Micheal Cera will make an appearance in the upcoming Barbie movie. Though the actor hit his stride in 2007 with films like Superbad and Juno, it was around this time that he also felt most like giving up.
Cera was still young when he truly broke into the film scene, starring in the aforementioned teen comedies when he was only 19 years old. Granted, many have been thrust into the limelight at a much younger age, but we’d imagine it could still be a lot to take in. It was during this time when the actor felt like he wasn’t sure if he was going to continue, telling Deadline that he found the new fame “overwhelming.”
Suddenly being recognized by almost everyone was something that Cera struggled with, “I didn’t know how to handle walking down the street. Fame makes you very uncomfortable in your own skin, and makes you paranoid and weird.” Who wouldn’t be weird if every time you walked down the street strangers looked at you, tried to take your picture, or stopped you just to chat?
He acknowledges that his profession and his fame have granted him some fantastic opportunities, such as getting to meet “a lot of amazing people,” but it also has its downsides, some of which he didn’t feel “equipped to handle.” The actor pointed out one group in particular, and no, this time it isn’t paparazzi (they are their own special breed of nightmare), but drunk people. He recalls how interacting with inebriated strangers and fans can be an uncomfortable experience.
“If people are drunk, and they recognize you, and they’re very enthusiastic…it can be kind of toxic too. When you’re a kid, people also feel they can kind of grab you — they’re not that respectful of you or your physical space. I didn’t know how to respectfully establish my own boundaries.”
One particular incident, after Superbad was released, left him feeling very exposed, when he went to a bar with some friends only to have everyone’s eyes on him. Cera recalls “it was like a burning feeling the whole time, just like everybody was so aware of me.” This led Cera to start turning down roles and gigs he felt would draw more attention to him, such as hosting SNL, with thoughts of packing it all in altogether. He was signed on for one project though, Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World which has since become a cult classic.
The actor is thankful for the experience he had on that movie as it helped him realise what he wanted to get out of this profession:
“I knew that it wasn’t just like constantly fanning the flames to get bigger and bigger. I knew that wasn’t really my goal. I think I wanted to be a working actor who can enjoy my day-to-day life, and the world that I’ve created for myself. I think that was the overall thing I was trying to figure out.”
He has appeared in numerous projects since, branching out from comedies into more serious dramas as well such as Molly’s Game and, more recently, Black Mirror. His next appearance will be as Allen, the only non-Ken male living in Barbie Land in the highly anticipated film by Great Gerwig.