Ken Jeong and Kristen Schaal recently talked about their roles in *My Spy: The Eternal City*, a movie that aims to deliver plenty of both action and laughs to the theater with its unique spin. This is one entry of the long-running *My Spy* franchise, in which this time viewers will be whisked away with a spy on a quite adventurous journey through ancient Rome, marrying some modern-day zany comedy with historic heft. They will clash in gladiatorial combat, one of the major set pieces in the film, and both Jeong and Schaal are looking forward to going deeper with their characters and the film’s plot.
*My Spy: The Eternal City* continues the story of JJ, a hard-nosed CIA operative out of his depth when he gets assigned to a mission located in the historic city of Rome. This sequel really turns up the volume on the action-comedy fusion of its precursor, really packing a heady cocktail of high-stakes espionage and banter. A core aspect of this sequel is the gladiatorial showdown; it has a dramatic and visually spectacular resolution that is rather put in relief by many of the film’s more comedic aspects. It has Ken Jeong in it, popular for multiple comedic roles, some within the series *The Hangover* and *Community*. In the film, he brings his brand of humor to the role of a supporting character. In the sequel, *
My Spy: The Eternal City*Jeong portrays an eccentric archaeologist who gets embroiled in the mayhem that follows the gladiators. As the action scenes go a bit overboard, his character adds a zany comic relief to the movie. He describes the setting of the film and how this really allows him to mine some new comedic territory. Something funny exists in contrast between the historical, ancient Rome setting and his persona, hailing from modern-day comedy. Joining Jeong in lending his particular brand of comedy to the film is Kristen Schaal, known by most from her work on *Flight of the Conchords* and *Bob’s Burgers*. Schaal is an eccentric historian obsessed with Roman history, bringing another level of humor to the film. Much of her role includes witty one-liners and interactions between her character and that of Jeong, combining the two as some sort of dynamic duo for much of the film’s comedic energy. Schaal is excited to be a part of the gladiator showdown with her character, stating she can blend her comedy style into the scene. How does the Gladiator Showdown scene from
*My Spy: The Eternal City* mix drama with action and doses of humor? The scene is dramatic but funny; it’s supposed to be a really cool, interesting fight scene with elements of history and modernity. Both Jeong and Schaal mention how the interactions between their characters during the standoff add to the comedic elements of the film. His offbeat humor with the character and her enthusiastic, kind of clumsy approach to history make for a really great mesh of enjoyment during that scene. It seems that, with the advent of
*My Spy: The Eternal City*, the authors strove to find a middle way between action and hilarity, drawing both from the classic gladiatorial movie genre and the best of contemporary comedy. What comes out of it is a movie that hits on both counts by giving audiences the opportunity to watch an extremely energetic showdown against the majestic scenery of ancient Rome. It is in this delicate balance of elements that the performances by Jeong and Schaal really come into their own, offering lightness amid all the action and making sure the sense of humor never truly fades. Other than that of gladiators, there are plenty more action shots throughout the movie, as well as several comedic moments. The setting, surrounded by ancient Rome, provides the producers with great opportunities to include a lot of visuals, most notably beautiful costumes and sets, with good choreography to really bring to life the background in which it is set. Both Jeong and Schaal’s parts add to the vibrancy of the movie through their comedic timing and character interaction, which fleshes out the story. Jeong and Schaal share thoughts on set camaraderie, too, and how it translated into performance with on-and-off-screen chemistry. Both actors speak about the fun and collaborative filming and how they built scenes out of those moments, knowing that they would work. Playful character interactions, coupled with high-stake action, became one of the main focuses while filming, and this is absolutely shown when you watch the on-screen chemistry—a probable testament to the enthusiasm both actors shared for the project. With *My Spy: The Eternal City* inching closer to its release, it seems both Jeong and Schaal are more than ready to finally let audiences in on their work. Therefore, it is going to be a film with a genre-bending style whereby action becomes exciting, and the film has two stars who can turn a dime into humor.
This contains, most especially, the gladiator showdown, which is expected to be a highlight since it gives a view on how the movie can combine historical grandeur with modern-day comedy. In simple words, *My Spy: The Eternal City* is a reboot of a *My Spy* franchise starring Ken Jeong and Kristen Schaal in roles tailor-made for their brand of humor against an action-packed historical backdrop. One of the central scenes and very memorable parts of the movie is a gladiator-style fight scene that is full of action and funny parts. These performances by Jeong and Schaal really drive home the appeal of the movie, mixing in laughs and excitement that are sure to please audiences everywhere. As it makes its theatrical debut, the film sets up viewers for an engaging and entertaining experience with a unique mix of the comedy and action that can be found in *My Spy*.