This weekend 22 Jump Street hits theaters and is poised to be a comedy smash. Directed by The LEGO Movie and 21 Jump Street helmers Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, 22 Jump Street sees Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum’s Schmidt and Jenko undercover in college and meeting a collection of new characters along the way. One of those characters is played by actress Amber Stevens and Nerdist had the chance to speak with the actress about working with directors Miller and Lord, the hilarious Jillian Bell and what’s up next for her.
Amber Stevens was thrilled to join the cast of 22 Jump Street, the follow up to the 2012 hit 21 Jump Street saying, “I loved the first one. I went in seeing it without much expectation, I think like most people did and it blew me away. It was so, so funny, so when it turned out they were making a second, I thought that was brilliant, and I get to be a part of it so that’s even better.” Was it intimidating doing comedy for the first time on such a highly anticipated project? “It was so exciting! I’ve always wanted to work in comedy. As long as I’ve been acting I’ve been interested in doing that, so to get a chance for my first big film to be with people like them who are at the top of their game right now was such a privilege.”
Stevens was also excited to be working with directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord who returned to the sequel. Said Stevens, “They’re such great guys. They’re really fun and they have so many great ideas that they bring to the table but at the same time they really trust the actors that they’ve hired so they let you have your freedom. They’re really great collaborators with each other and with the cast and I just think they really understand what’s funny. They get it and I think their humor appeals to all age ranges, all people, which is I think what makes their movies so successful.”
Another breakout star of 22 Jump Street was Jillian Bell who played Stevens disgruntled roommate and of whom Stevens had nothing but high praise. “She’s such a brilliant comedian. She’s intimidatingly good.” Stevens continued, “Jillian and I are basically the only two girls in the movie so we immediately bonded… It was so great to have a girlfriend there and she is such a great actress and working with her was hilarious and I just can’t want to see her career flourish. I feel like she’s the next Kristin Wiig.”
After the impending success of 22 Jump Street, what’s next for Stevens? “[T]here’s a horror movie that I actually filmed a couple of years ago that’s finally coming out, I’m so excited, its called Jessabelle… It’s just your classic ghost story. It’s spooky and fun and I think everyone will really like it.”
22 Jump Street directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord and starring Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube and Amber Stevens is in theaters now.
