Marisa Miller on Embodying Jeff Bridges for 'R.I.P.D.'

Great to have you back.

Thank you for having me. Last time I was an Englishman, though, feeding you ice cream. Do you remember?

That's why you look a lot different now.

I look different now. My hair's grown.

No, it was Oliver that interviewed you before and I think he was in complete awe and and absolutely in heaven. And we ate ice cream. And you ate ice cream. Very cool. So I'm sure it was memorable.

It was memorable and um, yeah, I liked that he did something unique.

So R. I. P. D. , your first movie. Yeah. I know you've acted before, but having your first movie with Jeff Bridges, an Academy Award winner and you're playing his avatar.

Yeah, so the premise of the movie is really funny. Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges, they play cops of the underworld. They're dead. Yeah, they're dead. They're like ghosts. So when they come to Earth, they need disguises. And a lot of the comedy plays out um, within my character and uh Ryan Reynolds' avatar. Um, who's an old Chinese guy. And then um,

He clearly didn't choose his avatar.

Right. He's kind of low on the totem pole. He just joined the R. I. P. D. , so he has slim pickings with his avatar.

So, I read that when you auditioned for it that you, well, you have to sort of have his mannerisms and you have to So you really studied Jeff Bridges, did you watch every single movie that he's ever done? Yeah, it sounds really complicated playing Jeff Bridges.

So um, I watched The Big Lebowski and True Grit for like three days, just to like, you know, get the cadence of his voice and his mannerisms. But yeah, it was it was kind of a trip at first how it was going to play out, but um, the script is really funny and I got the sense of humor and what they needed out of me. So, Jeff would do a scene and then I would jump in and have to mimic his body language and the whole thing. So, it was for my first movie, it was um, you know, such an honor to watch him work. It was amazing.

And then off camera, did you find because you on paper, you would seemingly be very different. But, have you found any similarities between him and you?

Yeah, I mean he's, you know, a laid back guy. He lives in California, he loves music. So, when we'd get our makeup done together in the morning, he'd always have some good music playing.

It's funny hearing him him getting his makeup done.

Yeah, I mean, obviously, it's a little more than. It's a little different, but you know what I mean. If you were getting done. Yeah, exactly. For the movie.

Yeah. But isn't he a surfer too? Because I know you're a surfer.

Yeah, yeah, so there's definitely kind of that beach laid back California thing going on and, you know, I mean he's as cool as you think he'd be. He was great.

Was it nerve-racking at all? Being your first film and working.

Yeah, I mean, going into it, you know, Kevin Bacon, Ryan Reynolds, Mary-Louise Parker, I mean, these are like heavy hitters. So, at first it was really intimidating thinking about being on set with everybody, but everybody's just really funny too. My first scene was with Kevin Bacon and I had to give myself like a full pep talk.

Did you really?

Yeah, cuz.

Were you in your trailer going, "Okay. We're a circle."

Yeah, and it's like you got your mic on too. So it's like, I don't want the sound guys hearing like, "Oh, come on, Marcel." You know, like,

That's always like a famous thing with actors. Some actors forget that they have their mic on.

Mic on. Yeah. And they go to the bathroom, or they do whatever, at lunch, or they talk behind the director's back, or they do something and then they're like,

You gotta be mindful.

You have to be mindful. Yeah. So you were just talking to yourself. I was having like a silent panic attack.

So you did, I know you did some stunts in this film.

Yeah, I got hit by a bus. Yeah, that's pretty cool. Um, you know, I'm I'm naturally athletic. Yeah. So, I was really happy when they asked me to do a stunt because whenever you can kind of play on a strength, especially, you know, with a new experience, it it really helped me out and the whole second unit who was doing all the stunts, they're such pros. They're like the rowdy crew and they're cheering you on and I knew I was in good hands. It was funny, my stunt double, she was amazing and she was like, "Just, you know, remember when you hit the bus, like put your hands in front of your face." Because you're hit the windshield. And I was like, "Okay, well I hope that's a natural reaction, you know, putting my hands in front of my face."

Action.

Action. Yeah, it was a crazy night shooting and, you know, the next day I got to say, "I feel like I've been hit by a bus." So.

And it's sort of like the image that people see, it's sort of like your like a bug in a windshield.

That's what I was channeling, I'm a bug, I'm a bug, you know.

They really threw you in for your first film, didn't you?

Yeah. And it was funny because, I think ignorance was bliss doing the stunt because looking back, it was really dangerous, but it's so mental you can't even think about it. You just have to take the direction, really focus and do it or you can freak yourself out.

I feel like there's and too, I've heard this from a lot of actors that they want to do their own stunts. Like they really want to get in there and do it. What is that?

