Today begins three days of 21 JUMP STREET interviews we’re posting, starting with the film’s two main stars, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. The duo appeared at the 2012 South by Southwest Film Festival earlier this week to promote the release of 21 JUMP STREET in theaters this weekend, and even showed up for interviews wearing their bicycle cop uniforms (hence what you hear at the start of the audio). I got a chance to participate in the roundtable interview session, and asked the guys about the fitting importance of debuting this movie at SXSW, the annoyance of internet spoilers, the negative reaction of the 21 JUMP STREET series purists, and more. Check out the full audio (about 6 and 1/2 minutes) by clicking HERE (or right-click and save the MP3). What you’ll hear are the questions I asked, and their answers to those questions – I’ve edited out the other questions and answers from and for other journalists at the table. 21 JUMP STREET is one very funny flick, so make sure to check it out this weekend. One thing that was obvious to see at SXSW was how enthusiastic these guys are about this film, not just in their willingness to wear the costumes, but in their genuine feelings about the movie’s quality and fun aspect. It’s always nice to see that kind of enthusiasm with actors, especially when it’s clear to see it’s real. Here’s one written excerpt from the start of the interviews, when Jonah responds to me mentioning what a perfect place SXSW was to premiere this film:
Jonah: I’ve been making him wait to see it with an audience, with the crowd tonight, because SouthBy is the best place to show a movie anywhere. In fact, five years ago exactly I was here promoting KNOCKED UP with Paul Rudd when I got the phone asking me to adapt it into this movie. And I started working on it 5 years ago in this hotel… I wanted to make BAD BOYS meets a John Hughes movie, and that was the idea that I had, and that’s what I feel like we’ve done out best shot at, our best version of.”
You can also hear my review on this week’s Bigfanboy Livecast (episode 268) by clicking (or right-clicking and downloading) HERE. Don’t worry, the review is spoiler-free.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
