How the Director and Stars of ‘Pavements' Brought Many Stephen Malkmuses to Life

The prevailing initial state of the two actors tasked with portraying Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus in Alex Ross Perry's multifaceted, genre-warped film Pavements was, reasonably, confusion.
Pavements — which releases in theaters across North America June 6 — is nominally, and for the most part, a documentary. It follows Pavement as they prep for their 2022 reunion tour and uses archival footage to tell the story of a band of alternative-nation outsiders who made erudite, inscrutable, and irresistible tunes; navigated the post-Nirvana Nineties with blasé circumspection; broke up as cult heroes; and returned decades later as widely-recognized, era-defining greats.
More from Rolling Stone
'Titan': See Trailer for Netflix Doc That Dives Deep Into OceanGate Disaster
Martin Scorsese's Career Goes in Front of Camera for Five-Part Apple TV+ Documentary
That Doc on Shia LaBeouf's Acting School Is Even Crazier Than You've Heard
But along with parsing and probing Pavement's importance, Perry also wanted to explore the ways we bestow that importance. So, he cooked up the various kinds of cultural schlock that get pumped out when it comes time to celebrate (and profit from) legacy acts — a biopic, a jukebox musical, even a museum exhibit filled with phony and real artifacts — and combined them to create a Russian nesting doll of a film, genres stacked on top of one another, reality packed inside fiction. And for the actors Perry hired to star in his real-but-not-real biopic and musical, performing in Pavements was a confounding but also intriguing prospect.
Joe Keery, the Stranger Things star and Djo musician, who plays Malkmus in the Oscar-baity biopic-within-the-movie, tells Rolling Stone, 'I didn't understand the full context of the movie until I showed up a couple of days before and we were doing the [costume] fittings and stuff. 'Then I started to wrap my mind around it. They had done the musical already, so I had the reference point of, 'It's this real thing, but it's fake, and it exists within the world of the movie.''
Michael Esper, an established theater actor, remembers his own bewilderment when Perry called him 'out of the blue' to offer him the role of Essem, the Malkmus-esque (emphasis on the 'esque') lead in the film's off-Broadway jukebox musical component, Slanted! Enchanted!
'I couldn't tell how serious he was,' Esper says. 'Like, how real do you want it to be? How much of a joke? Are we really doing this in front of people? How earnest am I supposed to be? Pavement is cool with this?' He adds with a laugh: 'It was such an insane idea, and the potential for humiliation was so high.'
Perry was compelled to cram all of these sub-projects into Pavements because he firmly believes 'we don't actually want these things.' He argues, for instance, that no one is asking for a 'cliché, birth-to-death biopic' of Kurt Cobain, yet the likelihood of one existing, eventually, seems disconcertingly high. Perry also saw huge potential in this multigenre approach. 'The truth I'm reaching for,' he says, 'is [that] this format of prismatic, hall-of-mirrors storytelling is the only way to even consider approaching the truth of any great artist.'
Pavement, and Malkmus in particular, is uniquely positioned for this kind of interrogation. Perry argues the frontman is up there with 20th-century geniuses like Bob Dylan and David Bowie 'because he's this enigma — he's so fascinating, and the music is so good.' Keery also uses that word — 'enigma' — while Esper, a longtime fan who was scouring zines and VHS tapes in the Nineties for anything Pavement-related, calls Malkmus an almost 'mythical figure.'
And like Bowie or Dylan, Malmkus has played with personas, cultivating a distance between his public-facing artistic self and the human behind the mask. Perry notes that, since Pavement began, 'Malkmus has presented the idea that he is playing a character' known as 'The Singer.'
'He christened himself with this moniker at the age of, like, 21, to become this other personality,' the director says. 'To hide behind the idea of, 'That's what the singer would do.'' (He cites, by way of example, two early Pavement tunes in this vein, 'Our Singer' and 'Shoot the Singer.')
So as Perry set out to design the Malkmuses that Esper and Keery would portray in Pavements, he made sure they had 'nothing to do with the real person.' That's certainly the case with Essem, a small-town boy with big rock dreams, who moves to the city with his girlfriend, becomes successful, meets another girl, and ultimately has to choose between the two. (That this love triangle framework maps almost exactly onto last year's Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown feels like an affirmation of Perry's feelings towards the legacy-act industrial complex.) The name Essem is, of course, a phonetic representation of Malkmus' initials, S.M. But in terms of actual similarities between character and person, there's only the vague echo of Malkmus' own journey from the Central Valley suburb of Stockton, California, to New York City in pursuit of rock & roll.
'To try and do some kind of real, authentic characterization of Stephen Malkmus in this context felt so wildly inappropriate,' Esper says. 'To try and put him in a jukebox musical just feels like it wouldn't serve what they were trying to do [with the film]. It functioned like a ride — you just throw yourself into it and perform that as best you can.'
As for the embedded biopic, titled Range Life, Keery says his performance 'is not a direct reflection of Malkmus' but 'the punch-up Hollywood biopic version that they would write' if such a film were to be made. He continues: 'It's not exactly who he was. It's sort of the antithesis of the guy.'
(Keery also gets to send up his own profession in several behind-the-scenes-featurette-style sequences, in which he descends into Method acting madness — asking to be called 'Stephen,' working with a voice coach to perfect his imitation of Malkmus' fried California tone, and eventually worrying he might've gone too far.)
The Range Life scenes primarily fictionalize a real pivot point in Pavement's story: their brush with Nirvana-sized success with 'Cut Your Hair' and 1994's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, followed by the underappreciated triumph of their third album Wowee Zowee. It's perfect fodder for overwrought episodes in which the band and their Matador Records bosses (played by Jason Schwartzman and Tim Heidecker) debate artistic integrity and commercial reality. The most melodramatic moments are emblazoned with an awards-thirsty 'For your consideration' watermark. And yet, it's still rooted in something real, because Perry plucked much of the heavy-handed dialog Keery delivers verbatim from the Wowee Zowee press kit, contemporaneous Malkmus interviews, and things Malkmus told Perry himself.
Keery says it was 'stressful' at times to navigate this multifaceted, hyper-meta narrative, but also fun. 'I enjoyed being put into this gray area where it's like, 'Is this really happening? Is this shtick?' It felt like the perfect way to pay homage to the band.'
Perry wanted to preserve a sense of mystery around Malkmus, one epitomized by an early shot of the frontman hunched over a desk, writing a set list, back to the camera. 'You obviously see him throughout the movie, but you see him from the back,' Perry says. 'We see Joe and Michael from the front, but the front has a mask on.'
Mysterious as Malkmus may be, Perry's instinct reflects something that distinguishes Malkmus from so many other mythical, enigmatic artistic geniuses we scrutinize. Esper pinpoints it, too, when discussing all the time he spent as a teenager poring over Pavement lyrics, learning the band's songs on guitar, and reading any interview he could find: a wariness of ever getting 'too close to knowing too much about' Malkmus himself. This was partly because, Esper jokes, 'I felt like I would discover that he would hate me.' But it was also the sense that behind the Singer was just a normal guy.
'I did feel like to figure out too much about him, his personal history, or even what his intention was lyrically or musically, was a mistake,' Esper says. 'I had some kind of instinct around that boundary, where [with] other musicians, I would do a really deep dive. I'd want to know everything about Bowie or Lou Reed. With him, I really didn't want to know that much.'
Having studied and spent time with him, Keery describes Malkmus as someone who's 'just doing things because he loves them. Or not doing things because he doesn't [love them]. Which is something I admire.'
And Perry says that while making Pavements he did get to glimpse the 'big Rosetta Stone' when he watched Malkmus interact with his wife and children. 'That's the guy. That's a real person,' Perry says, while also stressing that those moments were completely irrelevant to the film.
'There is no single truth to reach with this kind of character,' Perry says. 'The movie could never singularly decode who this man actually is, nor would that be of any interest to me. The movie can only address the buffoonery of other works of art that attempt to do a version of that.'
Nowhere does the film distill this ideal better than the scene where Keery is working with the voice coach and shows her what he says is a photo of Malkmus' actual throat, hoping it might unlock the secret to a perfect performance.
Asked — half as a joke, but also out of curiosity to know the extent to which the bit was committed — if that was indeed a photo of Malkmus' throat, Keery deadpans, 'He wouldn't release that. That was a step too far. But I'm still hunting that down. I'm determined to get that tongue pic. I think it will reveal a lot for everyone out there.'
Best of Rolling Stone
The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time
Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best
70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hypebeast