Yeah. Cuz it doesn't feel real if you don't, you know. And, um, I think, you know, when you're playing a character, you're trying to embody the whole thing. So if you can't do part of it, I don't know, you know. You wanna own it all the way. Right. So.

And you're such a physical girl, too. I know you grew up, I know you ride bikes, you're into football, you surf, you're kind of like, a tomboy. people would say, "He's a tomboy," growing up.

Yeah. I remember I was in wood shop and it was like hot that day and I like wore tank top and like shorts instead of like baggy jeans and a t-shirt. And then there was this rumor going around that I had a good body and I didn't even know what that meant. And so I went home and I asked my mom and dad, I'm like, "What is a good body? Like what does that mean?" And my dad was like, "You know, it just means you're healthy, you know, you're athletic and you're you're it's it it it's a good thing, you're just healthy.

Okay. That's a great way to approach it." So, coming from a background where you're such a successful model, what do you think the biggest difference is? I know there's some similarities between modeling and acting, but there's also some differences. What would you say is like the biggest similarity and the biggest difference?

I think um, modeling definitely helped in the way that you're not nervous in front of a camera and a crew because obviously a movie set is a big deal and it can be really intimidating. So I wasn't nervous that the camera was there, but with acting, you're trying to forget the camera's there.

Right. Modeling you're,

And modeling you're, yeah, you're very aware the camera's there.

We always ask people when they come in here, people love to know from celebrities like what trends they're into. Are you a fashion girl, that you have that background? Are you into it? Cuz I I've read that you're just in your Chucks 99% of the time.

Yeah, yeah. And being from Santa Cruz, I mean, that's the uniform. It's just jeans and a t-shirt and there's not really an opportunity to dress up at all. But that's the great thing about my job is discovering that side of myself. Yeah. Because now I I do get to be a girly girl and I do love fashion, but in my personal life, I'm a lot more casual and relaxed.

Did I read on your Twitter something about you make your own organic whipped body butter or something like that?

Yes, I do.

Because you could have any, I mean, you could have any product in the world that you wanted. Why go in that direction and why?

So I had a baby. Yes. And during pregnancy.

Congratulations.

Thank you. It's unbelievable. Well, it's been seven months and it just came together in the last couple months.

Did you give yourself that time?

I gave myself time. I really the most important thing for me was that I wanted to be healthy for the baby and I didn't know what my body was going to do and I just wanted it to happen naturally. So if I gained weight, I gained weight and I didn't want to worry about it. Whatever was healthy is what I wanted. So I'm really happy with where I'm at. So with the products, when I got pregnant, I really tried to like clean out all my lotions and potions and just tried to like really skim down, like no no toxic chemicals and and that kind of a thing. So I just, I don't know. I was on these like mommy blog, you know, hippie websites. I was like, "Okay, let me make some body butter." And I really like it and I continue to use it now. I didn't get stretch marks. So yeah, it worked for me.

There you go. Now everybody's going to want to know how to make it. Because if you say no stretch marks, people, women at home are going to be like, "How did she?"

So what's what goes in it?

Cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, and then um, you can use jojoba oil or almond oil and you just melt everything in a double broiler, stick it in the refrigerator for an hour and then whip it up for 10 minutes and it looks like frosting.

You had me until you said double broiler. Anything to do with cooking or a stove freaks.

It sounds complicated but it's not. And then you, you know, add some essential oils and make your own little fragrance. It's super easy.

So what would be your, because you're an A-list model, you're an A-list actor. What would be your advice to somebody breaking into the business now? Because I feel like it's so difficult and there's so many people in and acting too.

I think the biggest thing is the people around you. Your support system and just having people that keep you grounded, that are positive. That is the biggest thing. You know, my family and, you know, the team of people I have at work are just great people. It's positive. It keeps you grounded. It's really important, you know.

So, has this given you the bug? Do you wanna do more film? Do you want to,

I mean, I had such a great experience on this project and, um, it was so fun. And I think it's important too to evolve and, you know, I'm a mom now and it's I think it's really important to make that transition and so I'm enjoying it.

And still watching NFL? I know you're a huge 49ers fan.

Always.

Have you met Colin Kaepernick?

No, I haven't.

How's that possible?

I haven't. Well, I've seen him from a distance. I've been on the fields, but, you know.

Oh, cuz you do spokes.

Well, I I just I'm a fan. So I, you know, went I go to any Niners game I can and it's something that I've done with my dad since I was eight years old.

Were you heartbroken at the end of the last Super Bowl?

I mean, you know, I was, but at the same time, you know, um, the team has been so amazing the last couple years that you're just I I as a fan, you're just happy to see them do so well after, you know, being on a little quiet for a decade or so.

Well, it's great having you here.

Thank you.

Thank you. Congratulations on the film.

Thank you.

You look nothing like Jeff Bridges, but, you know.

That's probably a good thing. Sorry, Jeff.