VIDEO: James Franco Takes on Hollywood, Takes Off Clothes in ‘Disaster Artist’ Trailer
Seth Rogen, Dave Franco, Zac Efron, and Alison Brie co-star in film about the making of “The Room”
September 12, 2017
Stern Show listeners have already heard the story of how Judd Apatow helped launch Amy Schumer’s film career, but in the official trailer for “The Disaster Artist” audiences get a look at how the comedy titan apparently also pushed auteur Tommy Wiseau down a path toward infamy.
The film follows Wiseau (James Franco) who decides to write, direct, and star in his own movie after getting rejected by several Hollywood bigwigs, including Apatow (who plays himself in a cameo).
With the help of script coordinator Sandy Schklair (played by frequent collaborator and fellow Stern Show veteran Seth Rogen) and co-star, producer, and eventual “making of” author Greg Sestero (Dave Franco), Wiseau sets out to make what would become the cult-classic disasterpiece “The Room.”
Wiseau gives it his all, of course, but as the trailer (above) shows he just cant avoid a multitude of his missteps, from forgetting his lines to penetrating a woman’s belly button during a love scene.
Franco gives it his all, too, in his portrayal of Wiseau—even disrobing completely to immerse himself in the part. When Rogen visited the Stern Show in June, he told Howard all about Franco’s method acting-inspired approach to “The Disaster Artist.” “Franco directed … the whole movie in character, as Tommy Wiseau, wearing prosthetic makeup,” he said, adding that Franco even spoke with Wiseau’s Eastern European accent after cameras stopped rolling.
“The first two days of filming, I could not even talk to him,” Seth continued. “Every time he’d talk to me, I would like, break into hysterics.” Listen (below).
In addition to other co-stars like Zac Efron, Josh Hutcherson, and Alison Brie, “The Disaster Artist” contains a slew of celebrity cameos, including Adam Scott, Kristen Bell, “Star Wars: Episode IX” director J.J. Abrams, Stern Show favorite Bryan Cranston, and—yes—even Wiseau himself.
“The Disaster Artist,” adapted from Sestero’s book “The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made,” hits theaters in December. Check out the trailer (above).