2 hours ago

• Hypebeast

恐龍全面統治地球？《侏羅紀世界：重生 Jurassic World Rebirth》最新宣傳預告來襲

Universal Pictures 打造《侏羅紀世界 Jurassic World》全新續集《侏羅紀世界：重生 Jurassic World Rebirth》繼上月發布終極預告之後，今番再公開全新宣傳預告，預計於 7 月 2 日正式上映。 全新宣傳預告展示了本集多種充滿威脅的恐龍種類，包含一隻變種恐龍，其中包括六肢的「Distortus Rex」以及在預告片頭登場的「Mutadon」，展示了來自 InGen 最黑暗的實驗生物。 本片劇情講述《Jurassic World: Dominion》中的事件發生的五年後，地球的生態系統絕大部分的地方已被證明不再適合讓恐龍居住。倖存的恐龍只能在赤道附近孤立的環境中生存，這些地方的氣候和牠們曾經繁衍興盛的環境類似。在這個熱帶生物圈之中，有三隻體積最龐大的恐龍體內含有一種關鍵性成分，能夠用來製造一種能為人類帶來奇蹟般地回生續命功效的藥物。 本片由 Gareth Edwards 執導，1993 年原版《Jurassic World》編劇 David Koepp 回鍋撰寫劇本，主演包括 Scarlett Johansson、Jonathan Bailey、Mahershala Ali、Philippine Velge、Luna Blaise、David Iacono、Ed Skrein 等人，預計於 2025 年 7 月 2 日正式上映。 >《我的英雄學院》動畫最終季正式預告放送 >Netflix 人氣動漫《坂本日常 SAKAMOTO DAYS》第一季 Part 2 第二回預告公開 >《馴龍高手/馴龍記 How to Train Your Dragon》真人版改編電影全球首週票房正式出爐

Hypebeast

2 hours ago

• Hypebeast

生涯首座小金人！Tom Cruise 獲頒奧斯卡終身成就獎

本文看點 美國電影藝術與科學學院（The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences）近日公布了第 16 屆「學院主席獎 Governors Awards」的得獎名單，這個獎項旨在表彰對電影界做出卓越貢獻的人士。今年，全球巨星Tom Cruise、開創性編舞家兼演員 Debbie Allen 以及富有遠見的製作設計師 Wynn Thomas 都將獲頒奧斯卡終身成就獎。此外，鄉村音樂傳奇人物 Dolly Parton 則將獲頒 Jean Hersholt 人道獎，頒獎典禮將於 2025 年 11 月 16 日在洛杉磯 Ray Dolby 宴會廳舉行，屆時不會進行電視轉播。 對於 Tom Cruise 而言，這將是他從影超過 40 來來首次獲得奧斯卡獎，此前他曾 4 度獲得奧斯卡提名，包括《Born on the Fourth of July》、《Jerry Maguire》、《Magnolia》和《Top Gun: Maverick》的演出與製片工作，但始終與競爭性獎項擦身而過。影藝學院主席 Janet Yang 讚揚 Cruise「對電影製作社群、戲院觀影體驗以及特技界的巨大貢獻」，強調他對大銀幕視覺效果的堅定不移，以及在推廣戲院上映方面的影響力。 除了 Tom Cruise，多才多藝的 Debbie Allen 也將因其在舞蹈、電影和電視領域的廣泛影響力而受獎；同時，Wynn Thomas 對於電影視覺敘事的貢獻也將獲得表彰。 >Netflix 人氣影集《睡魔 The Sandman》最終第 2 季最新預告正式來襲 >恐龍全面統治地球？《侏羅紀世界：重生 Jurassic World Rebirth》最新宣傳預告來襲

Yahoo

3 hours ago

• Yahoo

10 Best New Docuseries on Netflix Right Now

Netflix's slate boasts many things, from popular anime to binge-worthy reality TV shows. But it also keeps some pretty darn good documentary series in its arsenal, so we're here to tell which is the best of the best on their slate. From Shaquille O'Neal's quest to revive Reebok's brand to a dark retelling of the tragic OceanGate implosion, Netflix just released several new informative series that document a wide range of events and/or explore cultural phenomena. Here are our picks for the best new docuseries on Netflix right now, as well as one series that just dropped its new season. This limited series takes cameras to the pavement to explore Mexico's street food scene, with the popular Mexican and Guatemalan dish Garnacha serving as the main course of the show. While he's known as the large and in charge former NBA baller, Shaquille O'Neal laces up alongside fellow basketball star Allen Iverson in an effort to help revive the legacy of Reebok. The docuseries follows the two in their search to find the new face of the shoe company. Two years after the tragic OceanGate deep-sea implosion of the, 'Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster' documents the events that led up to the incident, as well as dives into the thought process of OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and his desires to merge oceanic exploration with luxury tourism. Netflix's 'Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft.' documents the true story of Dominican officials finding over 1,500 pounds hidden inside 26 suitcases on private plane in route to Punta Cana Airport in March 2013. The three-part limited series features interviews with the two pilots in charge as well as the officials and authorities who covered the case. 'Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders,' a three-part true crime series, takes a look at the mysterious 1980s murders of seven Chicagoans whose deaths were connected to cyanide-laced Tylenol. The incidents, which have yet to be solved, became one of the largest criminal investigations in U.S. history. The series features interviews with those who were close to the victims, as well as a one-on-one with authorities' lead suspect James Lewis. The three-part series 'American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden' breaks down the work of the political figures who helped track down and facilitate the murder of founder of the militant Islamist organization al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden. Former CIA, Department of Defense, FBI officials and journalists describe the events that took place in the quest as well as the make-or-it-break decisions leaders had to make leading up Osama bin Laden's capture and subsequent death. This girl-powered seven-part documentary, which is directed by former professional driver Susie Wolfe and produced by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine, follows the journeys of four female racers who are all students in the female-only Formula 4-level single-seater racing championship founded by the Formula One Group. In the form of interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, viewers see challenges, and successes the drivers face as they change the narrative in the male-dominated sport. In five episodes, Netflix's 'I Love Filipino' embarks on a journey to explore the vibrant culture and lineage of the Philippines through the country's food, art, music and more. The series is hosted by longtime journalist and TV5 anchor Jiggy Manicad. As the rise of child influencers continues to grow across the world 'Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing' sheds light on the dark side of the culture by using the YouTube kid influencer group The Squad as its main subject. Though their viral pranks and stunts gained them a massive following and earned them millions at the bank, behind their success lies a mother whose questionable managerial strategies captured the attention of concerned parents. In Season 2 of 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,' the series heads back to the field, showing what it takes to make the cut and perform on the cheerleading squad for America's most popular football team. This time around, there are 13 spots open, but what newbies will join the show and can the veterans keep up? The post 10 Best New Docuseries on Netflix Right Now appeared first on TheWrap.