I am an actor. I was on SNL and 30 Rock and made a movie called MacGruber and am now in a movie called Nebraska which was directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendants, About Schmidt, Election) and it's currently in theaters! I'm here to take your questions so ask me anything!

https://twitter.com/OrvilleIV/status/411619512182517760

Comments: 3567 • Responses: 61  • Date: 

patreeeek2523 karma

Hey Will! Three years ago after the Betty White SNL taping, my friends and I enticed you over our way with a box of cupcakes. You ran over and began punching the cupcakes in anger. You called us muffin poisoners and immediately regretted punching them as you had a lot of icing on your fist. Three years later, I was wondering if you still regret this decision and if you’ve ever been able to look at cupcakes the same way again.

Also, what was your inspiration behind your SNL character Clancy T. Bachleratt?

P.S. Tell me which movie studio I need to entice with cupcakes to get them to make “MacGruber 2: Grube Harder” and/or the prequel to the Brothers Solomon

WillForte2375 karma

I am still very sorry about the cupcakes situation. I absolutely remember destroying them. I do not regret it though.

As for Clancy T. Bachleratt -- I don't even remember how we came up with that stuff. It just kinda happened. We originally tried to write a sketch using "model t cars, jars of beer, toddlers and spaceships" in existing songs like Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone but it would have been too expensive to produce so we just made up original songs. And Jonah Hill was really good about championing the sketch after the table read. Thanks for liking that one -- it's one of my favorites I ever got to do at SNL.

And no need for cupcakes, we're gonna make MacGruber 2 -- somehow, somewhere, sometime!

Sorry again about punching the cupcakes!

boobieaficionado1226 karma

Hi Will,

I just had to tell you what an epic fucking masterpiece MacGruber was, and I will rip the throat out of anyone who says otherwise.

WillForte1437 karma

You are a boobieaficianado of great taste and I appreciate the compliment and the support!

KFBR392!

pippinclassic1099 karma

When will "Fortin' with Will" get picked up as its own series?

WillForte987 karma

I would sign onto that in a heartbeat!

Snowbark887 karma

What's the hardest part about being an actor?

WillForte2521 karma

All the free shit!

Frajer776 karma

What is the status of the MacGruber sequel? Also have you considered calling it MoreGruber or MacTwober?

WillForte1126 karma

Val wants us to call it MacGruber Also which I really like.

Status: In the writing process but Jorma, John Solomon and I are all so damn busy, it's been hard to get together. It is a priority though and we will write it soon!

chekovs_guts636 karma

Hi Will! Did you know that you were a better Jenna Maroney than the real Jenna Maroney?

WillForte759 karma

Bite your tongue! Jane is an amazing actress. I always had respect for her, but getting to work with her, my respect grew even more. What she does is really hard to do but she makes it look effortless! What an honor to be a part of that show -- thanks Tina!

And thanks for the compliment!

Norman_Smiley585 karma

How much fun is it to do Drunk History?

WillForte826 karma

It's so damn fun. I love Derek Waters. Would love to be the drunk person telling the story at some point too

owara_jacksohn506 karma

Personal hero Will Forte.

The Brothers Solomon is one of the most underrated comedies of the past 20 years (I have a Brothers Solomon tattoo that only people who saw the movie would get). In the DVD commentary, you mention you have a 'we need black baby' story about the casting and I sometimes lay at wake at night thinking about this. Can you please share?

WillForte881 karma

I wish I could, but only in person -- if you ever see me on the street or something, please come ask. I even give you permission to interrupt my dinner and ask. Even if I'm eating with the President!

PorcupineTheory502 karma

What did you do for your SNL audition?

Were there any sketches during your time there that you were completely surprised went to air?

