Puja Talwar

They call him the man who envelops an entire cinematic universe within him and when told so the multi-talented comic, actor and screen writer Simon Pegg says, with a guffaw, “No wonder I am so full.”

Versatile could well be Simon Pegg’s middle name as he navigates genres with a skilful ease. From co-writing and starring in the The Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End he has also been one of the key acts in two of the biggest movie franchises, Montgomery Scott of Star Trek and Benji Dunn of Mission Impossible.

With nearly decades in the business, the actor says he gets excited with every project that comes his way. “I make it a point to remember how excited I was the first time I landed a major part or how would I feel if I was a child again and someone told me you would be in a film with Jane Fonda and Whoopi Goldberg, so I try to remember the feeling so it stays fresh and my work remains interesting.”

The actor who is no stranger to animation now lends his voice to ‘Bob’, the world’s luckiest cat in Apple TV’s Luck. The film tells the story of Sam Greenfield (Eva Noblezada), who is perhaps the unluckiest girl in the world who then befriends Bob The Cat. Soon, she finds herself in the land of luck and realises it could well be a little more than what she bargained for.

“He was really fun to play. The fact that he’s from Scotland, the only place in the world where black cats are considered lucky, I was glad to play him. I have done a Scottish accent before in Star Trek, I have Scottish family, so it is an accent I love enjoy doing. Bob is one character who is hiding a few things, keeping secrets to himself, and I like doing characters who hold things back and keep it to themselves,” say Pegg

The actor who is close friends with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and often regarded as the ‘fifth member’ of the band had recently spoken about being a fan of South Korean septet BTS. The actor had said it was Jimin who could be best described as his BTS bias with Suga coming a close second.

Since Coldplay and BTS have already collaborated on ‘My Universe’, we ask if there;s any possibility of him jamming with them anytime soon or even a movie. Pegg reacts with a laugh, “I’ve met BTS (he attended their Las Vegas Concert) and they’re lovely people. I know Chris knows them and speaks very highly of them and talks about them in such affectionate terms—those guys you hope they are like are really what they are like. The fact that Chris Martin is a great singer-songwriter but he is not an actor. I don’t know if the BTS boys want to act, I know Jin was interested in pursuing acting. But, you know the trouble is you say these things and, before you know you it, it’s happening, thats how information travels.”

Pegg who joined the Mission Impossible franchise in 2006 is looking forward to the release of the seventh edition in 2023. He reveals that his co-star Tom Cruise likes him since he makes him laugh and they get along well, even though many times their friendly banter gets blown out of proportion.

“It’s a lot ratcheting of the action and tension from number six and we are just about to start shooting number eight and its going to be more exhilarating action and terrifying stunts and am looking forward to both,” he adds.

When asked if he believed in luck, the 52-year-old actor says he believes in making his own luck, “One needs to be a master/mistress of your own life to create your own luck.” He further adds that, unlike his character, if he found himself in the land of luck he would like to visit, ‘bad luck’, “It would be nice to explore that, I think we misunderstand a lot of things, in life its important to have a mix of both , good and bad.”

Luck will be out on Apple TV + on Aug 5 and also stars Jane Fonda and Whoopi Goldberg.