Director Wes Anderson boasts several distinctive traits: an unyielding commitment to symmetry; whimsical, soft color schemes; and arguably foremost, he enjoys assembling his ensemble of regular contributors.
Actors such as Bill Murray have achieved an almost divine standing within Anderson’s body of work, having appeared in 10 of the director’s movies.
However, certain actors appear as though they were crafted specifically to enter Anderson’s intricately balanced universe.
That’s why, upon announcing that Michael Cera would join the Anderson-verse starring in his latest movie, “The Phoenician Scheme,” the online response mirrored this sentiment quite closely.
Why hasn’t Michael Cera appeared in a Wes Anderson movie yet?
Throughout his lengthy career, Cera has proven adept at portraying both the subdued, eccentric individuals (such as in Juno, Superbad, and Barbie) and the fast-talking protagonists (as seen in Scott Pilgrim, Youth In Revolt, and This Is The End), which are common in many of Anderson’s projects.
His Phoenician Scheme co-actor Benedict Cumberbatch summed it up perfectly in the movie’s
Cannes press conference
When he stated, “Finding and employing Michael Cera seems akin to how God stumbled upon water for Wes Anderson.”
Although “The Phoenician Scheme” is Cera’s debut appearance in front of Anderson’s lens, he has been an admirer of his work for quite some time.
“Cera recalls watching The Royal Tenenbaums at the theater during his childhood. He was in Montreal with his mom, and they both thoroughly enjoyed it. They felt as though they had made a significant discovery together,” says ABC Entertainment.
He significantly impacts many of my friends and contemporaries too. Growing up with his films being released means considering his work as a benchmark for excellence.
Re-Bjorn
In “The Phoenician Scheme,” Cera portrays Bjorn, a frustratingly courteous Norwegian entomologist and mentor to the nine adoptive sons of the formidable entrepreneur Zsa-zsa Korda (played by Benicio Del Toro).
Korda — who just escaped his last assassination attempt by the skin of his teeth — wants to pass his enormous empire onto his only biological daughter Liesl (Kate Winslet’s daughter Mia Threapleton, in her first big step out of her mother’s shadow) whom Korda dumped at a convent when she was five and is currently a nun.
However, Korda is a performer at heart and aims to make his exit spectacularly. What stands between him and executing one final grand plan is an embarrassingly large sum of money. Thus, Korda, along with Liesl and a baffled Bjorn, embarks on a capricious quest to solicit funds from Korda’s long-lost connections (a roster filled with many collaborators like Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, and Tom Hanks).
Even though Cera is a reserved character, he shines as Bjorn. His courteous innocence and respect for bugs offer a comforting contrast to Korda and company’s aggressive brutality (At one point, Liesl has to remind her detached father that slavery lacks ethics.).
“When I initially read the script, the character’s dynamism and their role in maintaining the equilibrium of the entire narrative were very evident to me,” explains Cera.
The humor he contributed felt closely tied to the lively nature of the character, which was vividly captured in the script.
Although Cera generously acknowledges that Björn was always “vividly alive,” the 36-year-old actor added his distinct touch with a gentle intonation that’s reminiscent of the Muppet chef rather than being tied down to one specific nationality.
Cera mentions that due to the accent, they had to carefully approach it together with Wes, as both felt somewhat anxious about potentially overdoing it and spoiling everything.
What we aimed to achieve was avoiding stacking another hat upon an existing one, considering factors like my hair color, glasses, and vocal style. Our objective was simply ensuring we weren’t overburdening the viewers.
Cera mentions that due to the overlap in shooting schedules, he began by quietly occupying a spot in the corner of an expansive ballroom for the initial weeks of filming, awaiting the moment when his character would become involved in the action.
When Zsa-zsa encounters me for the first time, she points me out, and I begin talking with an accent. Once we finished filming that scene, we agreed, ‘Now we have picked our path, and this character is set,’ he explains.
The team was somewhat taken aback. They had observed me for two weeks, yet they weren’t entirely aware that I would be speaking in such a manner.”
A family affair
Similar to some of Anderson’s earlier works, beneath the sophisticated concept, precise craftsmanship, and rapid-fire conversation lies a subtle contemplation on the significance of familial bonds.
Anderson, who has a daughter of his own, revealed to The Screen Show’s Jason Di Rosso that although none of the characters draw directly from specific individuals, various elements from his personal experiences are woven into the movie.
Cera, being a father to two young boys himself, could really relate to this underlying theme.
“I felt deeply moved after watching the film; it turned out to be an even stronger experience than I anticipated. Since this story holds great personal significance for Wes, I’m glad that the movie conveys that aspect effectively,” he remarks.
Having spent over two decades in the film industry—spanning more than half his lifetime—Cera has gone through every experience Hollywood can offer. This includes rising to prominence unusually early in his career with movies like “Superbad” and “Juno.”
“I was in the process of adapting to the increased visibility when I was still trying to figure out my identity as an individual,” he explains.
Deciding to take on a prominent role that could “possibly alter [his] life” is always significant, but committing to The Phoenician Scheme was an easy choice.
He mentions, ‘I would always find myself unable to turn down an opportunity to collaborate with someone who has attained Wes’s level of artistic mastery.’
Should there be an chance to collaborate on exceptional content alongside a remarkable director, nothing could deter me.
The Phoenician Scheme will hit Australian movie theaters starting May 30.
