Scott Speedman on Good Neighbors, Hollywood's Unfortunate Vampire Trend, and Fake Tanning

It seems like you're pretty discerning, picky even, about the roles you choose. Have you noticed any trend in the characters you're asked to play or the scripts you've been getting?

Picky is the wrong word. Picky implies that I'm getting tons of scripts and I'm saying, "No, no, no." The things that come my way are usually, generic C-grade thrillers that will never see the light of day, to be honest. That's what comes my way. There are auditions for big, huge movies and I haven't gotten one of those big ones. And then there's sort of this thing where I find interesting thrillers or movies -- I'm starting to find more work that I want to do.

Do you have any desire to write or direct?

Write, no. I think that's a very specific thing. I think a lot of writers are writers by necessity but I am sort of a perfectionist. When I read a great script, I know it immediately and I would want to be able to [replicate] that just to do it. The structure, to me, just seems unbelievably difficult.

How does your perfectionism translate on set? Are you the actor who asks for fifty takes?

Yeah, when people complain or talk about how many takes they had to do with a director -- that sounds so fun to me. That they get to do 70 takes of a scene, that would be great. I'm sure you would get frustrated but then find new things in the scene. I would just like to know at the beginning that I had 70 takes ahead of me. That would be great.

Finally, it must be said: for someone who never sees the light of day, your character was exceptionally well-tanned.

[Laughs] Well that's probably just, unfortunately, because I had left Los Angeles and gone straight to Montreal to film. I don't know if I would call that "tan."

It was a remarkably even bronze.

Just for the record, if you're implying that any bronzer was used on the set, I would have shot that down. There was no bronzer used! You think that I was on set, in between takes, saying "Guys, can you touch up the spray tan?"

I wasn't trying to figure out the "making of" your tan. I was paying you a compliment.

I was just healthy. I wasn't smoking cigarettes. I wasn't drinking. I was just healthy. And I was not fake tanning. You still don't believe me. I can tell.

You said you were really healthy while shooting this. Do you always try to abstain from cigarettes and alcohol when filming?

Well, I was really just trying to distract you from this tanning theory. It wasn't like [mimes someone spraying on a tan], "OK guys, I'm ready." No, not my thing.

I don't know, maybe it was make-up. Let's not shatter the illusion here.

I didn't wear that much make-up. Listen, lady, I was just coming from L.A. If anything, you're right. I should have knocked it down. I was not using tanner though. Let that be clear.

Good Neighbors opens Friday in limited release.

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