Through the likes of Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul, and even The World’s End to a certain extent, a large part of Simon Pegg‘s career saw him wearing his geek credentials proudly on his sleeve, while even his autobiography was quite literally titled Nerd Do Well.
However, now that he’s older, wiser, and a certified Hollywood star, he’s handing in his membership card to move beyond that phase of his life. Of course, the actor isn’t going to simply stop enjoying the things he’s loved for his entire life – or maybe he is, for all we know – but his comments on the nostalgia culture engulfing the entertainment industry in an interview with The Guardian are pretty harsh regardless.
“This culture of infantilised adulthood, all these grown-ass men arguing about f*cking superheroes online, and meanwhile the world is falling apart in so many different ways. And that’s why we will all go to hell. Because no one will grow the f*ck up any more.
Everybody’s so plugged into being a child, you know? I’ve aged out of a lot of what people assume I’m about. I don’t feel like I’m that geeky guy any more, particularly. I don’t have the same interests I had when I was 35 or 40 even. I’d much rather watch Succession than some sci-fi.”
He’s definitely right that nostalgia and fan service is becoming more of a hindrance than a help – as proven by the recent bombing of several high-profile blockbusters – his words are still going to sting an awful lot of people. On the plus side, he doesn’t seem to care in the slightest.