by Watch: Ben Schwartz and Awkwafina Talk Renfield
Appearing opposite Nicolas Cage’s wanton Dracula in Renfield – the upcoming action-horror comedy that focuses on Nicholas Hoult’s vampire sidekick of the same name – was a dream come true for Ben Schwartz.
“To be smothered by Nic Cage, come on, what more could you want?” he tells Yahoo UK.
The actor — best known for Parks & Recreation and as the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog — plays the demented son of a gang boss who hunts down Renfield, a bug-eating superservant.
When it came to scenes with Cage, Schwartz’s improv background added to the experience.
To know more: Six great actors you forgot played Dracula
“[Cage] it’s down,” he says. “I love being blown away by scenes, because you get the best reactions, you get real reactions. I was absolutely in heaven.
“I grew up with his films. I’ve seen The Rock, Face Off and Con Air thousands of times. So the fact that I get to play with him is great.
Awkwafina, who plays a New Orleans traffic cop and a surprise ally of Renfield, is equally thrilled to be working alongside Cage.
“It was such a cool thing to see Cage turn into Dracula because he’s so invested in the process, in the character, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with it,” he says.
To know more: Nicolas Cage believed he was “an alien” as a child
“It’s quite intimidating to see Nicolas Cage fully dressed as Dracula, wandering around the set between takes. This was downright disarming.
“It was such an inspiring experience, just seeing an actor wholly in his zone and wheelhouse…
“And her nails were crazy.”
Schwartz agrees on the bizarreness of seeing Cage casually walk out on set in full costume and makeup, which reportedly took eight hours to apply.
“We’d make a scene and then they’d say cut it, and then he’d laugh a little bit,” she says.
“We sit in our chairs, and we’re just talking about whatever movie is out…but he literally has big fingernails, blood on his face. It’s just the funniest thing in the world.
For both comedic actors, Renfield – directed by The Lego Batman Movie’s Chris McKay – was a chance to play against type, involving both the horror and action aspects of the film.
“I’m not a physical person, which is ironic,” says Awkwafina, who previously appeared in the action films Shang-Chi and Jumanji: The Next Level.
“It’s like I’m constantly thrown into these action movies where I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
“It was so much fun being the crazy person who drives recklessly and does cocaine, all of which I would never do,” adds Schwartz. “It’s so much fun that I can go from doing Sonic to doing an R-hard comedy. So I was in heaven.
Renfield hits UK cinemas on 14th April 2023. Check out the trailer below.
