Sitting in a booth at Pete Wentz’s Angels & Kings, Clark Duke is clad in what can only be described as ‘rebellious school-boy chic.’ Anyone who knows who Clark Duke is, probably knows him as the religious, geeky Dale from Greek, but in reality Duke is more like his newest persona, Lance, the suave best friend in Sex Drive. His charm is intoxicating, his audacity is surprising, and his charisma just fills the air with sunshine and happiness.
In addition to a wonderful personality, Duke clearly has a lot of talent up his sleeve. He created, wrote, produced and directed a web series, along with his best friend Michael Cera, called “Clark and Michael.” His college thesis was the pilot episode, which CBS bought and ran online in May 2007. Flash forward one year and Duke is starring in a successful TV series, a hysterical movie coming out this week, and has two more films in the works (A Thousand Words and Kick-Ass, which should be just as hilarious).
Still, even with posters of his most recent accomplishment, Sex Drive, littering the room, Duke just smiles politely and cracks more than a couple of jokes. After checking his luggage to make sure he didn’t forget his laptop, Clark sits down again and gets ready for the interview. Hilarity ensues.
Alessandra Calderin: So, what drew you to this film?
Clark Duke: I just though the script was funny. Honestly, when I first went in to read for it, it was the second or third audition I had that day and I hadn’t even looked at it or looked at the sides and I thought I was going in for Ian, the other part and I got there and they were like “no, we want you to read for Lance” because they had seen Clark and Michael where I like karate kick the little girl and they thought like that’s like the confidence and swagger the character needs, so I just kinda read it cold and then I went home and read the script and ended up really diggin’ it.
AC: Are you a lot like your character?
CD: Yeah it was more or less just me, hanging out in Florida, having a good time. I don’t think I’m as much of a bastard. Actually, the first time I saw the movie I watched it and I feel like in the first half of the film my character is kind of a jerk and the thing that was really alarming was I didn’t think I was playing it that way on purpose so I don’t know what that says about me. The last half of the movie I’m really loveable.
AC: How did you get along with your fellow cast members?
CD: Everyone got along really well. It was funny because me and Josh [Zuckerman], who plays Ian, are just such polar opposites in everything in real life just as far as our interests and everything. So that was really funny because it was you know it kinda worked out nicely with him playing the straight man. But yea everyone got along really well. I’ve been friends with Seth [Green] for a while so we obviously got along. I was glad to see him. He’s like my cool uncle. And [James] Marsden, I ended up having a really good time with Marsden, which I did not expect, based on his previous film work
AC: Yeah, this was very different for him.
CD: Yeah, I hope he does more comedy. I think he’s the funniest thing in it, him and Seth.
AC: Well, I thought you were pretty funny, too.
CD: Well…
AC: What was you’re favorite scene?
CD: The scene with me and Seth in the buggy was pretty fun because even though it’s not that long in the movie, we just went on for minutes at a time just saying filthy things. Like after he says “butt-fucking“ we just kept going so that’ll be on the DVD probably. I also like the big shoot out scene. At the end. Actually that was pretty boring to shoot but it was fun because that was the one time everyone was at the same place.
AC: You have a very cool wardrobe in the film. What was your favorite outfit?
CD: I really like the thing I wore to the Amish party that tuxedo jacket. I’ve got a few tuxedo jackets; I’m a big fan.
AC: I actually loved that pink robe in the shoot-out scene.
CD: That was actually an homage to the show that me and the writer and the director love called Darth Mareghi’s Dark Place. It’s unbelievable; it’s this British series. I think it’s the funniest show ever made and there’s an episode where the guy just like barely clears it so we wanted to do a little homage to that… I have dancer’s legs, too. I got really toned. I mean, you can feel them. See, you can feel that right there, that’s all tone.
AC: (Yes, I felt it.) Wow, that’s impressive.
CD: Yeah, my calves are good, too. (He lifted up his pants so I could see.)
AC: Woah, I’m like blown away.
CD: Thank you.
AC: Have you seen this YouTube video where…
CD: What’s YouTube?
AC: I know you’re fucking with me… Come on, I know you know what YouTube is.
CD: Is it like a magazine? (sips his coffee)
AC: Okay, I’ll play along, YouTube is this site where you can post and watch videos.
CD: Like porn?
AC: Sure.
CD: Did you see my Kim Kardashian tape?
AC: No, I’m afraid I did not.
CD: I guess it hasn’t been released yet. Hopefully it’ll be out soon.
AC: So, when you’re not filming or working or writing or producing, what do you like to do?
CD: I like to sleep. I like to eat soul food. All of my hobbies are sort of the things I do for work. So it’s weird because I’ve reached this point that, even books you read you’re like “oh, this would be a really cool idea, we should try to option this.” And then you realize you’re not really enjoying this as a book anymore; it’s really bizarre. And you could be watching a movie and just appreciate weird technical details. Like if I see a shot with a lot of extras and a crane I’m like “man, I bet that took all day to film.”
AC: If you could be any X-Men, which one would you be?
CD: I’d probably be one that wasn’t really limiting like Cyclops, where he has to wear glasses all the time but I guess wear glasses anyways so I guess I would be Cyclops. It wouldn’t be that different. I wouldn’t have to change my lifestyle all that much. I just want to be as handsome as James Marsden, I just want to be as handsome as Jimmy.
AC: You were an honor student at Loyola, are you very studious?
CD: Well I always did well in high school. I always did well in college. I hate writing papers. I was thrown out of this one honors class because it was so fucking boring. It was like Reinassance history. And she asked me a question and I was just obviously not paying attention ever I didn’t even buy the books and she asked me a question and I said, “I’m sorry I’m actually not taking questions today” and they threw me out… So it just depends on the subject.
AC: Are you single?
CD: Um, yes.
AC: And what would you say is your type, for all those lonely girls out there?
CD: I tend to go for girls that I’d want to hang out with, you know what I mean? It doesn’t hurt to be really beautiful, but… I want somebody I can watch Letterman with.
AC: So let’s close with, what is the meaning of life?
CD: I don’t know… oh, watching Sex Drive on October 17. Is that what I’m supposed to say?