Himesh Patel on Greedy People, The Franchise and ‘trilogy jokes’ with Lily James

Himesh Patel on Greedy People, The Franchise and ‘trilogy jokes’ with Lily James

As I delve into the captivating world of these film sets, it’s evident that working on such productions is nothing short of a dream come true for those involved. From the hustle and bustle of the superhero genre to the chilling dystopia of The Assessment, it seems that Dev Patel has managed to weave an intricate tapestry of diverse roles and experiences in his career.


Over the past eight years since his departure from EastEnders in 2016, it’s accurate to acknowledge that Himesh Patel has consistently improved and made progress in his career.

After leaving a soap opera behind, his career has flourished with leading roles in critically acclaimed films such as Tenet and Don’t Look Up, as well as hit TV series like The Luminaries and Station Eleven. This successful trajectory shows no signs of slowing down, promising an even more thrilling future.

Within a few weeks, he will spearhead the Armando Iannucci-produced HBO comedy series titled “The Franchise,” and also plays a significant part alongside Elizabeth Olsen and Alicia Vikander in the soon-to-be-released sci-fi film “The Assessment.” This movie has garnered some positive feedback after its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

In a tranquil little American town, Patel and James assume the roles of Will and Paige, a duo who find themselves. Initially, it appears that their peaceful existence is undisturbed. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Will, taking up his position as the town’s new cop, is swiftly embroiled in a significant incident barely minutes into his service – encouraged by his unconventional partner Terry, portrayed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

The movie revolves around two police officers encountering an unexpected financial windfall after an incident at work. They choose the wrong path with this newfound wealth, leading to a series of misadventures. It’s a delightful film that you won’t want to miss!

The movie “Greedy People” bears a striking resemblance to certain offbeat crime films by the Coen brothers, such as “Fargo,” which seems to have left a significant impact, and shares many similarities with Sam Rami’s less recognized 1998 thriller, “A Simple Plan.

In that movie, Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton portrayed estranged siblings who discovered a significant amount of money, each dealing with a similar predicament. This intriguing dynamic, according to Patel, is something that consistently captivates audiences.

As a fan, I can’t help but express my thoughts: “Boy, isn’t it intriguing? It’s all about exploring the paths of greed in different situations, and this setup is truly captivating. Picture an apparently innocent couple yearning for a fresh start, only to find themselves entangled in a whirlwind of chaos.

However, these events unfold in a small, close-knit society, where they appear crucial to its members, and indeed, they can feel like matters of life and death.

They filmed the movie in a charming corner of the United States known as Southport, a delightful and quaint small town nestled in North Carolina. As Patel shared, this location was a delightful space where time seemed to pass by with joy.

He mentioned that the town was incredibly welcoming and enthusiastic about our presence, he added. Moreover, it provided an authentic American experience, one I might not have encountered otherwise, which is always exciting when embarking on my journeys – as travel allows me to explore unique corners of the globe I wouldn’t have visited otherwise.

Himesh Patel on Greedy People, The Franchise and ‘trilogy jokes’ with Lily James

Despite having worked on numerous films and television shows, Patel rarely gets the opportunity to collaborate with an old acting partner again.

However, he found great joy in collaborating with James once more – an encounter he deemed “exceptionally meaningful” following their previous project, Yesterday, which marked his debut in a major film production.

He remarks, “Yesterday was extraordinary, and it felt incredibly intimate.” He continues, “It was the kind of moment that leaves you in awe, making you question if we’ll ever relive it. It seemed as though it might be a unique, once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. And then, amazingly, another opportunity arises, and we get to have yet another extraordinary experience.

He mentions, “The unique aspect I enjoyed was its contrast with yesterday’s events.” He continues, “Greedy People offers a refreshing change, a completely new storyline, a different genre altogether. That made it enjoyable. We had the chance to explore American accents and work on them jointly.

In other words, I’ve playfully suggested to Lily that the event was like a sequel in a three-part series, so we’ll eventually need to conclude it, perhaps not too far into the future, or maybe it’ll be when we’re both in our 80s or thereabouts!

Regarding the potential genre of a hypothetical third movie, we can only speculate since it’s an open question. “Everything is possible,” Patel says with a smile.

