From Star Wars to Cocaine Bear... boy, have times changed for Alden Ehrenreich. With the absurd Elizabeth Banks-directed action/comedy, Ironheart, and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, 2023 is proving itself to be a major moment in his career.
There are many Star Wars characters that fans believe deserve their own spin-off series. Whether they are successful enough is another matter entirely. After all, the first spin-off project based on one of the most popular characters in cinema history, 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story, absolutely flopped.
But that was far from Ehrenreich's fault. He had the impossible burden of stepping into shoes made so famous by Harrison Ford before him. Not to mention all of the behind-the-scenes drama on set.
But things are a lot different for Alden Ehrenreich nowadays. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ehrenreich went into detail about his movie and tv shows since Solo and how his career path has altered...
Why Alden Ehrenreich Wanted To Make Cocaine Bear And Comedy Movies
Given Alden Ehrenreich's start as the boy next door in 2013's Beautiful Creatures, one would have thought that the L.A.-born actor could have set himself up for a career in YA movies. Instead, he branched out in some pretty unique ways. While not every one of his projects has panned out (including Beautiful Creatures), Ehrenreich has proven himself to be nothing short of diverse.
This includes his journey into comedy which really started with 2016's Hail, Caeser! which was directed by the Coen Brothers.
Although, many people don't know that Ehrenreich was actually discovered based on his ability to do comedy. It was none other than Steven Spielberg who discovered Ehrenreich via a mutual friend's bat mitzvah tape.
When asked by The Hollywood Reporter if he feels most comfortable with comedy roles as opposed to drama, Ehrenreich said, "not really".
"I feel like my favorite stuff is kind of a mixture of the two," Alden Ehrenreich explained to The Hollywood Reporter. "All the actors that I grew up really loving always had a kind of dynamism between dramatic stuff and comedic stuff, and that’s the space I like to play in the most."
While Ehrenreich claimed that Cocaine Bear does have a balance of drama and comedy, most viewers seem to see it more as the latter. During his interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ehrenreich said that he didn't jump at the chance to star in the 2023 film, but a conversation with director Elizabeth Banks really sparked his interest.
"[Elizabeth Banks and I] talked about what her take on it was going to be. But the title itself — and the zany, outrageous, audacious premise that it is — was definitely a big part of what made me excited to be in it. It’s pretty rare to have a big studio movie that is this unique and unusual."
Alden Ehrenreich's Relationship With Star Wars And Marvel
Alden Ehrenreich's career after starring in Solo: A Star Wars Story for Disney is nothing short of impressive. And it's about to get even more insane. At the time of this writing, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer has yet to be released. While Ehrenreich has a smaller role in the ensemble piece led by Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy, he does play a pivotal part opposite Robert Downey Jr.
"[Oppenheimer] was just terrific," Alden Ehrenreich said to The Hollywood Reporter of his experience working with director Christopher Nolan, who only built on his desire to write/direct his own work.
"I’ve had a few experiences where I’ve gotten to work for master filmmakers like that, and it was so thrilling just because of the way people feel on set all day long. It’s a different quality. Everyone’s super focused. They’re bringing their A-game. They’re honored to be able to be a part of it, and you just feel in the hands of this master. All of my scenes are with Robert Downey Jr., and we developed a really nice friendship."
Check Out Actors Who Hated Working on Star Wars
This friendship with Robert Downey Jr. served Ehrenreich well when it was announced that he would take part in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe show, Ironheart. When he was offered the undisclosed role, Ehrenreich FaceTimed Downey Jr. to ask him for guidance.
"[I] was like, 'Is there something that I need to know before I sign on to this?' I was like, 'Is he going to say, ‘Don’t do it’?' I think they asked Harrison Ford before [Solo] what he would say to the next Han Solo, and he said, 'Don’t do it.' But Downey didn’t say that."
Given that Disney's Solo: A Star Wars Story was filled with scandal and actually flopped at the box office, one might have thought that Ehrenreich would avoid working for the MCU.
"[Ironheart] felt really different. I think I was a part of a very different … At this point, the Star Wars universe is a lot more expansive, but at the time [of Solo], it was just a movie a year. So Ironheart was a much more laid-back experience for a lot of reasons, but similarly, the people there are excited and fun while the kid in them is coming alive. So it was nice to be back in that kind of environment," Ehrenreich explained to The Hollywood Reporter.
Thanks to Oppenheimer, Ironheart, and, yes, Cocaine Bear, 2023 has proved to be the biggest year in Alden Ehrenreich's career so far. And given the diversity of these projects, it's clear that the actor is going to have a lot more unique opportunities coming his way.
"I’m just so grateful to have the opportunity to work a lot more," Ehrenreich explained. "The Cocaine Bear experience was such a good time that I was really revved up and excited to go act again."
