Sean Combs is serious about being funny
LOS ANGELES — In his almost two decades in the spotlight, Sean Combs has been many things — rapper, producer, clothing designer, magazine publisher, reality-television star and business executive. And he's added another line to his resume with his new role in "Get Him to the Greek" — funnyman.
"I think this role will definitely be a revelation to people," said Combs, known to most as Diddy, as he leaned into a couch backstage at the Greek Theatre last month. "People have this perception of me — which is my fault — of maybe a rapper or Champagne-sipping and Hamptons and white fur and just cliche type of things that are just kind of old and dated and corny, which isn't how I am today, you know? That was just part of my image for a second. It wasn't who Sean is. You evolve — like, I need to retire my diamond necklace and fur jacket now. Things change. Times change."
If nothing else, his part in "Greek" is sure to surprise people. As an actor, the 40-year-old has had a mixed track record and has struggled to translate his charisma and music-video swagger into other parts. An early role as a death row inmate in 2001's "Monster's Ball" was widely perceived as stiff and smacked of stunt casting, but the ever-energetic Combs gradually improved his acting technique, and his part in the 2004 Broadway production of "A Raisin the Sun" earned him far better reviews.
Still, he's yet to show the world that he's funny. In "Greek," he plays Sergio Roma, the maniacal record executive who lords over an employee (Jonah Hill) who's in charge of chaperoning an unruly rock star (Russell Brand) from London to the L.A. concert venue.
According to producer Judd Apatow and director Nicholas Stoller (who previously collaborated on "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," which first introduced Brand's rock-star character), Combs quickly became adept at the Apatow-ian style of improvisation.
"He's done a lot of reality TV, and that's actually not that dissimilar to what we do — thinking on your feet and trying to be amusing," said Apatow during a telephone interview.
