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January 22, 2008

Cloverfield Superstar TJ Miller Talks To Us

**This article sort of contains SPOILERS about Cloverfield**

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While a creature destroys Manhattan for the lulz, Hud (TJ Miller) takes time out of his day to tend to a friend's boo-boo.

Cloverfield took in over 41 MILLION DOLLARS at the box office this weekend, due in no small part to the brave camera work of TJ Miller's character Hud who a) "couldn't [ ] frame a shot if his life depended on it" and b) "ranks among the greatest war photographers in history." In review after review, we've found that Hud has truly resonated with critics. The NY Times called him a "nitwit." The NY Daily News says he's "an obnoxious guy." Salon's obstreperous film critic Stephanie Zacharek, called him "a rather annoying spud," but that's okay, she measures a film's greatness by the level of diarrhea squirting out of her at any given time. We thought Cloverfield was awesome--delete the comments from your brain of anyone who says differently. FourFour does a great job of describing what's so good about the movie.

Anyways, this breakout role for TJ Miller has sent the young comedian bouncing like a pinball from one press junket to the next. We lobbed a couple of questions at him before he scooted off.

For those who haven't seen it, describe your character in Cloverfield and tell us whether or not your character gets eaten by a deadly monster at the end?
I play Hud, a camera man that has been described as a "Nitwit" by at least three national papers. You see me for a total of 2 and a half minutes, but hear me throughout. I won't say whether or not I get eaten or killed, but I will say, this is not a Hollywood ending, and it's pretty hardcore.

Should we look forward to you soon on a Men's Health cover like your castmate Mike Vogel?
I can't tell you the number of times I trashed Vogel for that Men's Health cover at our press junket. I love the guy, but he's a lot of fun to make fun of. He's such an Adonis, and such an alpha male, it's perfect that he's on there as "the next action star." I was up for the cover of Modern Drunkard, but they passed and so I did "Toddler Bodies" issue 17, due out in Feb.

Did JJ Abrams mention what happens in this upcoming season of LOST?
JJ Doesn't talk about Lost much, and if I said anything I know about Star Trek, well, he's pretty powerful in Hollywood, although I'm taller. I can't risk it. JJ is actually a really funny guy, I don't know why I expected him to be different--maybe because he doesn't do very many comedy projects. But he's very funny, and I joked around with him a lot on set and since the film was finished. One thing I didn't joke with him about is changing his name from initials back to his birth name. I'm serious about that shit, JJ, this town is not geographically or spatially constructed to hold both of us in it, there isn't enough room and my elbow keeps hitting yours on the town's armrest.

Got any good stories?
The press junket we did was as big as Transformers. And I think there was as much press at the premiere. The premiere was sort of whack--Lindsay Lohan was the main event there, and I heard someone say "it's so cool she's taking her addiction seriously this time." Whatever that could possibly mean. The party was IMPOSSIBLE to get people into (did I mention I'm in the movie?) and then when we got there it was half full the entire time. I drank a lot of scotch and told director Matt Reeves his glasses made him look like Harry Potter. Hollywood, get ready.

The best thing so far was that I went to a Times Square showing at 8pm Friday with the cast. Sold out, 500 seats. At the end of the movie, the credits come up to no music and the lights came up a little, and i stood up and said "Thanks for coming to our movie!" There was a 40 second delay from "who's this friggin' jerk" to "that's the fucking dude from the movie who made us motion sick" and I told them the cast was there, and then I said I would do a short Q and A. One question. I got: "What is it? What is the monster!?" My answer, which I'll say again: "We have no fucking idea."

It's really strange to be in a movie that is going to probably be a very big film and to be onscreen so little. I have yet to be recognized by my voice, so I've been trying to yell "Oh Shit, Oh my God, Rob Wait up" a lot more in conversation.

For me, I like the film. I think it's done in a way that is innovative, something hard to come by with most movies that major studios are producing. So that's exciting. I think the acting is believable, and I'm happy with the comedy I do in the film and how it all turned out. But of course, I'm most interested in if this will help me to perform more stand-up and produce more comedy. That's sort of always the bottom line. How can anything help me to do more comedy. But it's crazy that this is my first major film, and that it's this type of film, with this type of buzz. Insane.

Posted by The Apiary at January 22, 2008 5:59 PM

Comments

TJ's performing tonight at Sweet at the Slipper Room, so if you're reading this before 9 p.m. Tuesday, you can still go see him. Just sayin.

Posted by: Sean L. McCarthy at January 22, 2008 7:44 PM

I guess we won't be seeing him in Julep anytime soon.

Posted by: Billy Reno at January 23, 2008 10:39 AM

TJ's stand up is great!

Posted by: Keith Whitener at January 23, 2008 11:13 PM

He's headlining Comix February 29th and March 1st. You heard it here first!

Posted by: Kambri Crews at January 24, 2008 2:36 PM

Rob! Rob! Roobbbbbb!!!! ROBOBOBOBOB ROB!!!

Posted by: james at January 29, 2008 11:36 PM

HUD is a great character..T.J Miller is one of the funniest new stand up comedians out there..fell off my chair every time i saw his act
http://effinfunny.com/tjmiller
check it out..hilarious

Posted by: kaoticchick at February 6, 2008 3:05 AM

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