WillForte1779 karma

For my audition, I did Tim Calhoun, a speed reader, a prison guard that yelled at people and another thing I used to do at the Groundlings Theater (perhaps my favorite sketch I've ever done) called the Gold Man -- I'm one of those Gold Men on the streets that moves when people put money in their bowl -- I get my money stolen and then sing a sweet song about the hard life of a Gold Man that ends in the reveal that I suck cock for my facepaint. From there on out, most of the rest of the song is about cock and facepaint -- in fact, those are the only two words I use for the final two minutes of the song -- I must have sang the word cock like 200 times by the end of it. As I walked out of the audition, Lorne thanked me for coming and I shook his hand and said "Sorry for all the cocks." The next day, I found out I got the job. I guess it was the perfect amount of cocks!

nbluths424 karma

Hi Will!! You're f'ing fantastic. Rewatching old SNL's, I noticed that you frequently did a lot of funny singing - and you're quite good at it too! I loved your mother's day song. Aside from comedy-singing, do you enjoy singing?

WillForte1124 karma

I love singing so much. Jason Sudeikis and I go do karaoke about 90% of the time that we hang out. Just the two of us usually, doing deep cuts.

RushmoreBeekeepers420 karma

Hey Will! I was that girl who screamed "YOU WERE AMAZING" while you were crossing the street outside the New Beverly last month. I wanted to talk to you after the Q&A for Nebraska but chickened out like I often do.

If it's not too personal, I'm interested in knowing if your role in Nebraska impacted the relationship between you and your own father at all. After watching the film, I certainly felt like giving a call to my dad (who's about as stubborn as Bruce Dern's character) just to see how he was doing.

Big fan of your SNL work and appearances on Tim & Eric Awesome Show too!

WillForte675 karma

Thank you for the "You were amazing" -- I absolutely remember that. That was a really fun night with Bob Odenkirk.

I have an awesome relationship with my Dad but the movie made me realize that I can be an even better son to both parents. Call your Dad -- you will not regret it!

thehumannapkin362 karma

I've never seen a character quite as..."emotionally troubled" as Will Grello. How did you manage to tap into that level of emotional instability? Also, how did the kids in the "Fortin' with Will" sketch react to such a convincing display of rage? Love your work, brother. Keep it up.

WillForte477 karma

Tim and Eric get you there very quickly -- they create such a fun environment in which to go crazy. As for Fortin with Will, I was really concerned about the kids, so I spent a great deal of time in between takes becoming friends with them and letting them know that what I was about to do was all just make believe -- those kids are so awesome in that -- they really make that sketch! Thanks for the compliment!

SmellBeforeRain341 karma

I love that you don't get mad when people call you Will Arnett.

Sincerely, Also Not Will Arnett.

WillForte519 karma

It is an honor to be called Will Arnett -- that happens all the time. He's one of my favorite comedians and also a very good friend. And what a bod on that guy!

madster94324 karma

Will, who was your favorite SNL host to work with?

WillForte617 karma

Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Betty White, Josh Brolin, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin (my number one hero). So many wonderful people and wonderful memories!

Defenstrate420307 karma

Will you sit in gum for me one more time?

WillForte760 karma

Is the gum in your mouth?

WillForte762 karma

Ew, that's gross sorry. Yes I will.. if it's in your mouth.

WillForte737 karma

Ew, again! Sorry, I can't stop myself!

itsfrantastic263 karma

I love and miss Senator Tim Calhoun so, so much. I also annually rewatch your Women's Herstory song (see what I did there?). If you had to pick, what was your favorite character you got to play on your Weekend Update slots?

WillForte358 karma

I think I would have to say Jon Bovi was my favorite. So fun to do that with Sudsy. And I don't think we ever got to say this, but our character's names were Dick Thickness and Girth Evans. Now you know!

BoatLifeMN221 karma

What is your social security number Will?

WillForte616 karma

6969-69-696969-69

Pwnk213 karma

How big is your dick? Post pic.

Edit: He answered. I am 200% satisfied.

WillForte512 karma

Shoot, my dick pic camera broke (I have a special one for dick pics) But it is huge! (please don't verify this with any of my ex-girlfriends)

VioIentMagician207 karma

WILL!! I love your SNL characters! What's one of the hardest times you've had to keep your composure for a skit?

