SAN FRANCISCO – Jon S. Baird‘s Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Hardy (John C. Reilly) biopic is already being lauded by critics as a fine portrayal of the larger-than-life duo. Reilly as Oliver “Babe” Hardy is uncanny. Paired with Coogan’s Stan Laurel, the two actors portray the complexities of artistic collaboration through the comedy duo’s personal and professional lives with heart and tireless commitment. If it weren’t for Coogan’s admiration and respect for Reilly’s breadth of work as an actor, he wouldn’t have joined Baird’s project. The reverence was mutual for Reilly, and, from day one, they were inseparable on and off the set.

Over the course of his career, Reilly has worked with some of the industry’s most skilled directors including Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Lynne Ramsay. On top of his dramatic work, Reilly has quietly become one of the leading comedic actors of the 21st century, starring in such comedies along the likes of “Step Brothers,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” and his zany collaborations with Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim as the character of Dr. Steve Brule.

In “Stan & Ollie,” Reilly portrays the third historical character in his career behind Nikola Tesla in “Drunk History” and Noah Dietrich in “The Aviator.” While in San Francisco promoting “Stan & Ollie,” I spoke with Reilly about the trials, tribulations, and rewards of making the film, Baird‘s singular vision, his physical transformation, tracking shots, working with Coogan, that Paul Thomas Anderson story, and more.

Jon S. Baird is the person who convinced you that you could take on the role of Oliver Hardy. What were these initial conversations about?
In the first conversation, I was like, “I don’t look like him, so how were you thinking of doing the physical [aspect]?” He’s like, “Well, would you gain weight [laughter]?” And I was like, “No,” because I had just lost about 30 pounds. I got chubby for a while. And it took me so long to lose that weight. And he’s like, “Okay. Fine. No. Just do a fat suit, then. We’ll do prosthetics.” I don’t think I could have healthily got to the weight that Oliver was, anyway.

Read the rest of the interview at The Playlist.