: Media

WELCOME TO THE FUNNY, EMBARRASSING WORLD OF MICHAEL CERA, THE BOY NEXT DOOR WHO IS CONQUERING HOLLYWOOD, ONE AWKWARD MOMENT AT A TIME.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY SHUR

From Edward Furlong and Corey Feldman to Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, history is littered with cautionary tales about the inherent dangers of becoming famous too young. For every Jodie Foster-who earned her first Oscar nomination at 14 and went on to become one of the most successful leading ladies in Hollywood-there have been scores of others who either burned out in a fiery blaze of tabloid glory or simply faded into obscurity (read: Macaulay Culkin, Haley Joel Osment) before they were even old enough to vote.

Then there's Michael Cera. Born in the Toronto suburb of Brampton in 1988 to a Sicilian father and a Canadian mother, Cera appeared in films such as Frequency and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind before finding fame at 15 as one of the stars of the cult TV comedy "Arrested Development." In 2007, he had back-to-back breakthrough roles in Juno and Superbad (which together grossed more than $250 million). Next, the 20-year-old-who ranked No. 1 on last year's "30 Under 30" list in Entertainment Weekly-is headlining this month's Youth In Revolt, based on the C.D. Payne novel. And this is just one of several films that promise to make him an even bigger star.

What seems even more remarkable than Cera's considerable successes (including his last film, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, which grossed more than three times its estimated $9 million budget) is the fact that he seems completely oblivious to it. He arrives bright and early for this interview, looking closer to his Youth In Revolt character Nick Twisp's age (14) than his own, clad in the trademark slacker-teen outfit-hooded sweatshirt, tight jeans and worn sneakers-as well as a bright red backpack that makes him look more like a high school student than a bona-fide star.

Cera is unfailingly polite, asking for permission to fix himself a cup of coffee (a job usually handled by fawning publicists) before sitting down, then apologizing for delaying the interview-by a minute or two at most. Though clearly thoughtful and intelligent, his answers come in fits and starts, punctuated by pregnant pauses and his favorite word, "nice," which he uses no less than a dozen times over the course of the conversation. With Cera, what you see truly seems to be what you get-the actor has a shy, awkward, mildly uncomfortable demeanor much like most of the characters he has played.

"[Emotional discomfort] is my favorite thing," he says. "I always end up in situations where I don't know too many people. I'm not very social, so I feel extremely uncomfortable. But there's some secret pleasure I take in things going horribly wrong."

It's a pleasure he has embraced since the onset of puberty, when he and a friend-inspired by the irreverent comedy of Tom Green and HBO's sketch comedy series "Mr. Show"-decided that making themselves laugh was far more important than trying to be cool or fit in. In seventh grade, the actor (who had already appeared in commercials) started wearing a pink bicycle helmet to school, adopting a fake persona to interview classmates. "We didn't care if people thought we were losers," he says. "I was excited about people thinking I was an idiot."

This affinity for awkwardness served him extremely well in his "Arrested Development" role as George Michael Bluth, a bumbling teen with an inappropriate crush on his cousin; as Paulie Bleeker, a short-shorts-clad geek and boyfriend of the title character in Juno; as Evan, a high school senior trying to win the heart of a gorgeous girl who's way out of his league in Superbad; and as Nick, a lovelorn musician pining for his ex-girlfriend in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. But, surprisingly enough, Cera claims to feel no awkwardness whatsoever with the astronomical ascent to fame these roles have brought him.

"I've been enjoying it. I really like working and being on sets. If I get recognized in the street, it's normally just a brief exchange. They'll tell me they like my work, or someone will shout something out, but it's always very pleasant," he says. "Do people really change because of fame? I've never met someone who has, so I think that was bound to happen to that person no matter what they did in their life."

Perhaps Cera's comfort with his newfound celebrity comes from the fact that his previous projects have had ensemble casts that took a collaborative approach, rather than star vehicles that focus on one or two characters. He has also been able to do a lot of improvisation in his roles, which allowed him to play a heightened version of himself, and the actor acknowledges that it's his favorite style of acting.

