Katt Williams Is Hilarious in 'Scary Movie 5'

The Scary Movie horror, comedy, parody film franchise is one of those beloved brands that always delivers good, scary fun.

The series of Scary Movie films was created by Keenan Ivory Wayans, along with his brothers Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans.  The genre’s specialty is parodying horror films. The Wayans have since left the franchise.

No worries! The good-natured, over the top fun continues with the fifth installment, Scary Movie 5 (Dimension Films).

This time a couple starts to experience some unusual activity after bringing their newborn son home from the hospital. With the help of home-surveillance cameras and a team of experts, they learn they're being stalked by a nefarious demon.

Enter Katt Williams, who joins the cast bringing his own brand of hilarity as Blaine, an unscrupulous professional psychic.

I caught up with Williams recently to discuss the movie and his career.

KATT WILLIAMS (left)

 

DD: The Scary Movie franchise is huge and beloved. Were you a fan prior to doing this film?

KW:  Yes, but in the true fan way. I wasn’t watching thinking one day I would be in one. That wasn’t possible. I was a fan of them doing spoofs so well.

DD:  How did this come about that you’re in this film?

KW: Well, in my journey through Hollywood I don’t think they let you call them about stuff like that. Anytime you get a list of people in it like the ones we have, then you don’t have to worry. I just wanted to be funny.

DD: Why did you want to be a part of this film?

KW: In comedy you get a larger playing field.  I value everything that’s valuable to comedy. Whether it is the Wayans’ name or the Weinstein’s, name, I wanted to be part of it.  The opportunity to do comedy in this film, now you’re talking my language. The only thing that was missing was me. 

DD: Do you believe in ghost?  Have you ever seen a ghost?

KW:  I am not well versed on ghosts. I thought they were invisible. For those who have seen, they are seeing something I’ve never seen.  

DD: In Scary Movie 5 you play Blaine, a professional psychic.

KW: He’s a magician as well. I was trying to create a blank slate and not bring Katt Williams to this guy. I wanted to allow this guy to be interesting enough that you care when this plays out. 

KATT WILLIAMS (left)

DD: You’ve done stand-up, movies and voice-overs. What does each one do for you?

KW: It just makes you appreciate the craft much more. Everything I swore was easy turns out to be amazingly hard. Starting with stand-up there can be no easier job than to be given a gift and then your finances based on your gift. Movies are a different case because you get a chance to redo things. That’s not something you can do in standup. That goes for TV as well.  With voice- over you would think it’s easy.  You go in your pajamas. It requires another set of acting. It’s been a learning process.

DD: Talk about working with your director Malcolm D. Lee.

KW: It was like being a great driver and being in the passenger seat and patting your feet for no reason.

DD: You’ve been in the news quite a bit lately. A lot of people are worried about you, should they be?

KW: I never want anybody who knows me at all to be worried about me at all. I really am in God’s hand as much as I can be. On the other hand if those people weren’t worried about me my life wouldn’t be worth living. We can turn it down now. We can take me off of the crisis list. On the other hand those people are the reason all of this is worth doing.

DD: What’s up next?

KW:  Under the assumption that Scary Movie 5 does well, then we will knock out the rest of our movie slate, we will knock those out.

Scary Movie 5 opens nationwide April 12.  The comedy, directed by Malcolm D. Lee, stars Katt Williams, Ashley Tisdale, Erica Ash, Terry Crews and Heather Locklear.  There are guest appearances by Lindsay Lohan, Jerry O’Connell, Kate Walsh, Kendra Wilkinson, Charlie Sheen, Snoop Dogg, Bow Wow, Chris Elliott, Jasmine Guy, Mike Tyson and Darrell Hammond.  It’s executive produced by Brian Bell, Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein. It’s produced by Phil Dornfeld and David Zucker.

Scary Movie 5, Running time: 85 min.