Will Arnett looks inside himself

‘The Brothers Solomon’ actor on his ‘cluelessly entitled’ characters

INTERVIEW. Will Arnett is a funny guy. But the “Brothers Solomon” actor, who first came to national attention for his role as Gob on “Arrested Development” says he wasn’t always cracking up classmates.

Growing up, were you the funny guy?
I’m sure I like to think I was the funny guy when I was growing up, and I’m sure there are a lot of people who think I wasn’t that funny, and they’re probably right. …In my twenties, I thought I was going to be a dramatic actor. I didn’t really discover sketch comedy or any of that stuff. I studied at Lee Strasberg in New York, so I was on a much more serious path. I just started meeting more people in the comedic world, and through my wife, that kind of expanded. I realized there was this whole other world out there, and it was something I sort of finally felt at home with and enjoyed.

Speaking of funny guys. You worked with Will Forte in “The Brothers Solomon.”
Will wrote a brilliant script, and he and I play these socially inept brothers, who discover their dad is in a coma, and they find out his one regret in life is that he never had a grandchild. So we spend the movie trying to procure a grandchild for him. And we’re not really smooth with the ladies. They’re kind of dumb guys.

How much of your own personality do you bring to the characters you play?
Well, I hope I’m not like Gob [from “Arrested Development”] in my real life, or like John Solomon or Stranz from “Blades of Glory.” But there’s something I like about playing cluelessly-entitled characters, who skew a little dumber. Some are more evil and plotting, and some, like in “Brothers Solomon,” I play a guy who is more naïve that doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. So I couldn’t tell you. It’s me just working with the material and being sensitive to what the writer was trying to get at.

You’ve had a really nice mix of TV and movies. Do you prefer one over the other?
Since “Arrested Development” ended, I’ve had the opportunity to makes movies and do other things. I don’t have any plans now to be a series regular on a TV show, it’s really not what I want to do right now. …I’ll never say ‘never’ to going back to a good show. For me, “Arrested Development” was such an incredible experience. That opened every single door for me.

Would you ever try to do stage work?
No way. It sounds so boring. Plays are boring. [Pauses] No, I’m just screwing around. I have no idea. You know, it’s really day-to-day, and you never know. I never say ‘never,’ and I really don’t say no to anything. So word to the wise, if you want to get the pin number to my ATM, just ask me, because I will say yes.

You’d really give it to me?
Please don’t ask me, because I’ll have to tell you.

I don’t know how I’d get the card anyway, so I guess you’re safe right?
Right. So it’s 4.

You must have had one of the first ATM cards.
Yeah, I was the fourth.

That makes sense.
There was a third, but he died. The early ATM machines were dangerous. I think he died using it. So they retired his number. So I’m still fourth.

It must be pretty easy to remember then, huh?
Very easy, and for everybody who is reading this.

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