July 2002 David Arquette : Eight Legged Freaks

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Interviewed by Monikka Stallworth David Arquette : Eight Legged Freaks MS: What drew you to Eight Legged Freaks? DA: When I saw the script I had several reactions; first, I was like “wow”; here’s a chance to play an action hero along side a set of really interesting characters. And then I saw the short film that Ellory Elkayem, the director, had done and how he really captured the look and feel of a b-movie sci-fi film. And the opportunity to work with the producer Dean Devlin… I loved Stargate, Independence Day and Godzilla. I knew Eight Legged Freaks would be a quality project and that Dean would really bring this genre up to date. MS: Eight Legged Freaks is pretty out there. Were you ever concerned that your acting would be too over the top or too low key? DA: On set, Ellory Elyakem had a great sense of where the line was for this genre. He knew whether to play a scene, or line, straight or over the top. He really understands the sci-fi world that he created with this film, so I trusted him. MS: Were you scared of spiders before shooting Eight Legged Freaks? DA: (Laughing) I didn’t think I was until they brought this huge tarantula into the room. So yes, if they’re poisonous or really big, I’m scared of them. MS: With all of the action and computer generated spiders in ELF, what was the shoot like? DA: It was a really interesting process. Typically, a lot of sci-fi films have a high CGI count. And that’s really expensive. So to get around that, we shot the film part of ELF really quick, like a low budget film. And we were worked really fast trying to get everything done so that the bulk of the budget could be spent on the effects. MS: When you wrapped, did you keep any spiders as “souvenirs”? DA: (Laughing) No, no I didn’t, but its funny because on e-bay, they’re like (laughing) giving away weed-wackers and chain saws (from the film) and spider legs, too. MS: You have a quirky sense of humor. Where does it come from? DA: My great grandpa was in Vaudeville – Charlie Weaver. He was really gifted and I think he influenced my father’s comedy and improvisational skills and I guess that’s pretty much where that comes from. MS: By the way, what’s your favorite restaurant in LA? DA: I love Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles.