Robert Hoffman: 'You Can't Punch Doris Roberts In The Heart!'
All right, so I missed him in "From Justin to Kelly" (as most sensible movie goers did) but Robert caught my eye in 2004's "You Got Served" (a movie that netted him an American Choreography Award) and since then every role has been a little bigger, culminating with "Step Up 2" last year.
Now Robert is taking his dance skills from the street to the stars as the first human to fall under the hypnotic spell of some little green men in "Aliens in the Attic." The role gives Robert a chance to apply his physicality in a way like never before (think Jim Carrey) and proves that he's got a lot more to offer Hollywood than back flips.
A fact Robert hopes to drive home with his unscripted MTV show. While I couldn't convince him to teach me "Step Up 2's" climactic rain dance, I did get Robert to reveal what fans can expect his MTV series to look like, why fighting an "Everybody Loves Raymond" veteran is so terrifying and what his dream role would be. Yes!
PopWrap: This movie is so different than anything you've done before, why a family film about aliens?
Robert Hoffman: I was thinking about doing something darker or more dramatic, but it was a conscious decision to do this movie because it doesn't have a little physical comedy, the whole thing is a fantastic exploitation of my physical abilities.
PW: How did the toll that took on your body compare to "Step Up 2"?
Robert: This one brought a lot more surface injuries. A lot of cuts, falling on my face and wounds like that. With dance movies, it's bruised bones and tearing things. But "Step Up 2" had a lot of dancing, and with the added rain element, it was torture. But I'd say it tied with this one, which is interesting because there is no dancing here.
PW: Just you getting beat up by Doris Roberts.
Robert: She beat the hell out of me, nonstop! They just put us in a room and let the cameras roll. That wasn't fake, Doris can actually fly.
PW: How nervous were you about fighting a 78-year-old?
Robert: I mean, that isn't the kind of scene where you can be like, "oh well, I missed and cranked her in the jaw." No, you can not punch Doris Roberts in the heart, so we were super careful.
PW: With all the stunt work and wire fighting, I'd imagine that was a very labor intense sequence.
Robert: It was hard. I had done some action sequences before but this was a long fight. and I didn't realize how many little shots they have to get, so it's a lot of takes. You don't do the fall on your back twice, you do it 15 times. It's very meticulous. But I love the homages to sci-fi movies and old school video games in it.
PW: Is it true that you named your Urban Ninja after a video game character?
Robert: Absolutely, Ryu Hayabusa from "Ninja Gaiden"! I was so moved as a kid when I'd play that game on NES. So he's Kinetsu Hayabusa.
Robert: Totally, I just never grew up. I've retained my 12-year-old badassness. I remember when we got our first video camera putting together funny videos for our friends. We liked it so much that this hobby became an obsession and now maybe a profession.
PW: Is there one video you hope never sees the light of day?
Robert: The most embarrassing one is a tape of this play I was in called "Twelve Dancing Princesses," and I was the prince. It's on a VHS in my closet, so no one will ever find it ... unless they taped the play too.
PW: You briefly mentioned turning your obsession with funny videos into a profession, and it's been announced that you're getting an MTV show called "Punch Robert." Will it be like your YouTube videos?
Robert: Yeah, that's the foundation for the show. You'll see some of the videos that I've already made and a bunch that I've been holding back because we wanted to have content for the show. Then we'll shoot the ones that are amazing, but we never had the manpower to make before.
PW: It's a bit of a homecoming for you, having gotten your start on MTV's "Wild n' Out"
Robert: I think "Wild n' Out" was me opening the door and now I'm in the living room with my pants off. The show will be a bit of everything: messing with people in public, pranking people, stunts with my friends, sketches with the characters I've created and more.
Robert: One hundred percent! All my dancing has some sort of creative element to it. Rarely are any of my routines not spawned by an idea first. And I've always been astounded by what underground kids were doing -- so I'm really excited that the public's aware of that now. It's huge, with shows like "So You Think You Can Dance." Hollywood isn't always the first, but once something surfaces, they're on it.
PW: Does working on the MTV show mean this movie is the last we'll see of you on the big screen for a bit?
Robert: Yeah, but just for a little while. And with any luck this will just heighten my presence in Hollywood and make it even easier for me to get dope roles.
PW: So is there a dream movie, one that you'd kill to make happen?
Robert: Hell yes there is, "Yes Dance: The Movie!" If someone said, "Hey Rob, here's $150 million, go make a movie," I'd say, "gimme $50" and make "Yes Dance" immediately.
PW: So the Yes Dance video [watch it here] is only 4 minutes long, where do you take it from there?
Robert: No, the Yes Dance is how they would win! It would be about James Precious and Kiki coming up in the underground drag balls in New York and they're trying to get the confidence and courage to become a threat at the ball. So you'd go through the adventure and the trials or these new guys trying to own their style, own their sass and finally prevail. It'd be one of the most fantastic movies ever made!
"Aliens in the Attic" is now in theaters and Robert's MTV show debuts late 2009/early 2010.
Photo: WireImage; Twentieth Century Fox;
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