Exclusive: Actor Fran Kranz Talks About Playing in Joss Whedon’s Playground, First on Dollhouse and Now in The Cabin in the Woods
Actor Fran Kranz is having quite the year already and it’s still only a few months into 2012. In March, Kranz made his Broadway debut playing Bernard in legendary director Mike Nichol’s revival of Death of a Salesman starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Andrew Garfield. Not exactly a shabby play to usher one into the Great White Way’s fold. And now on April 13th, Franz co-stars in the much-delayed, but highly-anticipated Joss Whedon (The Avengers) penned and Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) directed horror/comedy, The Cabin in the Woods. This week Snakkle had an exclusive chat with the actor about working with geek-god Whedon in the past and future. By Tara BennettKranz: I am embarrassed to say that I hadn’t seen Joss’s stuff when I first met him for Dollhouse. I auditioned like a regular old audition. I got a few pages of the script and came in and read for him in person. After I got the part, I went and watched Firefly and Serenity and just fell in love with him. I just loved his work. So I think it was good for me not to be starstruck and immediately geeking about as soon as I met him. After I saw that stuff, I remember getting to the Dollhouse sets to film the pilot and all of a sudden I was so awkward around him. I just wanted to pick his brain, and I realized I had become a fan. Beforehand I was much more relaxed, and that probably helped me get the part.
Snakkle: Dollhouse only lasted two seasons, but your character, Topher Brink, really became a fan favorite by the end of its run. Was that a memorable experience for you as an actor?
Kranz: To experience the whole spectrum of the Whedonverse and [get to know] the fans, it was great to realize how passionate they were and how seriously they take his work and the responsibility that came with that. Having his fans embrace me eventually was meaningful to me. You want to do your best for the people around you on set, but the fans are important, and to have that following on my side, at least I think, it was really wonderful. With The Cabin in the Woods, I really hope there is more of that positive reaction. I think Marty is a great Whedon character.
Kranz: In The Cabin in the Woods, you play Marty, the stoner pal amongst a group of college friends who go away to a secluded cabin to party for the weekend. Is it true that you basically got surreptitiously scouted by Drew Goddard for the role when you were working on Dollhouse?
Kranz: Yeah, Joss told me that he had Drew come [to the Dollhouse set] that day because I was working. It’s embarrassing how happy I get now just thinking about that. Marty is easily the coolest character I have ever played in film or TV. I love the guy so much, and to know that Joss was thinking of me that way is wonderful.
Snakkle: You get to be the voice of reason and the comic relief amongst the scares. Was he a stretch for you?
Kranz: No. It’s a gift of a role, and I think the writing was so excellent that my job was easy. I worked very hard and took the role very seriously, but Joss and Drew wrote such a funny, brilliant script that I didn’t have too much to think about. They sort of did the job for me. [Laughs.]
Snakkle: You’re a horror fan. Was it important that Marty be one too?
Kranz: I think it’s essential for the actor playing Marty to be someone that really embraces that world and go for it 110 percent.
Snakkle: The movie is a really clever take on horror film tropes and clichés. Do you think it’s only going to appeal to horror-fans-in-the-know or land with mainstream audiences too?
Kranz: My hope is that this gets a wide audience who love comedy, horror, and action movies. To me, Cabin is a great action movie too. I’m hoping it doesn’t fall into a niche audience. It makes you feel good. It’s scary and bloody, but it’s hilarious, and with each surprise you are just proud to be a part of it. I hope that catches on.
Snakkle: This makes two projects with Whedon now, and you’ve got another one coming. Are you friend-stalking him for work now?
Kranz: [Laughs.] I want to be part of anything that he does! Yes, I also did Much Ado About Nothing with him. We obviously have a good working relationship, and I hope it continues that way. I was actually hoping to be a random foot soldier in The Avengers that Thor kills. I asked him for that. “I just want to be killed by Thor!” I told him I didn’t need a credit and I would pack my own lunch.
The Cabin in the Woods opens April 13 and also stars Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly, Bradley Whitford, and Richard Jenkins.