DRAFT Magazine

Magazines » September/October 2008 Issue » Being Mr. Biggs

When you're a kid in showbiz, breaking through to big audiences and big paychecks isn't your only objective. Your other goal is the fabled "normal life." For movie, TV and stage star Jason Biggs, growing up in Bergen County, N.J. was a pretty good way to find both. After all, he began acting at the age of 5, with national commercials and modeling. At 13, he made his Broadway debut opposite Judd Hirsch in "Conversations with My Father." But then in 1999, the actor won renown in the hit teen sex comedy "American Pie." His performance both shocked and endeared him to audiences, critics and the world. The movie not only made a ton of money and forced moviegoers to look at a popular dessert in a whole new way, but it launched the career of Jason Biggs. Since then, Biggs has gone on to two Pie sequels and roles in top director movies such as Amy Heckerling's "Loser," Woody Allen's "Anything Else" and the 2001 film adaptation of Elizabeth Wurtzel's best selling memoir "Prozac Nation." He even played opposite Kathleen Turner in Broadway's "The Graduate." Next up is "My Best Friend's Girl" opposite Kate Hudson, Alec Baldwin and Dane Cook.

Although his profession keeps him in Los Angeles a lot of the time, Biggs relishes his strong ties to the East Coast, often visiting family -- parents Angela and Gary, sisters Chiara and Heather -- and friends. He still roots for the New York Giants, but loves taking full advantage of southern California's temperate climate for mountain biking, beach activities and golf. Jason wed actress Jenny Mollen in a secret ceremony on April 23 in Los Angeles, then jetted off for a two-day Hawaiian honeymoon. The two share quiet evenings at home or entertain friends in their remodeled Los Angeles residence. Being Mr. Biggs is a comfortable life for this 30-year-old Jersey boy who used to sell tees and shorts at Gap Kids.

Working at Gap Kids as a teen is a very New Jersey thing to do. What was the New Jersey thing when it came to drinking beer?
It depends on how old you were. I certainly don't want to condone underage drinking, but you know, there was the high school and post-high school rite of passage where you tried to get an older friend to get you a six pack and sneak into someone's basement whose parents were out of town. That was the so very Jersey thing to do. But once we all turned 21, the one big beer-drinking thing was when we would come home -- and we still do this occasionally -- we would go to this local bar in town the night before Thanksgiving. Anyone who went to our high school would come back, and we'd go to this little pub, which was basically the only bar in our town, and everyone would go there and drink. The pub has had four different incarnations. It's always been an Irish pub, and we would imbibe together.

What was your beer of choice back then?
Basically, whatever the cheapest was. We're talking about Natural Light, otherwise known as Nattie Light. It's basically water with a little bit of hops and bubbles. Milwaukee's Best -- we'd call it Milwaukee's Beast. That was a tried-and-true beer. There was the occasional PBR, Pabst Blue Ribbon. And always in a can; cans were the way to go, of course. I really got into drinking Budweiser. I still do love a Bud Lite. I have a kegerator at my house and have some Bud on tap, which is really cool. It's in my TV room; I love having the guys over and just hang out drinking beer right out of the keg.

When you went to the pub, did you choose Irish ales?
Yeah. I really like Guinness on tap, and if someone can pour a good Guinness, it's tough not to order that. But, I recently went to Dublin for the first time and got really, really spoiled with the Guinness there, so it's going to be tough for me to order a Guinness anywhere else unless it's at a real true Irish pub. The one we had in Hasbrouck Heights wasn't really Irish. I don't think there was an Irish person in the place.

You said you still miss the pizza and French fries at the Jersey shore. So when you visit family, is there a certain beer of choice that goes with those culinary delights?
With pizza, really any beer will do and whatever is on hand. My friends drink all kinds of beer, so if I'm at someone's house, I'll drink whatever they've got. With a pizza and beer on the boardwalk, you're probably going to do a Bud or Coors Lite. Ultimately, in the summer, there are beers like kolsch, made in Germany. There are quite a few American breweries that make their version of that beer, and you can get it imported from Germany, so that's always fun. I also like the white beers like Hoegaarden, or hefeweizens, the wheat beers with an orange or lemon slice squeezed in there. That always feels summery and yummy to me. I don't know that it particularly goes with French fries and pizza on the boardwalk as much as a Bud Lite would, but it's still a fun summer beer.

Do you consider yourself an adventurous beer consumer?
Adventurous, yes; knowledgeable so-so. I'm tapped out now. I've shared with you everything I know about beer, so we can end our interview right here. (laughs) What I can tell you is, I'm definitely adventurous, and not just about beers. I'm a very curious person so I literally will try and do anything, especially when it comes to food and drink. I really appreciate them both and love trying new things. With beer, I've recently realized what people appreciate with wine and its complexities, all the different methods of winemaking and different vintages. Listen, I think the fact that there is now a DRAFT magazine is a direct reflection that beer is similarly getting respect as being complex; it's not just a can of PBR while sitting on the couch watching the game. There are all different kinds, different brewing processes. It's become its own hobby for people.

