Showbiz Today Star of Tomorrow

All-'American' Seann William Scott

By Lori Blackman
Showbiz Today Reports


"American Pie" star Seann William Scott flexes his acting muscles with a dramatic role in the upcoming film "Stark Raving Mad"

NEW YORK (CNN) -- You may recognize Seann William Scott as the over-the-top Stifler from "American Pie," but Scott himself is a far cry from the babe-lovin' surfer dudes he often depicts in the movies. What this performer really wants is the chance to flex his acting muscles in a dramatic role -- something he'll have a chance to do later this year, with a film called "Stark Raving Mad."

In the meantime, though, Stifler rules supreme at the box office -- and so has Scott, with roles this year in "Evolution" and the upcoming "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."

"Showbiz Today Reports" correspondent Lori Blackman chatted with Scott about his speedy rise in the movie business, getting back together with the "American Pie" cast, and the prospects for "American Pie 3."

CNN: Stifler hasn't changed a whole lot from the first one, huh?

Seann William Scott: No, I think he's more of an ass this time around. Which I thought was kind of important because I think the only thing that was appealing to do that character again is if he was crazier than (in) the first one.

CNN: When they came to you and said we're going to do an "American Pie 2," what was your initial reaction?

Scott: I was told they wanted to do a sequel before the first "American Pie" came out and I said, "Let's just wait for the first one to come out and hopefully it does good enough for them to want to do a sequel." But also, being a fan of movies, sequels suck -- I can think of maybe five that have been pretty good -- (so) I really didn't want to do it all. Then I got the script for the sequel and I thought it was actually funnier than the first one.


Scott thinks his "American Pie" character, Stifler, is "more of an ass this time around."

CNN: So, now that you've seen the sequel, is it funnier than the first one?

Scott: Surprisingly, yeah. I think it is actually funnier than the first one.

It's amazing and it's weird, because just seeing these characters again ... is a lot of fun. And seeing something good happen to one of these guys, you end up being really happy, and just sitting in a theater and hear(ing) people pull for these guys is really great.

CNN: "American Pie" came out two years ago, in the summer of 1999. It was your first big film. Since that time you have done "Road Trip," "Dude, Where's My Car?", "Evolution," "Final Destination," and your dramatic debut, which hasn't come out yet, in "Stark Raving Mad." That is a phenomenal number of movies in two years.

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Scott: Yeah, it's been amazing. Literally, with the first "American Pie," it all felt worthwhile. If nothing had happened after that I would have been really happy, but I think what it did allowed me to realize (is) that I love acting. I love being able to create something from the page and bring it to life.

CNN: What is your favorite project thus far?

Scott: I don't know. ... I always think everything has been the best part of my life.

You know, to go back and be in "American Pie 2" and be with the guys that started off your career -- and we were able to talk about what the heck has gone on in the last couple of years and share those experiences -- has been truly amazing. "Evolution" -- to work with David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, Orlando Jones, and Dan Aykroyd, and all these people that made me want to be an actor -- that was amazing. ... So I think I'm very appreciative of every opportunity that's come my way, but I think as an actor, it was most fulfilling to do "Stark Raving Mad."

CNN: "American Pie" was a huge hit, but as much of a surprise hit was "Dude, Where's My Car?", which came in under the radar and was a phenomenal success. How can you explain that?

Scott: I don't think the critics loved it that much. It wasn't an Academy Award favorite, but it was an audience favorite. That was a weird movie, because we filmed that in six weeks and we didn't have much of a budget. It was really supposed to be a rated-R movie and halfway into filming they decided to make it a PG-13 movie, which is always kind of a weird thing. And it had to come out very soon after we finished it and it was just one of those things that people enjoyed.

It's not trying to be "The Godfather," it is what it is. It's a stupid, fun, silly movie and it's really surprising and amazing how people have picked up on it more now that they've seen it a couple of times after the first. It's great.

CNN: Do you have any Stifler in you?

Scott: Probably more when I was a little kid, I was more of a maniac then.

When I was maybe like, under 10 years old, I was kind of like a maniac. I was pretty shy in school. I had great friends and I was always playing sports, and I really drew that character from about eight different guys I went to school with who had characteristics I thought were really fun and funny. I just wanted to make sure that he was the guy that everybody knew in high school 'cause I felt that was important to have in "American Pie."

CNN: This seems like a movie that would be an insane amount of fun to shoot. Was it as much fun as it looked?

Scott: Oh, definitely. It was different than the first one because I think we were aware of the expectations. We filmed the first one three years ago. It's a weird thing to go back and play a character that you haven't done in three years and you really have to make sure it's specific -- especially Stifler, (who's) such a specific character. I hadn't seen the first one in maybe a year and a half so it was weird to gain weight and think about what kind of energy you had.

So in that sense it was different. We had a little bit more experience and we had a couple of years to think about these characters and we had more input, I think. But we still had a blast. The greatest thing was, you know, these guys hadn't changed. We all grew up and it was nice to see that these guys were just as happy and excited to have this job as with the first one.

CNN: Are we going to see an "American Pie 3"?

Scott: I'm sure they're going to push for one. The thing that really surprised me -- and that they knew all along -- was just seeing these guys together again was just a great chemistry and a lot of fun. I think personally I'm going to leave it at the second one. I hope it does well enough for them to want to do a third one, but I think I'm running out of bodily fluids to use.

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