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Although James was someone Patel recognized well, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was an actor whom Patel had long respected, and it was a significant attraction for him to participate in the project.

During the movie, there’s a contrasting friendship between the duo, as Patel’s character, Will, often gets into trouble due to Terry’s influence. This unusual bond provided an entertaining challenge for both actors to portray effectively.

Patel found it particularly captivating when Gordon-Levitt demonstrated his talent for spontaneous acting – a skill that undoubtedly improved following his recent collaboration with the master of improvisation, Eddie Murphy, in Beverly Hills Cop 4 (popularly known as “Axel F”).

Patel comments, “I simply gave Joe free rein in that aspect. It was captivating to see him transform into the character. He was experimenting and improvising a lot, which made it very enjoyable.

In this scenario, my role was essentially to tag along, similar to how Will behaves in the narrative. He’s like a follower, saying, “Go ahead, show me the path.” Yet, despite his apparent trust in him, he doesn’t actually trust him at all.

As an actor, I had full confidence in Joe, and his talent is widely recognized as that of a superb artist. Consequently, my experience was delightful. He executed some remarkable improvisations and truly breathed life into the character in a captivating manner. It was an enjoyable challenge to engage with him, and our performances seemed to feed off each other naturally.

Himesh Patel on Greedy People, The Franchise and ‘trilogy jokes’ with Lily James

Regarding Patel’s upcoming projects, it’s worth mentioning that “The Franchise” is scheduled to premiere at the beginning of next month. Known for his direction, Sam Mendes leads this series which humorously satirizes superhero films. The story revolves around a production crew working on the newest installment in an imaginary blockbuster franchise.

On the movie set, things became quite disorganized due to numerous complications, yet working on the project turned out to be surprisingly manageable – and for Patel, it was an “ideal” or “perfect” experience.

He genuinely feels it was one of his top performing roles, and he’s thrilled about it. He truly enjoyed working on it and can’t wait for its release.

In this particular project, however, it’s Jon Brown who takes the lead as the creative force, having prior collaborations with both Ianucci and Patel on the science fiction comedy series “Avenue 5”.

Jon has contributed to a series known as Succession, a show many are familiar with, Patel says with a grin. This means some writers from that show were also involved in The Franchise. Plus, Sam Mendes directed the pilot! It was an absolute dream working with such talented individuals and I had a fantastic time.

Naturally, since Patel has been involved in significant movie projects himself, could there be anything in the satire of the new series that resonated with him in any fashion?

He admits that he has less hands-on expertise in the particular genre or franchise-related field,” he explains. “However, there were numerous individuals with either direct or indirect experience in this area, which was incredibly beneficial. Essentially, everyone was contributing their own stories and ensuring our work was grounded in reality.

He’s had encounters with major films, but they haven’t been part of an ongoing franchise or series. As of now, he hasn’t been involved in anything like that, but I’m eager to… participating in a franchise-like project would undoubtedly influence my perspective if given the opportunity, which I hope to get. However, it definitely gives me a clearer understanding of what it represents, to some extent.

Working alongside Vikander and Olsen during The Assessment was a truly remarkable experience for him, as he considers them both to be leading professionals in their field.

He describes the film as having a somber, futuristic science fiction atmosphere. However, it’s a deeply intimate story that takes place in a world where people can only conceive offspring through an evaluation procedure called ‘assessment’. During this process, someone stays with you for a week to determine if you are suitable to have children.

Therefore, we, Elizabeth and I, make up the couple. Then, Alicia arrives for an assessment, and this story revolves around the events that transpire during that particular week.

It appears that Patel intentionally structured his projects to offer him a wide range of diversity, which he finds satisfying.

He mentions, ‘Sometimes I find myself saying, “Alright, let’s take a turn and see something new, something unique this time.” Yet, I must admit, the projects that come my way and the ways others portray me are beyond my control.’

It seems I’m currently at the stage where my career is evolving, allowing others to perceive me in various roles. My intention is to demonstrate versatility, so they might say, “Wow, he excels in this area, and he’s capable of that as well.

Consequently, I’ve found myself working on a diverse range of projects. Fortunately, I’ve had this delightful mix for the past two years.

Greedy People is available on digital platforms from Monday 23rd September. 

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2024-09-22 20:04