LOS ANGELES – The action comedy Jackpot! It stars American actress-comedian Awkwafina as a woman who wins billions in a lottery and enlists a bodyguard (played by John Cena) to stop people from killing her for her winnings.
For the action scenes, director Paul Feig was inspired by the physical comedy of Hong Kong action star and martial artist Jackie Chan, who is known for incorporating humor into fights and adrenaline-pumping stunts.
Available on Prime Video from August 15, the film takes place in a dystopian near future where California has found a new kind of lottery. If someone can kill the winner before sunset, they can legitimately claim the multi-billion dollar prize.
So when lucky actress Katie (Awkwafina) accidentally finds the winning ticket, she has no choice but to hire lottery protection agent Noel (Cena) to defend her from the hordes of people who are now after her.
“I’m such a Jackie Chan fan,” says Feig, the 61-year-old American director who has directed comedies such as Ghostbusters (2016), The Heat (2013) and Bridesmaids (2011).
“I love Hong Kong cinema in general, and all kinds of martial arts,” he tells The Straits Times in a Zoom interview with Awkwafina.
“But Jackie’s movies are so much fun because he won’t fight to kill someone. He’s trying to get away from it, and he’s in over his head,” he says of the 70-year-old Chan, who starred in Hong Kong films such as Drunken Master (1978) and Police Story (1985) and Hollywood films Rush Hour (1998) and Shanghai Noon (2000).
“So when I read this script, I was like, ‘This is the Jackie Chan movie I’ve always wanted to do.’
“Katie throws herself into something, she has no idea what’s going on, and suddenly everyone wants to kill her,” says Feig, who also directed the crime thriller A Simple Favor (2018) and created the cult sitcom Freaks And Geeks ( 1999). until 2000).
Lottery rules dictate that no one can use guns to kill, which forces attackers—and Feig—to get more creative.
“With the fact that there are no guns in the movie, I knew it could be really fun, because you’re just fighting physical attacks the whole time,” he says.
Awkwafina, who made her name with the romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2018), says this is the most action-packed role she has played.
“And I loved all of that,” he says of the fight scenes and action sets he did with Cena, 47, an American former professional wrestler.
It also got her in shape.
“All bets! my fitness journey began,” says the 36-year-old, of Chinese and Korean descent, who won the Golden Globe for Best Actress for the comedy The Farewell (2019).
“I really didn’t understand what it was. I still don’t know what pilates is,” jokes the star, who also appeared in the superhero film Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021) and the comedies Quiz Lady (2023) and Renfield (2023).
“But this is the most action film I’ve done, especially in terms of training.
“We had an amazing stunt team and we watched the fight scenes a week before, so it was nice that it was muscle memory at a certain point.”
And Feig thinks Awkwafina should do more Jackie Chan-style action roles.
“Nothing would make me happier than if you were the new action star,” he tells his leading lady.
“Well, there would be a huge number of skills I would have to learn,” he replies with a laugh.
“We will bring her to training. Maybe there are some monks who will teach you,” Feig jokes.
But action comedies like this project only “have to be funny and character-driven and drive the story forward,” he adds.
“I’m not a big fan of chaos, which I always set to watching an action movie, looking at my wife and seeing that she’s just on her phone.
I’m like, “Do you know how hard it was for them to shoot that?” And he says, “I know, but I don’t care. They’re just people running around.’
“And that’s right,” says Feig. “You have to be attached to the character.”
