'My Last Best Friend' Interview: Eric Roberts

Moviefone speaks with Eric Roberts about 'My Last Best Friend' and his past projects. "My favorite note ever from a director on set was from Christopher Nolan."

Opening in theaters in Brooklyn, New York on September 15th and in Los Angeles, California on September 22nd is the new crime-thriller ‘My Last Best Friend,’ which was written and directed by first time feature filmmaker Filippo M. Prandi.

What is the plot of ‘'My Last Best Friend'?

Set in New York City in March and April of 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, two men (Eric Roberts), both named Walter Stoyanov, watch their lives getting turned upside down, as one of them falls ill and the other one is being investigated by FBI Special Agent John McCallany (Rico Simonini).

My Last Best Friend

"Two identical-looking men both live together, sharing the identity and the same life. However, one of them is hiding a dark secret."

NR1 hr 46 minSep 15th, 2023

Showtimes & Tickets

New York City. March - April 2020. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, two men, both named Walter Stoyanov, watch their lives getting turned upside down,... Read the Plot

Who stars in ‘My Last Best Friend’?

Eric Roberts (‘Runaway Train,’ ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘Babylon’) as Walter Stoyanov
Carol Alt (‘Private Parts’) as Sarah Rennard
Rico Simonini (’A Good Day to Die Hard’) as Special Agent John McCallany
Nathaniel J. Ryan ('And There Were 4') as Max Hollis
Brian Byus as Robert Stoyanov
Adrienne Laurén as Jennifer

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with acclaimed veteran actor Eric Roberts about his new film ‘My Last Best Friend,’ his first reaction to the screenplay, the challenge of playing two characters, his acting process, Walter’s relationship with his son, and why he enjoyed working with director Filippo M. Prandi.

Roberts also discussed working on ‘The Dark Knight,’ the best note Christopher Nolan ever gave him, his reaction to Heath Ledger’s performance, being directed by Paul Thomas Anderson on ‘Inherent Vice,’ and the rumor that he was once set to play Anthony Corleone in a version of ‘The Godfather Part III’ that was never made.

Eric Roberts in a scene from 'My Last Best Friend.' Photo courtesy Majox Films.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

Moviefone: To begin with, what your first reaction to reading this screenplay, and what were some of the themes of the movie you were excited to explore with these characters?

Eric Roberts: Well, I'm not that intelligent or heavy-handed to follow a theme. What happened was I got offered the script to play two guys who talked to each other and are different people. That was a challenge I'd never been offered before, so I took it. I had a good little leader, Filippo, and he wrote, he directed it and he was a great leader. It was a very difficult challenge and you have to succeed at this challenge 100% because if you're off even a little bit, you're off. It takes all the illusion away, so you have to really hit it. So I said yes to this movie because of that challenge. And I had a good time doing it.

MF: Can you elaborate on the challenges of playing two separate characters in the same scene, as well as the technical challenges of acting opposite yourself?

ER: Well, the technical aspect is very difficult because you have to have a different physicality. You have to breathe at a different rate. You have to speak in a different cadence. You have to have a different tone of voice. You have to be very aware that you cannot repeat yourself on the other side of that situation. If I had a month, I know I would've been brilliant. I had a week and it was hard. But once again, I had a formidable leader. Filippo was fantastic, and he took care of me.

MF: With such little time to prepare, how did you approach playing these two distinct characters?

ER: When I have very little time and a very difficult process, I find when I'm sleep-deprived, I am my most honest self, to my art and to myself. So I find if I don't sleep for about 40 hours, I will open up a part of my brain that can take all this in at face value and accept it. Accept it as fact, so I can then act it as if it were fact, even though we all know I'm just fooling you.

Eric Roberts in a scene from 'My Last Best Friend.' Photo courtesy Majox Films.

MF: Have you always worked that way or is that an evolution of your acting process that's come in recent years?

ER: I think it's always been something I've done, but I did it instinctively without understanding what I was doing in my early days. Now as a grownup, I understand what I'm doing.

MF: Can you talk about Walter’s estranged relationship with his son?

