It is a shame that very few people know Sam Rockwell’s name. Most casual moviegoers are probably at least familiar with his face though, due to his scene-stealing turns in films as diverse as The Green Mile, Galaxy Quest, Iron Man 2 and Frost/Nixon. However, he also has a stellar resume of independent projects, including critically acclaimed turns in Moon, Conviction, The Way Way Back and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
Rockwell is formidable at playing men with a sense of arrested development. (his turn as the buffoonish but tender Owen in The Way Way Back even got him some long-overdue Oscar buzz). That made him a prime choice to join the cast of Laggies, a new comedy-drama from director Lynn Shelton.
In the film, the actor plays Craig, a lawyer and hopeless romantic who falls for young, aimless, twenty-something Megan (Keira Knightley). Rockwell gives the role the same sarcastic spice he has offered indie and mainstream cinema for nearly 20 years, but this is a stellar dramatic turn for him, as well.
Last month at the Toronto International Film Festival, I had the chance to sit down with Rockwell for an exclusive interview, and he was a pleasure to speak with. We discussed what attracted him to the story and character, how much of a chance he had to improv, what it was like working with Lynn and much more.
Check it out in the video above and be sure to catch Laggies when it hits theatres this Friday!