Do you and Jenny ever kick back and sip on a beer, talking about your day?
We both certainly kick back and talk about our day. I'm more likely the one having the beer. She's not really a beer drinker, but just the other night, we were at Nobu in Malibu, and they have their own beer. It was this really yummy, creamy tasting, lighter ale, not a super dark ale, but really tasty. It went perfectly with our sushi and dishes we ordered, and I said, 'Jen, you really have to try this.' She loved it! We actually ended up having a few glasses. I wouldn't call her a beer drinker, but she's similarly adventurous and curious and will try anything I send her way.

Do you entertain at home as a couple?
We have a fun, entertaining house. We don't have parties, but invite smaller, intimate groups. I like having the guys over to watch a game or golf or to hang out and watch a movie. Again, for each of these, there is that kegerator in the corner with beers on tap ready to be poured. I have a multi-tap on it with four beers. I have Bud, Bud Lite, Michelob and AmberBock, all in the Anheuser-Busch family. The Anheuser-Busch gang has been very kind to me and have provided me with a lot of fun nights at my house.

In your new movie, 'My Best Friend's Girl,' you play the love-struck Dustin. Does he like drinking a beer every now and then with the boys?
Oh, yeah. In fact there are a couple of scenes when he's sucking back on a cold one. I think we actually had Bud. My and Dane Cook's characters are hanging out and having a few beers.

Working with Dane Cook, Alec Baldwin and Kate Hudson, was it difficult to keep a straight face during some scenes?
Oh boy, it was difficult at times, especially with Alec. He's hilarious and so brilliant. It reminded me of when I worked with Eugene Levy [in American Pie], and I just never knew what to expect. You have to be on your A-game, otherwise he'll just steamroll you, and it will show. Granted it's incredibly difficult, and there were times when I'd just break and laugh my ass off, but you have to remember it's hard work where you have to focus and concentrate or else these guys are just gonna go right over you. It was fun, though. Kate's hilarious and obviously Dane is, too. It's a really funny movie, though I am slightly biased.

Is there something tangible that you take home after making a movie?
Yeah, I like to take home some things if there is really something in particular. I did this movie once, and in the opening of the movie, I proposed to my girlfriend in a restaurant wearing a cupid outfit. Basically, I was wearing only these red sequined bikini pants and no shirt, cupid wings and a bow and arrow. I took that ensemble home.

You can wear that for Halloween.
Halloween? I wear that every Wednesday night! That with a couple of beers. I can't think of anything better.

You've been working in show business for a long time now. Ever think about what movie or project got away from you?
Um, no. For every project that got away, there's another opportunity that arose, so I don't really think about that. I'm still pretty young and I'm hoping for a nice, long career without a lot of should haves, would haves, could haves. But I'm happy with everything I've done so far, and hopefully I'll get more opportunities.

You seamlessly go between film, stage and TV. Do you prefer one medium over another?
I don't. They're all so different and I appreciate all of them in a different way. The biggest thing is that they all require me to use different acting muscles. The discipline of the theater has the rigor and the commitment, plus the live audience. It's incomparable. With film and TV, I have such an appreciation for the photographic and technical side of things, the mechanics and moviemaking. They're all so different, yet I love them all. I could never really choose. I'm lucky and I'm spoiled that I am able to move freely between the mediums. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep that up.

Having worked since you were 5, I'd say you were lucky. What's your lucky charm in life?
Maybe having a guardian angel, but I don't have a rabbit's foot or anything that superstitious. I definitely am lucky, but even the luckiest of people will not persevere if they don't do the work, and if they're not good people. I'd like to believe that I'm a good, hardworking person, and I have taken advantage of great opportunities. I've been able to turn them into, up until this point at least, something that equates to a career (laughs).

You've been in a lot of hit movies. Who would you thank if you were to win an Oscar?
I would thank the guy who counted the ballots and screwed up declaring me the winner. Then I'd be like everyone else who gets up there and goes on forever. But that's a ridiculous hypothetical. I have many people to give thanks to, but I'll find other ways to thank them for all the success I've had in my career. I'm proud of all my performances. It's interesting to watch the first 'American Pie' because I was so young, but I'm very proud of some of the comedic choices I made in that film. 

We know that the paparazzi are annoying and in your face, but what is a good part of being famous?
I'd be lying to you if I told you there weren't perks associated with fame, although I do need to preface this by saying that I feel there are a lot of people out there who feed off of it and frankly, do it solely for the fame. So be it. I obviously do not want that -- that's not what motivates me. However, there are perks. For me, I like things such as being able to take my family to special events. This past weekend, I was invited to go to the U.S. Open of Golf in San Diego so I took my wife and my in-laws... For me, it's more about being able to share those moments with my family. And there are things I'm invited to that I wouldn't be unless I was 'famous.' So I will go to those events if I feel myself and my family are going to enjoy them; I totally take advantage of that. It's worth it to see the look on my friend's face when I take him to the World Series, for example. 

The inevitable question: What beer would you have with a slice of apple pie?
(laughs) That is HILARIOUS! Well, let's see, with a slice of apple pie, I'd probably go with a Michelob Amber Ale or a Sam Adams Oktoberfest because I figure that's the seasonal -- October and apples and apple pie. It's autumnal.

You actually put a lot of thought into that question...
(laughs). Yes, I guess I did. •
 

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This article originally appeared in the September/October 2008 Issue of DRAFT Magazine

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