WillForte513 karma

The hardest probably was when Bill Hader and I did a sketch with Josh Brolin called Fartface. It bombed so hard so it was tough to mentally stay in it. But we plowed through it!

pharbero203 karma

MacGruber is an underrated masterpiece. Did you have any regrets about the way it was marketed?

WillForte425 karma

I love that movie with all my heart. I place no blame on marketing. Hopefully if we get to make a second one, people outside of you and my family will go see it.

Thanks for your support pharbero! KFBR392!

brrude189 karma

How many stalks of celery can you fit in your butt at any one given point in time?

WillForte429 karma

Is infinity a valid answer?

Seanmcc1212172 karma

Hey Will! How did you mentally prepare for the celery scene in MacGruber?

WillForte462 karma

The hardest part of that scene was the fact that my mom was visiting the set that day with her friends. I should have told her to go to Santa Fe that day (we made the movie in Albuquerque). But we got past it as a family

blakex_work169 karma

Hi Will, at Doug Loves Movies, what "spoke" to you with the Children of Ben poster?

Or in other words, why didn't you pick my Blake Placid poster? :)

WillForte213 karma

Blake! I am so sorry. It was just because I saw his first. But I lost the contest anyway. Next time, I will pick yours and lose for you!

mmacpuguy140 karma

"After MacGruber's theatrical release, Forte left SNL for personal and professional reasons, although he has returned as a guest performer. "

May I ask what the personal reasons were for leaving?

WillForte380 karma

Wanted to be closer to my little niece Laney and nephew Alden who live in SF. And also all my friends on the west coast. It was a really tough decision -- SNL was an amazing experience. I still miss it!

bigsherm59140 karma

Hey Will big fan of your work on SNL. Is there any chance of you returning as host? Hope to hear an answer from you if you can

WillForte432 karma

That would be a dream! I would do anything that SNL would ask me to do. Hang in there bigsherm59 -- you are 10 away from the perfect name -- and thanks for the compliment!

thebaselines126 karma

Macgruber is an under appreciated masterpiece and the stuff you did with Tim And Eric is some of the funniest stuff I've seen, along with snl stuff like the falconer and tim calhoun. My question is how do you get so worked up in sketches like forting with will and lazy horse mattress?

WillForte160 karma

I don't know! They write amazing stuff that's easy to get worked up doing. It's so fun to work with Tim and Eric -- with the crazy stuff they do, you would think that they would be way more weird. But when you meet them, they're just two nice normal dudes. I hope you get to meet them so you can verify this!

DoctorRavioli125 karma

The Falconer - anyone in particular inspire this character? How could you guys keep a straight face writing these sketches? You were one of my favourite members on SNL and your appearances on 30 Rock were always fantastic!

WillForte124 karma

Thanks very much!

Eric Slovin from the comedy team Slovin and Allen came up with the Falconer idea. I had nothing and he said that he was gonna say five words and we were gonna write a sketch about one of them. And then he said: "dental hygienist... construction worker... falconer... tennis player... chef." and we all agreed that a Falconer was the way to go and the three of us went to work coming up with the idea. It was very late at night -- or morning -- like 5:00am when we started it. Thanks so much for liking it!

TheKiltedStranger116 karma

Anything, huh? INCOMING HIGHLY PERSONAL QUESTIONS

  • What was your most embarrassing injury?

  • How did you lose your virginity?

  • Do you think Abe and Joan ever get unfrozen and hook up, or will their heartbreak remain frozen in time... just like them?

Iiiiiiiierrrrraaaaaahhhhhhh... that's all I've got for now.

WillForte206 karma

Wow -- these are all good questions. My most embarrassing injury? I broke my dick in front of the President and the First Lady -- that was embarrassing!

