Jason Segel, star of 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall,' is co-starring in this season's surefire family favorite, 'Gulliver's Travels,' along with Jack Black. The genial 30-year-old spoke to PopEater about shooting in England, helming the upcoming Muppets movie, and memories of his "odd" childhood. Had you read 'Gulliver's Travels' before you shot the movie?
I read it in junior high but I hadn't read it since and I probably didn't read it all the way through. It's long. More than anything I appreciated the experience of getting to shoot with Jack and being in London. It was so beautiful, some of the places we shot in. We shot in a place called Blenheim Palace, which is just gorgeous and out in the English countryside. I had never really gotten to experience anything like that.
Did you get to have afternoon tea with scones?
We did a little of that. A little pub crawling, played a little darts, I played chess more. I got really into the chess. I've always played; I've always really liked it.
And oh my god, you're doing the Muppet movie! How amazing.
I'm so thrilled. It's amazing and terrifying and exciting. I've got every emotion flying on all cylinders.
Who's your favorite Muppet?
Fozzie Bear because he's just so sweet.
Do you forget there's a hand attached?
Very, very quickly. You stop looking at the puppeteers, they disappear. It's amazing how talented these guys are. It's such an art form. It's really breathtaking.
When did you get into puppets?
I was young, I was in my early teens and I started writing little short films and I would use puppets as other actors because no one could drive at that point.
Did you have friends?
[Laughs] Yeah I did, I did! We were just too young to drive.
It's sort of an odd thing to play with puppets.
Well I was an odd thing. I wore a Superman cape under my clothes until I was 12. I'm not the most normal dude.
How about now?
I literally have 10 or 15 puppets out in my living room right now.
Do you put them away when girls come over?
No! You don't put them away, you've got to put it all out right in the beginning. You don't want to pull out the puppets two months in. Now it's my profession so it's cool. There was a time when I was just a weirdo dude in his mid-20s playing with puppets.
Did you get baby presents for your 'How I Met Your Mother' co-star Neil Patrick Harris?
You know it's funny you ask that, no I haven't and I really ought to. They're like a month and a half old now. What do babies like?
Anything sharp and pointy.
Okay -- darts and cigars.
What are you doing New Year's Eve?
I'm going to rest. I'm in some serious need of some sleep.
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