CraveOnline: When you were on that ride along, did anyone recognize you? Like, “That guy from ‘Heroes’ is an exterminator now…?”
Greg Grunberg: [Laughs] Yeah! Actually there were a couple of people I had to explain [that] I was doing this for a movie. It was really funny. One person actually took pictures of me spraying their backyard. But most of the people weren’t even home so it was easy. That’s so funny. Yeah, I had the hat on, but I didn’t dress in their gear. I was dressed in my own clothes so I did stand out.
You said you’re a fan of this genre, that you watch it with your family. Are there particular films you’re a fan of or is it just the overall tone? I know some people who don’t care what’s on so long as there’s a giant alligator in it.
Yeah, I mean, the thing is that I’m a fan of, no matter how big the movie is… Paranormal Activity. Movies like that, they’re good! [Laughs] They’re crafted well. I go on Vimeo and I see some of these shorts, some of these things that people make, that you can tell obviously there are limitations to the sound, but it was really serious thought that was put into the framing of each shot. I learned a lot on “Heroes.” Every shot looks like a still from a comic book. Anything that really creates, not a whole other world, but that really lets you escape into that story for a certain amount of time. Genre films let you do that. I’m a fan of them.
I have three boys. My youngest is ten now, so we’re able to share some of these really fun, cool movies. He doesn’t like to be scared, my youngest, so we’re still getting out of that period, but some of these other movies, even if they’re low budget, I love them. But if it’s really poorly done and if it’s schlock, that I don’t appreciate either, as far as wanting to put my name on it, my face on something.
But this was one that… I scored. I got very lucky that I got to work with the people I got to work with. I’m hoping that we get to make more of these.
I talked to Mike the other day in an interview, and he said he wanted to a TV series and multiple sequels with Alex and Jose fighting big ass ants or a big ass centipede. Has he talked to you about any specifics?
Oh yeah. We’ve spent a lot of time together. The movie’s been well received at all these festivals, and I’ve gone to a few, and at Comic Con in New York we actually had a serious conversation about it. I was like, “I’m in.” If we can get the budget. The problem with a movie like this is the effects house we used, this was their in to show what they can do, so they did it for next to nothing and now they’re priced out of our league as far as a super low budget thing. But we could definitely do it. I’m game. This is a character that I’ve established that I really love, and I’ve got to tell you, these guys…
With or without, if we don’t make the movie, I’m going to make [something]. It may not be Alex and Jose, but it will be me and Bardo doing something together for sure, because it’s lightning in a bottle. That guy is brilliant. He’s so unselfish. He lets me shine and then he steals the scene, or he steals the movie, and I’m happy to let him to do it. He’s just so much fun to work with. He’s such a pro. And Mike Mendez. I will do anything that guy asks me to do. I had a great time working with him. He’s brilliant.
I’d like to ask you some questions about some of your earlier films if that’s okay. I’m a big fan from way back.
Yeah.
Here’s one that I haven’t seen, but I didn’t realize you were in it. IMDb says you were in Witchcraft V?
Oh yeah. Witchcraft V was… The Feifers, Michael Feifer produced that movie and he’s a friend of mine, and he asked me to be in it. I have a really small role in that movie. But that’s, again, one of these genre, Troma-esque movies. Super, super low budget and hopefully they just live on. The problem with a lot of these movies is that they all get lumped together. Mega-This and Mega-That. That’s one thing I don’t want to do. I’m not interested in doing something where it’s like, “Oh, it’s just one of those forgettable kind of things.”
That’s not what Big Ass Spider is to me. That’s why the title was changed to Big Ass Spider. I said it in the movie, Mike heard it and went like, “That’s the title.” That tells people that this is something special, something different, it’s not just another one of these disaster movies. Witchcraft obviously was in a series. I mean, Witchcraft V. [Laughs] They just keep pumping them out!
I think there’s like 14 of those now.
Yeah, it’s crazy, but there’s an audience for it. Obviously people are watching them, and if we can make a series of these I’d be the happiest guy.
