Riff Raff is a new crime comedy that embroils its star-studded cast into dark shenanigans. Directed by Dito Montiel (Man Down, The Clapper) and written by John Pollono (Stronger, Small Engine Repair), the movie tells the story of a reformed criminal named Vincent whose life is upended when his estranged son arrives to inform him that infamous gangsters are on their way. The movie’s cast includes Ed Harris, Lewis Pullman, Emanuela Postacchini, Pete Davidson, and Bill Murray.

Also key to the cast of Riff Raff are Jennifer Coolidge and Gabrielle Union. Union is known for her work in projects like Strange World and Bad Boys II, and Coolidge is a veteran of comedies of all shades including the hit HBO series The White Lotus (for those caught up on that series, check out Coolidge’s reaction to one character’s season 3 return). In Riff Raff, Coolidge plays Ruth, the jaded ex-wife of Ed Harris’ Vincent, and Union plays Vincent’s current wife Sandy.

ScreenRant’s Joe Deckelmeier interviewed Riff Raff’s Jennifer Coolidge and Gabrielle Union about their work on the movie. Both actors shared their personal connections to their characters, and their excitement about being a part of a cast as impressive as Riff Raff’s. Plus, Coolidge reflected on which co-stars she believed would have her back, with a hilarious answer.

Jennifer Coolidge Explains The Method Behind Ruth’s Madness In Riff Raff

“Ruth Is Kind Of A Loser”

As Vincent’s ex-wife, Ruth is a character who “had seen better days,” said Jennifer Coolidge. But that didn’t stop the beloved actor from finding a way in to the character: “I just felt like I knew her,” Coolidge said, “I loved that she had seen better days.” The actor continued: “I could tell it was someone who had suffered a lot and was being rejected by someone she was really in love with. I really know about rejection. I know about feeling like it’s over. I could relate to all of that personally.”

Ultimately, Coolidge found a lot to like about Ruth, despite the fact that “Ruth is kind of a loser.” Coolidge said Ruth “was probably a babe at some point, but really, it all went to crap. She’s this person that sort of missed out and is going to suffer for the rest of their lives.” But, the actor continued, “I really liked her honesty. I think that’s the best thing. My favorite thing in the whole film, for my part, [was that] she was really like, ‘Hey. I’m horny. Can we do it?’”

“You don’t meet those people very often where they just say what’s on their mind,” Coolidge continued, “sometimes it’s maybe incredibly embarrᴀssing, but they don’t even notice it.” As to why Coolidge was drawn to a role like that, the actor said, “I’m from a little town called Norwell outside of Boston … I grew up in a neck of the woods where people were like that. People were like, ‘Hey, Jennifer. Did you gain weight over the summer?’ That’s how they would talk to me.”

Source: Screen Rant Plus

Riff Raff Star Gabrielle Union Reveals How She Found Her Way To Sandy’s Character

“As A Second Wife Myself In Real Life, You’re Up Against History”

Unlike Jennifer Coolidge’s jilted ex-wife character, Gabrielle Union’s Sandy is trying to maintain the current family she has with Vincent and their son DJ. “As a second wife myself in real life, you’re up against history,” Union related when asked about that family dynamic, “you’re up against who your spouse was before.” In terms of Riff Raff, “Ed’s character wasn’t the best father, husband, or provider, and who he is for Sandy and DJ is someone completely different, but everyone has a right to their feelings about what actually happened [in] their reality.”

“When those two realities slam together, it’s explosive,” Union said, teasing shifting relationship dynamics as a source for both drama and comedy. She continued: “It’s kind of like what happens when familial resentment builds and builds … all of that made this so interesting to explore and play and dissect as we were filming.”

Source: Screen Rant Plus

Coolidge & Union Reflect On Riff Raff’s Star-Studded Cast

“The Casting Was Brilliant”

The casting of Riff Raff was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a main reason why both Coolidge and Union joined the film. “The first thing that stood out was the cast,” said Union, with Coolidge echoing that actor’s sentiment in her own interview, saying, “I feel like the casting was incredible.” Union continued, saying that “only Jennifer and Ed had signed on” when she joined the film, but that “then they just kept adding heavyweight after heavyweight after heavyweight.”

Speaking of top-tier actors, Union had plenty of praise for her co-star Coolidge, even if Coolidge’s skillset challenged her: “Jennifer … is comedic gold, and I was so excited to work with her. She is a great ad-libber, and it was hard to stay in Sandy mode. My ad-libs are the things I would say in that situation, and they’re like ‘Okay, that’s funny, but that’s not really Sandy.’ … I go for the jugular every time–me, personally … Jennifer gets to go in the toolbox and I’m like, ‘I got a wrench.’”

Coolidge had plenty of praise for her castmates as well, but one less glowing response stood out. The actor was asked which of her co-stars she’d like to have at her side if she were to be caught up in a real-life crime thriller. After a moment of thoughtful consideration, she had the answer: “I would say everyone but Bill.”