Exclusive: Benicio del Toro and Michael Cera on The Phoenician Scheme

Set in 1950, Wes Anderson's wonderful new espionage black comedy, The Phoenician Scheme, focuses on Anatole “Zsa-zsa” Korda (Benicio del Toro), one of Europe’s richest industrialists, who appoints his only daughter, nun Liesl (Mia Threapleton), as the heir to his estate.

As Korda embarks on a complex new business venture – which aims to realise the full social and economic potential of the country Phoenicia – he, Liesl and their helper, Bjorn (Michael Cera), become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and lethal assassins. For good measure, along the way, Liesl also investigates the murder of her mother, Korda’s first wife.

Boasting Anderson’s trademark visual flair, The Phoenician Scheme – which he co-wrote with Roman Coppola – also features the director’s customary deft mix of humour and pathos. Adding to the appeal, meanwhile, is a truly extraordinary ensemble cast, which also includes – deep breath – Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Riz Ahmed, Michael Cera and Benedict Cumberbatch.

When Hot Press catches up with Benico del Toro and Michael Cera, we ask if it takes a while to tune into Anderson's stylistic frequency, which is celebrated for its arch, deadpan humour.

"You definitely know the style and are familiar with his films going in," says Cera. "But in this movie, a lot of the humour is coming out of the situation and the world. You're just playing the characters to the best of your ability, so you don't really think about the humour or making it land. You don't really need to, because Wes is kind of in charge of that – the writing has done most of that work for you.

Anderson has mentioned Zsa being modelled on different historical tycoons such as Onassis. For del Toro, did he approach it as a blend of various figures?

"Yeah, it is a greatest hits of different people," he nods. "There are tycoons in different professions, in a way. One that we looked at, that Wes recommended, was a documentary of the making of Apocalypse Now. Looking at Francis Ford Coppola dealing with the 400 blows of making that film, was something similar to what Zsa zsa is going through in the film.

"So I looked into that, but we read about different tycoons of the period, and that was it. And then, you draw from your own life and experierences."

How did Cera approach Bjorn?

"We didn't talk to much about film references for the character, to be honest," he explains. "Wes had a little collection of DVDs in the hotel that everyone could check out at their leisure. They weren't necessarily inspiration for the film, but they were movie vitamins, in a way – stuff that was floating in the air. And maybe some element might have pertained to what we were doing. But that was optional for people's own entertainment.

"As far as us talking about what we were doing, and finding the way, Wes had figured it all out. You didn't need any touchstone to figure out the way in – it was like reading a novel, it's so fully realised. After reading it, you already feel like you've had an experience. Then you just have to bring it to life with him, and the whole team, and it's all coming alive around you. There's no trouble seeing it and finding the way.

"Wes is so informative and clear all the time, you just work together and find the path."

Tarantino has said he approaches screenplays like novels – is Anderson similar?

"Well, he's a very careful writer," says Michael. "It's a very thoughtfully put together script. His vocabulary is very carefully chosen – even in description, he doesn't ever repeat himself. It's like it's designed to be a reading experience, and that's just because he's a great writer, and he holds himself to that kind of standard. It's the only script of Wes's I've really read, but I know that after reading it, I saw the whole thing in front of my eyes. He really rendered it beautifully."

"Usually, if you've done many movies, at some point you might have to fill in the blanks of who this person is," adds Benicio. "You might have to create a back story. In the case of Wes, he creates a back story in this movie of three characters, not only mine. I mean, he analyses my character quite deeply, but he also gives back stories to Michael and Mia's characters. That's a little bit different.

"The fact you have a back story of three characters in one movie, and they are actually verbalising it, its pretty good. So that's kind of like a novel, because a novel would do it – and it might not be in dialogue, but it's information that you have as a builder of a character."

It's notable that in The Phoenician Scheme scene where del Toro plays basketball with Hanks, Cranston and Ahmed, Hanks lands an improbable three-pointer from downtown.

"Tom Hanks has got game!" insists del Toro.

"It's a beautiful shot!" adds Cera.

Were you guys around for the shooting of it.

"Yeah, you were drunk though," says del Toro to Cera, referring to the drinks his character imbibes during the scene.

"I was drunk," laughs Cera, "so I can't really recall what happened that day!"

As mentioned earlier, is a phenomenal ensemble cast - with each movie he makes, Anderson seems to have all of Hollywood queuing up to work with him.

"Definitely, but I think it's been that way since Wes starting making movies," says Michael. "He's never had much trouble getting people he wants to play these parts. Because the parts are great – everybody gets a very fully realised character. The process is such a delight and the movies turn out great. It just checks every box you could have."

I vividly recall going to see Anderson's second feature, Rushmore in the cinema in summer 1999. Even in what is now acknowledged as an historically good year for American movies, it was a clear a special new talent had arrived on the scene.

"Well, I remember seeing Royal Tenenbaums in a theatre," says Michael. "That was my introduction to Wes, and I was maybe 11 or 12. I was totally captivated, and then I went back and watched the first two films. And I've watched every subsequent film as as they came out."

"Rushmore was a big one for me as well," adds Benicio. "That's the first one where he works with Bill Murray, and I remember going, 'Wow, Bill is back! What a great story.' It reminded me a little of The Catcher In The Rye or something like that. It was amazing."

As is usually the case with Anderson movies, The Phoenician Scheme boasts its share of bravura set-pieces, including a slo-mo credits sequence where Zsa zsa – recovering from a plane crash – is brought breakfast by a nursing team as he takes a bath.

"That scene in particular was very demanding," notes del Toro. "He was shooting it in slow motion and he had us all acting really fast. So we had to do everything fast – eat, drink, open the bottle. All of the nurses walking in and out, some of them have to walk out one door, and then run fast to another to come in again. Sowe did a lot of takes and I was sitting in that bathtub for quite some time."

For del Toro, Zsa zsa makes a wonderfully complex part, as he juggles geopolitical concerns with trying to emotionally connect with his daughter.

"It really is and it's full of contradictions too," says the actor. "And then you have these other sequences too – the dream scenes in heaven, which tell you emotionally where the character is at that point in the story. That's very cool and useful for the audience – it gives you more information, so it doesn't rely on just the act. The story is also taking you there."

Notably, those heaven sequences feature the legendary Bill Murray in the role he may have been born to play: God.

"There's no one like him," says del Toro. "It's pretty amazing. Obviously, he's playing God in this film – it's God according to Zsa zsa! Which is good. He had that hair, and on the first day, I never seen an actor walk on the set with his own music! (laughs) He was there with a boom box and I think he was playing Eric Clapton. Everybody started to move side to side and grooving to the music.

"From the other side of the set, Wes yelled, 'Bill – classical music only!' Without blinking, Bill went in and changed it, and Clapton turned into Bartok or Brahms or something. And he just kept going."

"I remember the day you were in the quicksand," adds Cera. "Bill was just sitting there watching, and he was playing Exotica by Martin Denny, which was perfect for that jungle."

I suppose the Clapton choice was fitting, given the guitarist's nickname was God.

"There you go," laughs del Toro. "He was onto something!"

The Phoenician Scheme is out now.