How did I lose my virginity? Very carefully. (and quickly)

As for Abe and Joan, I hope one day we'll get another crack at Clone High so we can answer these unresolved questions. I loved that show and thought it ended too soon!

hoojman113 karma

Will there be any more Cunth pounding in the MacGruber sequel?

WillForte193 karma

It is not a MacGruber movie if we don't pound some Cunth. It would likely be ghost Cunth but we'll figure something out!

Norman_Smiley105 karma

Who are your favorite bands? You have to have good taste in music...

WillForte382 karma

Led Zeppelin is my number one. But I love the Beatles, Doors, Deerhoof, Pavement, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Pavement, Funkadelic, Black Keys (I even got to officiate Pat's wedding)

Most recent discovery -- George Harrison album "Early Takes Volume One" -- you gotta get this!

ForteFan92 karma

Hey Will! I know you love karaoke- what's your go-to karaoke song?

WillForte310 karma

I love "Just Once" by James Ingram. "War Pigs" or "Faeries Wear Boots" by Black Sabbath.

With Sudeikis who I usually do karaoke with, our go-to's are: "I Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon, "Always and Forever" by Luther Vandross, "Heart of the Matter" by Don Henley, and "Falling Slowly" from "Once" -- I love singing with that dude. And then Olivia Wilde took him away from me! (She's so amazingly awesome and I'm so happy for both of them)

indridcold13792 karma

Have you ever wondered if a clown has ever affixed one of those cherry red noses to the end of his dingdong? These are the questions that matter.

WillForte161 karma

I don't think there's any question that that scenario has befallen every clown that has ever existed

chrisapplewhite83 karma

That inspirational coach speech with Peyton Manning was the funniest thing I've ever seen. Where did that come from?

WillForte119 karma

Thanks very much! So happy you liked it. I think that's my favorite sketch I ever got to do at SNL. That was one I wrote with John Lutz (the guy that played Lutz on 30 Rock). He came into my office with that crazy song ("Casino Royale") and I told him about an idea I had from years before in which a coach used a weird song to motivate his team and we went from there. The funny thing is that we wrote the whole thing just thinking that I would play the song and listen to it the whole time. But right as we were about to turn the sketch in, Lutz said "Why don't you dance while the song is playing or something." I can't believe we almost didn't think of that because that's the whole sketch! Thanks again for liking it!

H0LT4582 karma

Hi Will, you were my favorite character in Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar movie as the Alan, the owner of E-Z Swords. Just wanted to ask, is there any reason you seem to have always played the most neurotic characters on the Awesome Show, and how was your experience working with Eric Wareheim and Tim Heidecker?

WillForte103 karma

I don't know why that is! I just do what they ask me to do. I love working with those guys so much. They are surprisingly normal guys for the crazy stuff they do. I hope you get a chance to meet them one day -- you'll see!

And thanks! So happy you liked Allan Bishopman! There is a commercial for E-Z Swords that for some reason didn't make the final cut of the movie. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out. I love it!

DOOKIEPOOKIE81 karma

Are you at all related to Buck Medley from Animal Planet? He's the most fabulous man with a bow and arrow i've ever seen.

WillForte674 karma

I don't think I'm related to him which is awesome because that means I can have sex with him!

manoli00772 karma

Hey will! You're honestly one of my favorite comedians!! What was it like filming on How I Met Your Mother? And do you ever drink a wharmpess ;)

WillForte114 karma

Thanks very much! How I Met Your Mother was an amazing experience. I wrote at Letterman with Carter Bays and Craig Thomas who created the show, so I had known them forever. They're wonderful guys. So it was a very comfortable experience working on the show. The director Pam Fryman is AWESOME and the whole cast is so talented and so damn nice -- it really was a great experience! And I didn't ever get to drink a Wharmpess but I bet it tastes like it sounds.

h_p_bitchcraft70 karma

Hello Will,

Who do you admire most out of everyone you've worked with and why?

WillForte155 karma

Steve Martin is my all time favorite performer. And so to get to work with him at SNL was a very special experience with me.

