Red Rocket Bonus Clip: How Sean Baker Cast Simon Rex [EXCLUSIVE]
Screen Rant has an exclusive clip from the upcoming home entertainment release of Red Rocket, in which director Sean Baker and star Simon Rex discuss what went into Rex’s casting in the movie. The critically acclaimed independent film premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and went on to receive numerous awards nominations and wins.
Red Rocket focuses on Mikey Saber (Rex), a hustler, operator, and charismatic con man who comes back home to his small town in Texas after burning bridges and flaming out all over Los Angeles. However, Mikey quickly learns that no one in his old stomping grounds actually wants him back. When he meets a teenager (Suzanna Son, in her feature film debut), working at the local donut shop, he sees his ticket back to the big time. Baker, who also co-wrote the film, is best known for his writing and directing duties on the critically acclaimed movies The Florida Project, starring Willem Dafoe, and Tangerine.
In this exclusive clip from the upcoming home entertainment release of Red Rocket, Rex talks about receiving a call from a friend who stated that Baker wanted to give Rex a call, asking if it was OK to pass along his number. When they spoke, Baker asked Rex to send an audition tape via his iPhone based on one paragraph of the opening scene of the movie. Baker was impressed with the impromptu audition and told Rex he needed to be in Texas in three days. The clip also features Baker discussing his reason for seeking out Rex for the role, as well as what direction he gave the actor to interpret the character of Mikey. Check out the video below:
The role of Mikey was a bit of a gamble for both Rex and Baker. Rex was best known for his work in comedies, most notably starring in three of the Scary Movie films. He appeared in numerous television projects, including a regular role on the Amanda Bynes/Jennie Garth comedy What I Like About You. He also developed a rap persona, Dirt Nasty, releasing several solo albums and co-founding the comedy hip-hop group Three Loco. Baker states that he knew Rex had it in him to play a dramatic role like Mikey.
It seems the gamble paid off. Rex won Best Actor awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the Independent Spirit Awards. He was also nominated for Outstanding Lead Performance at the Gotham Awards and nabbed the Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Red Rocket took home numerous other awards as well, and the National Board of Review listed it among the top ten films of 2021.
Red Rocket will be available on Blu-ray™ and DVD on March 15, 2022.