[Si] TV

Hockey fan and comedy vet Mike Myers has brought a lot of memorable characters to the silver screen. After the Wayne's World and Austin Powers franchises, Myers goes for the hat trick with his newest character Guru Pitka in The Love Guru. Here, Myers talks about being influenced by Deepak Chopra, playing various characters and his man-crush on co-star Justin Timberlake.

Latino Review: Have you always been fascinated with Indian culture?
Mike Myers: I grew up in Toronto and as long as I can remember, as long as there was cable there have been Bollywood movies on Toronto TV. The Indian influence of this movie is that in 1991 my father passed away and I went on a spiritual quest. I saw Deepak Chopra on The Oprah Show I went, "His philosophy and his writings speak to me." He's kind of like a great librarian, Deepak is. He led me to a whole bunch of readings across the board. I started reading from everywhere around the world, but what happened was that as I was telling my friends as they asked, "What are you reading?" And I would say, "This wonderful thing called The Only Way Out Is In." And this voice started happening and I went, "Huh. What?" So I did a stage show in 1994; five characters. [That was] the first time I did Austin Powers and Guru Pitka. Austin Powers was a tribute to my father and all the British comedy that he had introduced me to and the Guru Pitka was an extension of me dealing with my father's death.

LR: Did you have to pull back in this film from playing more than one character?
MM: I played three characters in the film; me as the young American and then me as me. So I felt that was enough. I also don't have a personal mandate where I go, "God, I have to play five characters." These things are case by case.

LR: What was your reaction by the negative response by Rajan Zed?
MM: This is a man who has not seen the film.

LR: I thought Paramount was going to do a screening for him?
MM: No. They were never going to because this is a film about DRAMA. I'll show it to those of the DRAMA community of which there is no one because it's completely fictional. The teachings are like The Force in Star Wars and it's like the country of Ferdonia in the Marx Brother's movies. This is a fictional teaching that's so designed. The teaching is designed to be non-denominational and fictional and in a fantasy world. He has not seen the film. So I can't really comment except that it's about DRAMA.

LR: Can you comment on your man-crush on Justin Timberlake?
MM: Is that a shock to anyone? He's unbelievably talented. He's the most talented human being that I've ever met.

LR: Not at Connect Four apparently. He said he's bad at that.
MM: What an amazingly humble admission. Wow.

For the rest of the interview go here.