Were there any parts of this project that were more challenging?
Not really. I really enjoyed it. I’m very grateful to be included in it. I wouldn’t say challenging, I would say it felt great. It felt like even in a small way, I was part of something that was really special. When I saw Cooper’s first film “S**thouse,” I was really impressed at his ability for someone so young. And he has a fearless way of directing. And I say “fearless” because he’s open. He’s open to ideas, open to thoughts from other actors. The [movie] had a wonderful cinematographer. The producers were very … They’re all young. You know?
I’m at the point in my life that I walk on a set and they’re like, “Somebody get him a chair.” So it’s great to see a bunch of young people kicking ass and making something that was special.
It was great to see that audiences were so taken by it at Sundance and really liked it. It’s a feel-good movie that doesn’t try to preach, that doesn’t try to fix problems. It’s like, “Hey, this is it, this is our life. This is where we are. And we’re still dancing as fast as we can to figure it out.”
Well, my last question was going to be, what do you hope people take from this movie? But you kind of already summed it up.
I hope I have. I hope that [audiences] take away that it’s okay not to know everything. At a young age, at an old age, do the best you can. Stay true to yourself. Life’s hard. We’re all searching.
“Cha Cha Real Smooth” will be released in select theaters and premiere globally on Apple TV+ on June 17, 2022.
This interview was edited for clarity.