David Letterman is another hero of mine and I got to write for his show for about a year way back in 1997-8. What an amazing honor to work on your hero's show!

wang_chung_tonight65 karma

How much fun was it to be in Beerfest?

WillForte145 karma

It was such a blast. I love the Broken Lizard guys so much. They're really great guys. I hope they get to make Super Troopers 2 one of these days!

But sorry for my horrible German accent in Beerfest. I worked on that thing for so long and that's the best I could come up with!

spiderguy121365 karma

Hey Will, gotta say you are my idol and total man-crush. One question:

"Lettuce" is my pretty much my favorite thing ever, whose idea was it? And also what was your favorite sketch to do on SNL

Darn that was two questions...

WillForte113 karma

Oh, and forgot the second question! My favorite things to do on SNL -- the dancing coach sketch with Peyton Manning -- all the Clancy T. Bachleratt and Jackie Snad songs about Model T Cars, Jars of Beer, Toddlers and Spaceships -- the ESPN Classic sketches -- MacGruber -- Jon Bovi -- and Potato Chip!

I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff but those are some of my favorites.

Oh, Tim Calhoun and The Falconer!

WillForte112 karma

Lettuce came from a thing I used to do at the Groundlings. Akiva, Andy and Jorma came to me and asked if I had any ideas for shorts. I told them about this and then we wrote it together. Really happy that you liked it!

PhilosopherKingSigma63 karma

What was your favorite part of filming MacGruber? Or your favorite gag/joke in it? Will there be a sequel? Whichever question, or all!

Personally, the coffee shop scene between Kristen Wiig and yourself is one of my favorite clips of all time.

WillForte275 karma

I love that coffee shop scene too!

My favorite joke is one our buddy Chris McKenna gave us -- he runs Community with Dan Harmon. It's the joke where MacGruber says something like "If ripping throats gets us back that X5, I'll suck as many dicks.. er, rip as many throats as it takes."

BRIDGE558 karma

What was your favorite part of filming Macgruber?

WillForte343 karma

All the off screen sex with Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Powers Boothe

PCNY1255 karma

Did you know Nebraska would be in black-and-white and does that knowledge change anything about how you act on film?

WillForte147 karma

I found out from Alexander pretty early on in the process that it would be in black and white. It didn't really change anything about the way we acted in the movie. We did however at times wear some pretty weird color combos that would register better in black and white -- undershirts that were neon orange -- that kind of thing. If you were to watch a color version of the movie, you would think, what the hell are these guys wearing? But I can't imagine the movie in anything but black and white now -- I think it's so beautiful! Alexander Payne is amazing!

TouchingPandaBears55 karma

Who's truly your best friend, Nick Mcilwain or Steve Morrison?

WillForte96 karma

You will not get me to crack on this one. I love Nick and Steve equally. And nothing will ever change that!

sebastiansd52 karma

No question here, but Clone High is one of the most under-rated/under appreciated shows out there. I appreciated your work in it!

WillForte107 karma

Thanks very much! Did you know that the guys who did Clone High also did Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street and the soon-to-come 22 Jump Street and Lego Movie? And they let me reprise my role as Abe Lincoln in the Lego Movie -- it's a tiny part, but it was really fun to work with those guys again -- they're amazing!

VickyStElmo50 karma

[deleted]

WillForte146 karma

That is so cool to hear! Good luck to you, VickyStElmo!

Advice: do what YOU think is funny at every step of the way. A lot of times, people try to talk you into doing stuff that makes you compromise your comedy. Do not EVER let that happen. Believe in yourself to the hilt!

I wanted to be a football player for the Oakland Raiders when I grew up, then a guitarist, then a history professor and then I found comedy.

Good luck again -- you are wonderful!

bvanf42 karma

I was MacGruber for Halloween and I compiled two turkeys that night. I just want to say thank you.

