Upclose with Zach Galifianakis
You may have problem pronouncing his last name, but you can’t possibly forget Zach Galifianakis’ trademark bearded visage. The American comedian/actor with 15 years of experience in the comedy scene has just come into prominence in recent years, thanks to director Todd Phillips’ comedy hits “The Hangover” and “Due Date.” With the much anticipated “The Hangover: Part II” set for a June release, he talks to Penny Zhou about the new film, his interview series and his newfound celebrity status.
HK Magazine: “The Hangover: Part II” was shot in Thailand—how long did you guys stay there?
Zach Galifianakis: We spent roughly two months there, and another week in some other parts of Southeast Asia. Thai people were just so nice, so was their food.
HK: Among Bradley, Justin, Ed and you, who liked Thailand the best?
ZG: Probably me. We all had a great time there but the rest of the guys didn’t like Thai massages. They think they’re too aggressive but I enjoyed it. I had my daily foot massages there. I also went to the grocery store a lot and fell in love with a particular soda. When I had to come back to the States I wanted to bring cases of them with me.
HK: How was the off-screen dynamics among you guys?
ZG: Oh, it’s very juicy. Haha, we are very good friends. We would have take-out dinners together and insult each other all the time.
HK: Did people recognize you in Thailand?
ZG: No, not at all. Wait, maybe that’s why I liked there so much! I didn’t set out to be famous, and now it’s annoying. Back in California I’d be taking a walk with my headphones on and people would come up to me being all rude and intrusive.
HK: Is there anything you like about being famous?
ZG: Hmm…Well, when I go to the Arby’s they’ll just give me a table without making me wait.
HK: What is more challenging for you—stand-up or movies?
ZG: Movies. For stand-up, I always have a lot of freedom. But sometimes I feel out of my element when doing movies. I also have to try to be quieter on the set, which is hard for me. I have a lot of respect for film actors.
