Patton Oswalt is a Big Fan

by Mark Sells | Published August 31, 2009

From stand-up comedian to writer and actor to voice over extraordinaire, Patton Oswalt is one of comedy’s most unique and versatile voices. Hailing from Portsmouth, VA, Oswalt grew up under the influence of Richard Pryor, the slapstick of Looney Tunes and the adventures of comic book superheroes. Although his first attempt at stand-up went south, he knew it was his passion. Realized Oswalt, “The thing that I love that is giving me no immediate reward is probably the thing that I should do with my life.”

Oswalt performed stand-up in college while attending William & Mary and eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he wrote sketches for Comedy Central and made brief appearances in Down Periscope and “NewsRadio.” After a successful stint as a writer for “MadTV,” Oswalt landed a breakout role alongside fellow comedian Kevin James in “The King of Queens.” Numerous opportunities would follow, from Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia to Milos Forman’s Man on the Moon. And he would become recognizable as the voice behind Dr. Dementor in “Kim Possible,” Shecky Chucklestein in “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” and Remy, the rat turned super chef, in Pixar’s Ratatouille.

Today, Oswalt enters new territory. This time, as the lead in Big Fan, Robert D. Siegel’s follow-up to the widely acclaimed drama, The Wrestler (which Siegel wrote). Portraying a die-hard New York Giants fan who unexpectedly gets beaten up by his favorite player, Oswalt forgoes his comedic roots for the dramatic. “It was exactly the kind of movie I’ve always wanted to do,” he says. The kind of role that might make everyone an even bigger fan.

Mark Sells (MM): What made you take that first leap on stage?

Patton Oswalt (PO): I was always into comedy as a kid, watching Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Monty Python and Steve Martin. But what made me go on stage was just the fact that it was one of those summers between my freshman and sophomore years of college. I was trying out a bunch of different jobs, none of which I liked, and decided to try an open mike—not thinking it was going to be a career, not knowing what I was going to do with my life.

It went horribly and I loved it. And I just decided, logically, that the thing that I love that is giving me no immediate reward is probably the thing that I should do with my life.

MM: Who or what makes you laugh today?

PO: My friends. I have a very, very funny circle of friends. They’re all comedians, who I think are amazing. And I’m very lucky that they’re my friends because they’re all funnier than me!

MM: Robert Siegel wrote The Wrestler, one of the most acclaimed films from last year. He also wrote and directed Big Fan. How did he find you or how did you find him and become a part of the movie?

PO: You know, I don’t know how he found me. We had a lot of friends in common, he knew about my stuff and offered me the role. It was as simple as that. We had breakfast in New York one morning and he said, “I’ve written this script.” So, I read it, and thought it was amazing.

He said, “I want you to be the lead,” which was great because it was exactly the kind of movie I’ve always wanted to do. So, I jumped at it.

MM: You’ve been in dramatic films before, like Magnolia and All Roads Lead Home, but this is a little different. This is a leading role in a film that tackles some serious issues. What challenges does he face?

PO: As far as the character is concerned, the challenge he faces is that I don’t think he wants to be a complete person. He wants the world kept at bay and he has to fight that off. His challenge is kind of unique in the sense that he’s actively fighting to stay in his bubble.

MM: Everybody has had the experience of being the enthusiastic fan. Sometimes with disappointment or frustration. Have you ever had this experience?