I Hate Kids star Tom Everett Scott on his hilariously different movie

I Hate Kids doesn’t sound like a Tom Everett Scott movie, but that’s why Tom Everett Scott is in it. Find out more in Hidden Remote’s interview.

Tom Everett Scott is one of the most likeable actors in film and television. He’s currently charming viewers on TruTV‘s original series I’m Sorry, and chances are you still remember him fondly from a number of movies. So what’s he doing in a film called I Hate Kids?

In the comedy, which opens today in select theaters and is also available on demand, he stars as Nick Pearson—a writer who built his success on a memoir called I Hate Kids and is about to marry the woman of his dreams.

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But then a 13-year-old named Mason shows up claiming to be his son, prompting Nick to take him and a radio show psychic on the road to try and figure out which of his many exes is Mason’s mom and what they’re all going to do about this.

Learn more about I Hate Kids in our interview with Tom Everett Scott below, then see the film on demand or at a theater near you today.

Hidden Remote: I Hate Kids doesn’t sound like a Tom Everett Scott movie. It feels like the total opposite of a Tom Everett Scott movie. So what made you want to do it?

Tom Everett Scott: I think exactly that. When I heard the title I was intrigued, because I thought it was funny, made me laugh and made me want to read it, so that’s good. I also was attracted to the idea of playing someone I normally wouldn’t play and isn’t me—if I could find my way into it just as an acting exercise.

Then I got to meet with the director John Asher, and we talked about what the script conjured up in our heads, images and ideas of the guy in the movie. Road movies, Steve Martin’s performance in Planes, Trains and Automobiles were some of the things we both thought of, so we went over what the tone of the character would be.

The writer and I talked about dialogue stuff and he wrote this beautiful script, but we started tweaking it as we got to know the other actors involved and the chemistry between everybody and everything else just kind of fell into place. I really was excited to work with Tituss Burgess, who I really love on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. It was a combination of approaching a character I don’t often get to play, so I could see how I could do it, and this awesome cast.

HR: What did you find to connect with in Nick Pearson since he’s so opposite of you?

Scott: Very different, very opposite of me. It was building the character up from unknown places. The one starting point that I could identify with was he’s found the love of his life. I’ve been with my wife Jenny for 21 years of marriage and we met in college, so I know what it is to be with someone I love and want to spend the rest of my life with.

So I was like okay I can start there, but what if she and I decided to not have kids? That we just wanted to have a life where we travel and not do that? Okay that’s who I am, I’m that guy and I’m very happy to be that guy. And then the kid comes along and he’s got to rearrange everything and how he thinks.

HR: One of the great things about I Hate Kids is the chemistry between you and Rachel Boston, who plays Nick’s bride-to-be Sydney. How did you find that together?

Scott: We really got along great and she’s wonderful. She’s lovely. She’s funny and we were just able to quickly get a shorthand language and feel for each other in this movie. We had a very short schedule and not a large budget, so it’s great to be with such professional people who have a lot of experience and bring great ideas to set.

HR: The film is so well cast all the way around; it also includes Better Call Saul‘s Rhea Seehorn and Julie Ann Emery from Preacher, too. So which interactions or moments stand out to you?

Scott: I really enjoyed working with Tituss and Julian [Feder], the two actors I spent the most time with on this project cause we were in the car together and doing all the crazy things and visiting all my ex-girlfriends. Also really enjoyed working with Arden Myrin, who is hilarious as one of my crazy exes.

I was reunited with Marisa Tomei who played one of my exes; she and I did a movie called Parental Guidance prior to this. We get along great and it was super fun to get to work with her. And Rhea Seehorn—I’m the biggest Better Call Saul fan there is. It’s one of my favorite shows I’ve ever watched. She just blows me away. She’s such a talented actress so it was a pleasure to work with her as well.

HR: What makes it even funnier is that I Hate Kids is coming out as the second season of I’m Sorry is airing on TruTV, and your character there is also totally opposite of Nick. Did you have to film these two projects around the same time and balance those two roles?

Scott: I did. I shot I Hate Kids in July of 2017, so I think that was right after we finished season 1 of I’m Sorry. Really on I’m Sorry, I’m playing a version of me. Right away Andrea Savage and I clicked because she’s playing herself and she cast someone that was able to play himself. Maybe that’s why I was interested in I Hate Kids—to just kind of change it up, do something different.

HR: You’ve had other roles that defy expectations, like when you played the underhanded Governor Donald Shalvoy on Law & Order. Are there other characters you wish people had seen more?

Scott: I feel like I always have these great opportunities, whether I’m playing someone close to who I am or different. The Law & Order one definitely comes to mind because he’s not a good person.

HR: What movies or actors would you call yourself a fan of?

Scott: I have my go-to movies. I’m always being accused by my wife of watching the same movies over and over again instead of watching new stuff. Royal Tenenbaums and Groundhog Day are my two biggest, I’ll drop the remote if I come across those.

I’m a huge Coen Brothers fan. As far as actors, people I just really love to see in things, there are so many different people. I love Gary Oldman and Claire Foy blows me away.

HR: What’s one piece of advice Tom Everett Scott would’ve given to Nick Pearson?

Scott: I think he should have just kept better track of his ex-girlfriends.

I Hate Kids is in select movie theaters and also on demand today. For more movie interviews and news, head to the Movies category at Hidden Remote.