By Fred Topel | Image property of New Line Cinema.
Rainn Wilson plays a schoolteacher in The Last Mimzy. He helps the kids make sense of the futuristic toys they come to find, and also helps the audience understand some of what’s going on. This isn’t just one of those movies where the kids meet talking animals or kick some monsters’ asses.
Rainn Wilson Talks The Last Mimzy
“I think what drew me to the story of The Last Mimzy is that the children go on this metaphysical journey that ends up saving mankind,” said Wilson. “We’re at a crossroads right now where we, as humans, can choose to destroy our planet and destroy ourselves, or we can unite and spiritually transform the planet into the paradise that it was meant to be. I think this movie has a lot of resonances and I think people are really going to respond to this film. It’s going to last a long time. I don’t know about opening weekends, and stuff like that, but when people see it and pass it on, it’s going to really be a small classic.”
That doesn’t sound like the Harry Potter mission statement. It was also a learning experience just to play the science teacher. “I guess I was most interested in how DNA works. I didn’t know you could be carrying junky DNA and that toxins can affect your DNA, and how that works. I still don’t quite understand it, but it’s pretty amazing what can happen in the future with genetic modification, and stuff like that. But, I do believe that the impurities of today - mental, spiritual and physical - are going to take their toll on the planet.”
The Last Mimzy
The Last Mimzy
The Last Mimzy
The Last Mimzy
Of course, Wilson gets to add some comic relief to the film too. “I seem to remember doing ad-libbing. You can’t stop me from ad-libbing. It’s kind of what I do. It’s kind of what I bring to the equation. I’m just going to say what pops into my head. I try to stay in character and stick to the story.”
He also got to be just one of the kids. “They were great. They didn’t have much experience, but they’re both naturals. It was really fun. We goofed off a lot. We had a great time. We really did.”
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