ER: Well, the son is a symbol of the self when it tries to reproduce, to live forever. It just doesn't work that way. That was a symbol of how that happens, and or doesn't. So that's just part of our story, which is a little piece of mankind.

MF: The movie takes place in the early days of the pandemic, was it emotionally difficult revisiting that time?

ER: It was so hard. COVID, well, it changed the whole world. I mean, so many people lost their fortunes, lost their business, lost their jobs, all because of COVID. So that became part of it in the movie and around the movie. It became almost like, what, are we doing a movie about current events? Because it was so overlapping. It was so hard for us to shoot but we kept shooting. It was weird, and it was hard. But I had a good leader, once again, I want to really emphasize Filippo, he was dynamite.

Eric Roberts in a scene from 'My Last Best Friend.' Photo courtesy Majox Films.

MF: Can you talk about why you enjoyed working with director Filippo M. Prandi so much?

ER: Well, you have to remember, every script is his author's baby. It is his infant that he breathes life into, and then you teach it how to walk and talk. But it's his infant. So you have to understand that. You can't say your infant is a mess. You can never do that. Only his infant wasn't a mess and I liked it. So I allowed him to be my total guide, my mother, and my translator. I allowed that and he lived up to it. I would recommend Filippo to any actor as a director. He's fantastic. When something is somebody's baby, you have to trust that they understand what the DNA is made of and that they will guide you properly. When it happens, it happens incredibly well. As I believe it happened with this movie.

MF: Speaking of directors, what was your experience like working with Christopher Nolan on ‘The Dark Knight’?

ER: Well, let me tell you, my favorite note I've ever gotten from a director on set was in that movie from Chris Nolan. I was doing a scene in a restaurant, and I have a very funny line at the end of the scene. I say the line and Chris Nolan calls, "Cut." Really loud. He goes, "Eric, don't be funny." Okay, so I wasn't funny. But it's my favorite note. Oh, he’s a lovely man. A sweetie pie. He knows what he wants, when he wants it, and how he wants it. You can make up a question, and he'll have a real answer. He's a genius. That’s an overused and abused word that has no meaning anymore. But he is one of those. Also, Our cinematographer was incredible, Wally Pfister. Look at that movie visually. It's incredible.

Heath Ledger as the Joker in 'The Dark Knight.' Photo: Warner Bros.

MF: You have an unforgettable scene at the beginning of that movie where the Joker confronts your character, Sal Maroni and the other gangsters. What was it like shooting that scene and working with Heath Ledger?

ER: Heath was a joy. He was really sweet, really kind, really considerate. In fact, when he walked on the set that day, we had a quick run through of lines, and it's a two-page monologue he's got. He went through the monologue and he stopped. He turned and he looked at the table and he said, "How am I doing?" I said, "You're doing great, dude." He was likable, and he was approachable. He was lovely and it's a big loss.

MF: You also got to work with director Paul Thomas Anderson on ‘Inherent Vice.’ What was that experience like for you?

ER: Paul Thomas Anderson is very specific and he's very quiet. Be prepared for a long day, even if you have no dialogue, because all his days are long. He's wonderfully specific, you know exactly what he wants when he turns the camera on, which is a joy to have.

MF: Is it helpful as an actor to work with a director who is that specific?

ER: Well, it can be A or it can be Z. It all depends on the project and the character. It all depends on your relationship with the director through that character. So it all depends on a lot of stuff. But for the most part, it's great to have a boss who knows why he's the boss. "I want this from you." You say, "You got it, boss."

Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in 'The Godfather.' Photo: Paramount Pictures.

MF: Finally, can you confirm or deny something for us? There has been a long standing rumor that in the late 70’s or early 80’s, Paramount Pictures was considering doing an unmade version of ‘The Godfather Part III’ without Francis Ford Coppola that would have seen you starring as an adult version of Michael Corleone’s son, Anthony? Is that true?

ER: I heard about it, like you heard about it. “Oh really? Wow. Is that true? Am I being considered for that? How cool is that?” So I don't know. But supposedly, yes. Who knows?