WillForte84 karma

Ah man, one turkey away from a turkey of turkeys! Thanks for being MacGruber on Halloween -- that's really cool to hear!

mericayaqueers41 karma

On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about Nebraska and working with Bruce Dern?

WillForte102 karma

You have to get a new scale because your scale just broke because the thing shot through the ten mark so hard. Every part of the Nebraska experience was amazing. Bruce could not have been better to me -- what a great friend and guide through the whole process. And I got to watch an amazing actor who has given hundreds of amazing performances, give the best performance of his lifetime -- and I got to watch it from like a foot away. To say it was an incredibly special experience would be the biggest understatement of all time.

daniel_decrissio36 karma

Hey Will, I remember flipping through the channels one night and seeing your SNL sketch of "Herstory" in which you sang a song about the history of women. It is honestly one of the funniest sketches I've seen on SNL, so thanks!

WillForte46 karma

Thank you very much for the compliment!

maxine_hillier32 karma

hey will!!! i a big fan from the uk! love you in SNL and 30 Rock!! my question is why is Nebraska only showing in cinemas in London, rather than the whole UK? cause i love to see it but i don't live near London :(

WillForte46 karma

They've been stepping it out slowly -- it's the same thing out here in the US. They opened in only four theaters (two in NY, two in LA) and have been slowly expanding. I think it's gonna be in like 250 theaters this weekend out here. I assume it'll expand in the UK as well.

Motha_Effin_Kitty_Yo30 karma

How did you keep the celery in your butt cheeks during the MacGruber scene? Intense butt strength or was it pretty far up there?

WillForte89 karma

It was more of a butt strength thing. It actually wasn't in the hole, but rather in the taint.

TheFulcrum21 karma

What advice would you give someone who wants to be an SNL cast member? What should someone be doing to work towards those goals?

I am a huge fan and am so happy for all your success!

WillForte46 karma

Thanks very much!

There are so many things you can do! I usually say that you should either go to The Groundlings in LA, UCB in NY or Second City in Chicago and start working your way through the system. They always look for people in those places. But there are so many other wonderful theaters and I'm kinda out of the loop now. There are also so many ways that you can get noticed on the internet too. Old Man Forte wishes he could give you better advice, but that's the best he can do. Best of luck to you. Work your ass off and work with as many people as you can -- you never know who is gonna make it to the next level and then take you with them! Or maybe you're the person who makes it and takes them along.

Good luck and thanks again!

Cinco42019 karma

Hello Will, you've been amazing in your cameo's on all the Tim and Eric stuff you've done. Do you know if you will be rocking on anything else of their's? love all your work! Hope all is well, I can't wait to watch Nebraska, haven't found the time yet.

WillForte30 karma

Find the time Cinco420! I can't wait for you to see Nebraska!

As for Tim and Eric, I can't wait to work with them again. I always have the best time with them. They let me go nuts -- it's so much fun and very therapeutic!

But thanks very much for the nice words!

GauchoIRL16 karma

How often are people naked behind the scenes of SNL?

WillForte41 karma

Every second of every day.

Skakiddru15 karma

Favorite sandwich? Go!

WillForte29 karma

I sure hope a breakfast burrito counts as a sandwich because that's my answer!

Yourname1614 karma

Do your parents know your gay? its a yes or no question.

WillForte28 karma

Yes and no, but mainly no

Annie_P1411 karma

What's your favorite holiday movie?

WillForte41 karma

Probably The Year Without a Santa Claus. Huge fan of the Heat Miser

AubreyPlazasButtHair5 karma

Did you get to meet Aubrey Plaza when you did that guest spot on Parks and Rec? Was she awesome? Did she do anything weird?

Also, what's your favorite Christmas song?

WillForte17 karma

I did get hang out with Aubrey at Parks and Rec, but I had known her for years. She used to be a photo intern at SNL before she got her big break so we were buddies back then. She's awesome and incredibly funny!

My favorite xmas song is White Christmas or Silent Night -- actually, I love all xmas songs. Oh, Blue Christmas by Elvis too!