Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star puts a wide-eyed pornography newcomer (co-writer and star Nick Swardson) at odds with a more established adult film performer (Stephen Dorff) in this Adam Sandler comedy. The pair left any sense of animosity on the screen, though, if Metro’s love-fest of a chat with the pair is any indication.
Nick, I take it this is an autobiographical film for you?
Nick Swardson: It’s a documentary. We’re very excited. They followed me around for my beginning (laughs). No, it’s awesome. It’s an idea that (Adam) Sandler had. He told me, ‘You play a kid who finds out his parents used to be porn stars,’ and it’s such an awesome concept because you do think, ‘What if I found a porno from the ’60s or ’70s that my parents were starring in? What would my reaction be?’ And this kid’s reaction is like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s my calling.’
A lot of other comics have pegged you as the one to watch over the last couple of years.
Nick Swardson: Oh, that’s very cool. Who said that, my mom?
Mostly your mom, yeah.
Stephen Dorff: And your grandma.
How does it feel to have that kind of momentum building up? Not to put any pressure on you.
Nick Swardson: No, it’s cool, man. I’ve been doing comedy for 16 years, so it’s not, like, jarring. It’s not an overnight thing where I’m like, ‘Ah! How do I deal?’ You know, I’ve had so many parts in Sandler’s stuff, Blades of Glory, Reno 911. So it’s been like a nice build. I just feel like it’s really the perfect time. I don’t feel any pressure or anything, and I’m really enjoying it. You know, I get to do a movie like this where I get to work with people like Stephen, who’s an amazing actor.
Stephen Dorff: Thanks, buddy.
Nick Swardson: Yeah, buddy. I love you.
We saw you last in Somewhere, playing a movie star, and now you’re playing a porn star in the other. Do you approach the characters the same way?
Stephen Dorff: A little different, a little different. This one had bad jeans, a little more Granada Hills thrown in there, some Affliction T-shirts, some Brett Michaels influence.
Nick Swardson: You had a bigger penis in Somewhere. You had to decrease it for this role. In Somewhere, he had the three-foot penis, going down to his knees. In this one they were like, you’ve got to dial that back.