"It's fun, just having a conversation [in character], because it always feels real when you're just talking off the top of your head. You can always create options on the set and make decisions later in the editing room, rather than having to go back and reshoot," he says.

And how does that style compare to his past improv training? "I took some classes at Second City in Toronto," he says. "I guess I learned something from that, but the biggest thing is to just listen. I think anyone can do it, because if you can have a conversation, you can improvise, as long as you're not trying to be funny. That's when you can start to trip yourself up."

In the eyes of many critics, this naturalistic approach to humor offers a refreshing change of pace from the tawdry comedies of the '90s. Some have gone so far as to compare Superbad and Nick and Norah to the classic John Hughes teen films of the '80s like The Breakfast Club and Pretty In Pink.

"I like anything that feels authentic and comes from someone's heart," Cera says when asked why these films appeal to his generation. "I've never liked those gross-out comedies [from the '90s]. Sometimes you read a script and there are things that don't ring true, but you can work with the director and the writers on fixing it. I've always found that it's best to work with people who are collaborative and open-minded.
People who aren't afraid of forfeiting control always come up with the best product."

With another ensemble cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Justin Long and Jean Smart, Youth In Revolt seems likely to continue Cera's string of successes. The story follows Nick Twisp, a troubled teen who falls for a gorgeous dream girl (played by newcomer Portia Doubleday) as his parents teeter on the brink of divorce. "I love the book by C.D. Payne on which it's based. It's about a young guy who meets a girl on a family vacation and becomes obsessed with her. I've read the book like five times and really love the character, so I was excited to do it. I think the movie will be really good," Cera says.

That film is one of four the actor has scheduled for release in the next year or so. The Year One-directed by Cera's Ghostbusters idol, Harold Ramis-finds him and Jack Black as lazy hunter-gatherers on an epic journey after being cast out from their village. In Scott

Pilgrim vs. the World, directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead), Cera stars as a man who must vanquish his new love's ex-boyfriends. But the project that really has fans buzzing is the "Arrested Development" movie, which will reportedly feature the original cast, reunited for the first time since the show was canceled in 2006.

Though the deal has not been finalized, Cera seems optimistic about returning to the quirky character that made him famous. "I would only want to be a part of the movie if it was going to be really good because I think it's good to go out on a high note, end with a bang and leave them wanting more," he says. "I don't think it would be worth doing unless it would live up to the expectations that might come with it."

Given Cera's track record, living up to expectations shouldn't be too much of a concern. While most actors his age struggle to find their career paths, he seems remarkably assured in everything from his online comedy series "Clark and Michael" to his duet with Ellen Page on the Juno soundtrack.
He may not be a big name in the world of celebrity gossip, but with his impressive track record, Cera is proof positive that sometimes nice guys do finish first.

"I think music in movies is very important because it really creates the tone and can totally change a movie," says Cera, a budding musician in his spare time. His personal tastes run the gamut from classic rock artists Neil Young and The Beach Boys to film composers such as Alden Penner and Alan Price. And his recent films have boasted some of the coolest soundtracks in recent years. Download these tunes to create your own CD.

BUDDY HOLLY "Dearest" (Juno)

THE BAR-KAYS "Too Hot To Stop" (Superbad)

VAMPIRE WEEKEND "Ottoman" (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)

KIMYA DAWSON "Tire Swing" (Juno)

WE ARE SCIENTISTS "After Hours" (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)

THE ROOTS "Here I Come" (Superbad)

CAT POWER "Sea of Love" (Juno)

BAND OF HORSES "Our Swords" (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)

RICK JAMES "Bustin' Out (On Funk)" (Superbad)

DEVENDRA BANHART "Lover" (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)

BELLE & SEBASTIAN "Expectations" (Juno)

SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL 66 "Roda" (Superbad)

MICHAEL CERA & ELLEN PAGE "Anyone Else But You" (Juno)

Published in Media :: Media

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