HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Get Him to the Greek reunites Jonah Hill and Russell Brand with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller in the story of a young record company executive with three days to drag an uncooperative rock legend to Hollywood for a comeback concert. The comedy is the latest film from hit producer Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up).
Aaron Green (Hill) gets things done. The ambitious 24-year-old has been given a career-making assignment. His mission: Fly to London and escort a rock god to the world famous Greek Theatre in Los Angeles for a huge comeback concert. His record mogul boss, Sergio Roma (Sean Combs), gives him one warning: “The artist is the worst person on Earth. Turn your back on him at your own peril.”
British rocker Aldous Snow (Brand) is a brilliant musician and certifiable rock-’n’- roll legend, but due to a bad break-up and nose-diving career, has fallen off the wagon and is now a walking disaster. Weary of yes men and scared he’s entered the “greatest hits” twilight of his career, Snow’s in the midst of a nihilistic downward spiral. When he learns his true love, model/pop star Jackie Q (Rose Byrne), is in Los Angeles, Aldous makes it his quest to win her back…right before kick-starting his return to world domination.
As the countdown to the concert begins, one innocent young man must navigate a minefield of London drug smuggles, Manhattan mayhem and Vegas debauchery to deliver his charge safe and, sort of, sound…all while trying to remain faithful to his girlfriend, Daphne (Elisabeth Moss). He may have to coax, lie to, enable and party with Aldous, and Aaron may get inebriated, titillated, violated, humiliated, incapacitated, irritated, evacuated, medicated and rejuvenated on the way…but Aaron will get him to the Greek.
The scene-stealing characters of a hotel waiter named Matthew (Hill) and his fan crush, rock god Aldous Snow, were introduced to moviegoers in Nicholas Stoller’s directorial debut, the hit romantic disaster comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Audiences responded to the enthusiastic groupie who tried to pass the rocker new songs and the sexobsessed former drug addict who was involved with the self-obsessed Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). Aldous’ ability to get under the skin of Sarah’s ex, musician Peter Bretter (Jason Segel), was matched only by his annoyance at Matthew’s unrelenting attention toward him.
While one might initially wonder, Get Him to the Greek is not a sequel to that breakout comedy. Music executive Aaron Green was nowhere to be seen in the story that told of Peter’s journey to recover from a gut-wrenching break-up. Although Hill did star in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Aaron is decidedly not the same guy who stalked Aldous across Oahu.
The rationale? Stoller loved these characters Segel had created and was a big fan of Hill and Brand. It was at the table read with the cast of Forgetting Sarah Marshall that Stoller saw the first glimmer of what would become Get Him to the Greek. Offers the writer/director: “Jonah and Russell had amazing chemistry. Then, on set, they were just hilarious together.”
When Stoller approached Hill and Brand about partnering for another project, he found both men very receptive to the idea. Stoller recalls: “After Sarah Marshall, I had a meeting with Russell and pitched him this idea. Then I pitched Jonah the idea, and they both thought it’d be fun to work on a movie together.”
Hill remembers the request: “I was dying to work with Russell again, and I would have done anything Nick asked me to do.” When he read the screenplay, the actor knew he was ready to play the music-obsessed executive. “Aaron Green is driven and ambitious and has a serious relationship,” explains Hill. “He’s probably the most normal guy I’ve ever played. The interesting part is that we get to explore what’s extreme and weird about Aldous’ life. It’s not as fun for Aaron as he thought it was going to be…just weirder.”
