#INTERVIEW: “MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY”

After its intitial theatrical release, MY SPY would go on to find new life on Prime Video during the Pandemic, becoming the third-most streamed title of 2020 upon its release on the streaming service. Fans now get an eagerly-anticipated Sequel from Director Peter Segal (50 First Dates, Get Smart), MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY reuniting Dave Bautista and Chloe Coleman in their roles as JJ and Sophie. This time around, Sophie‘s high school choir jets off to Italy in a performance for the Pope. Originally meant as a bonding experience between stepfather and stepdaughter, the duo find themselves at the entangled in a terrorist plot that could end the world!

Ken Jeong and Kristen Schaal also return, with new Cast additions Anna Faris, Craig Robinson and Flula Borg.

We got to join a chat modeated by Director Segal and stars Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman and Ken Jeong.

Production on this Sequel to the 2020 hit took the Cast and Crew to Italy and South Africa. They commented on their travels. Most of them got to go on a Safari, except one!

Coleman: Yes! We all went on a Safari! (pointing to her and Jeong)

Bautista: I didn’t get to go on a Safari. Remember, I had only the one weekend off and it rained.

Jeong: We barely had any time off. It was Easter weekend I think, and everybody went of to the Serenghetti.

Segal mentions that there is a lot of action in the Movie and asks the Cast about their training for it.

Bautista: I’ve been working my whole life! I didn’t have to train at all!

Jeong: Watching Dave do this and working with the Stunt Coordinators, it was amazing to watch because as a fan of Dave from the WWE, him just seguing seamlessly into ‘I’ll take over!’, or ‘I can do this part!’, it’s incredible to watch. Flula did an amazing job as well! He’s so under-rated, so happy for him.

Segal: I remember one day Dave when you were approaching Flula in a Pope mobile. He was in the Pope Mobile and you were on a motorcycle and you were kinda surprised why there wasn’t a stunt driver because it was Flula actually driving! He blasted out of what was supposed to be the Vatican garage without even an inch on each side of the side-view mirrors to get out of there, one and done.

Segal asks the Cast what it was like working with new additions to the Cast including Anna Faris, Flula Borg and Craig Robinson.

Bautista: Super talented, versatile and improv – they all brought something extra to table. They just chipped in a bit of their own personality and it really showed and came across. I’ve known Anna for years, so super comfortable with her, but never really met Flula or Craig.

Jeong: Fit in like a glove!

Segal: What did you work on with Anna?

Bautista: I knew Anna from working on Guardians of the Galaxy with Pratt.

Segal: I forgot about THAT one! I saw Anna Faris on a talk show yesterday. She said the Cast was close that it was intimatiding for her. How do you become new member of a family?

Bautista: Everyone feels that way coming in new – she fit right in.

One of the themes of the Film is Sophie‘s character beginning to come of age. Chloe Coleman comments on this and her character’s first kiss at the end of the Movie.

Segal: Chloe, when I originally pitched this to you, you weren’t all that into it because of the whole boy thing. It took a couple years to get this movie going.

Coleman: I think inititally Sophie was a little more boy crazy than in the Movie. I remember reading one of the drafts and she’s kissing a dummy, asking JJ ‘How do I go in for my first kiss?’. And if I had to do this, I would’ve freaked out! I think we got the perfect balance though. When you become teenager, you do think it’s gross. Sophie‘s reserved and if it’s something special and new, something she doesn’t understand, that’s what she’s scared of. She doesn’t know how to be a teenager and a high schooler, she had no friends in the first movie and now she does. She’s expanding her life in a new way.

Segal: Was that actually your first kiss? Because I would’ve felt bad with all the pressure!

Coleman: That was so mean, because we were checking the camera, we get more takes of it and then you said, ‘Now we’re going to start filming’ and you were filming the ENTIRE time! So you got double the amount of takes you actually shot!

Segal: Because I felt bad because I thought you and Taeho K were going to be very nervous, so I said we were just practicing!

Coleman: I knew it!.

Segal asks the Cast what ideas they have for a third film in the Franchise.

Bautista: Sophie’s gotta be in college
Coleman: Where does she go to college?
Bautista: This all depends on when Amazon pulls the trigger
Segal: A wedding for Mr. Kim?
Jeong: That would be incredible, not to spoil anything!

MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY arrives July 18, 2024 on Prime Video Canada.

(Photo/video credit: Prime Video)