Steve Carell knows how to use a shoe phone.
Not only did he grow up watching “Get Smart,” but he’s made calls
with the device as secret agent Maxwell Smart in the movie remake of the 1960s
TV show.
Carell told a crowd of Comic-Con fans Friday that he’s “very
psyched” about the film, which he described as a “comedic `Bourne
Identity.”’
“It’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had doing anything in my
life,” said the 43-year-old actor. “I have such respect for Don Adams
and what he did, and I think we’re all trying to honor the original and take
absolutely nothing away from it.
“Frankly, I don’t think I could ever be as good as he was. I’m just trying
to do the best that I can within the context of the movie and it’s an honor to
be able to do it.”
The film, due next summer, retains the feel of the original TV show, said
director Peter Segal.
That show was born in the Cold War era, but we’ve got a lot of political
things to satirize today,” he said.
The “Get Smart” cast includes Anne Hathaway as Agent 99, Alan
Arkin as The Chief, Terence Stamp as Sigfried, Dwayne “The Rock”
Johnson as Agent 23 (a new character) and Masi Oka as Bruce “the gadget
guy.”
Jaime the Robot and Agent 13, both characters from the original show, are
also part of the new movie, Segal said, and Bernie Koppel (Sigfried in the TV
series) makes a cameo appearance.
“It’ll be both extremely funny but there will be action and
jeopardy,” Carell said. “I’m very psyched about it.”
The best thing about playing a secret agent?
“I get to look like I am athletic, coordinated, intelligent and
sexy,” Carell said, “when in real life, I am none of the above.”
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