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Hes the secret weapon, the one you give the ball to when the game is on the line.
Getty Images; design by Channing Smith
InAir, Messina plays David Falk, Michael Jordans sharp-talking, high-octane, cutthroat agent.
Its high up there, Messina tellsGlamourof whereAirranks for him on his resume.
(Its currently basking ina 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes.)
Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Ben Affleck, Viola Davis, Matt Damon, Julius Tennon, Jason Bateman, and Chris Tucker attend the World Premiere of Amazon Studio’sAirat the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, March 27, 2023.
For now the 48-year-old isnt thinking that far ahead.
Glamour:Instead of a red carpet, Amazon rolled out a basketball court for the LA premiere ofAir.
What was it like getting to celebrate with everyone?
Chris Messina as David Falk inAir
Chris Messina:It was great.
It was like an old-school big premiere, and so nice to see this movie with an audience.
I had seen it at Bens house twice and really loved it, but there was six people there.
Ana Carballosa © Amazon Content Services LLC
With an audience, youre like, This is an entirely different experience.
Your kids [ages 14 and 15] came as well.
What did they think?
Jason Bateman and Chris Messina attend the Los Angeles premiere ofAiron Monday, March 27, 2023.
They are also basketball fans and Jordan fans, so they love the film.
It was fun to sit there next to them and watch it.
I was cool for a couple of hours.
Probably by midday today Ill be a dork again.
Were you hesitant for them to see your scenes?
Because, lets just say David Falks temperament and vocabulary is not suitable for all audiences.
I wasnt because they both hadcertainly the youngestwere helping me run lines during filming.
So they heard a lot of it.
Sometimes I ask them to do that because they have interesting ideas and notes and questions about the scene.
A lot of times I like to read stuff with them.
So they unfortunately had heard a lot of the raunch in this.
Most of your scenes are over the phone with Matt Damon.
My first reaction is that Matt Damon is so talented and so good.
Of course he wouldve done things like that because he is a great actor.
I didnt need to read the script [when the film first came to me].
When Ben calls, youre like, Whatever you want me to do.
And the cast is a dream team.
What kind of talks went into how you would look for the film?
I really wanted to be bald, and I kept talking to Ben about it.
I thought it would be right for the character.
During this time period in Falks life, he wasnt fully bald but he was on his way.
So I was like, What can we do?
Once you shave it, youre committed.
So should we try a bald cap?
He was a real trooper, this gentleman.
They wanted to show Ben, These are the things we could do with Chriss hair.
I was really committed to this kind of halfway-back look that I really wanted to do.
I got on camera and Ben was looking at the suit.
[Costume designer] Charlese Antoinette Jones did an incredible job with the wardrobe.
Ben came up to me and said, I think you look great.
I think wed go with a Michael DouglasWall Streetlook and slick your hair back.
Plus, you looked horrible inLive by Night.
I had fake teeth and had gained weight and a bad mustache.
He’s a smart guy and a great director.
So I said, Whatever you want to do.
I think it looks great.
Okay, so now were going to jump into our column Tell Me Something I Dont Know.
Tell me something surprising about your first day on the set ofAir.
My first day on the set ofAirwas the big speech that Matt gives.
Off camera is Jason Bateman.
So I decide to check on my watch.
Jason starts giving me a thumbs-up, like, Youre really doing some good acting there.
Youre checking your watch.
And then he starts directing me.
Hes like, Why dont you fix your tie?
Hes mouthing all this off camera.
So I fixed my tie.
Then hes like, Slick back your hair now.
And I would do everything he told me to do.
I think that was my first take of the movie.
Youre hired to go into the playground and play with your friends.
That kind of silliness is perfect for acting, to get you in the right space.
Jason Bateman and Chris Messina attend the Los Angeles premiere ofAiron Monday, March 27, 2023.
What are the best and worst parts of fandom culture as an actor?
I dont really consider myself famous or having to deal with that much, to be honest with you.
But I dont really consider myself famous or really have to deal with much of that.
I kind of stay away from it all.
Tell us something we dont know about all the times you did thosebeloved Danny Castellano dancesonThe Mindy Project.
Thats what I wanted to do.
My mom was a dance teacher, and I wanted to be Baryshnikov.
I was like, Why did I tell them this?
It was so stupid.
Its great for the brain to work through dance moves.
Whats your most strongly held unpopular opinion?
Like, personally, I hate soda.
I hate soda too.
Yeah, I never drink soda.
I remember my father being mad at me like, Why are you drinking the water?
We got soda here.
Because they were just like, Whats going on with this water?
I was like, I just like the water.
He was pissed off that I wasnt drinking the Coca-Cola he bought.
You should have said to him, There’s something about the water in New York.
Why do you think the bagels are so good?
Its because of the water.
I know those bagels.
I missed those bagels.
Oh, I know.
I get them shipped to me from New York.
And I get my lox fromRuss & Daughters.
Tell us something we dont know about your favorite movie romance and why.
I loveTootsieso much, and I watch it at least once a year.
I love Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange together and how much they fall for each other.
I love that movie.
I dont know if that would be a typical romantic comedy, but I love that movie so much.
What does your wife tease you about the most?
Im big into photography and collect a lot of cameras and lenses, but Im not a good photographer.
I just like cameras.
You have a shelf full of cameras.
I really enjoy photography.
Whats the funniest thing a fan has ever said to you or assumed about you?
Its like, they think they know me but they dont.
So then they make me kind of list what theyve seen me in.
Its completely embarrassing because they havent seen anything Ive done.
Theyre like, No, no, no.
And then I have to say, My name is Chris Messina.
Thats usually the most embarrassing thing.
What is the ballsiest thing youve ever done to land a role?
When I was a kid, I crashed a theater audition for this play.
Looking back, it doesnt seem that ballsy, but it was.
My agent said they didnt want to see me, so I just showed up.
And for some reason they were like, Lets let this guy in.
I didnt get the part, but I got the understudy.
I went on stage one night, which was a big deal at the time.
But I crashed the audition originally and they didnt kick me out.
They let me come in.
Finally, what is your perfect meal?
Im on the search, but I cant find it.
You order your food from across the country.
