I am actor Jon Gries. I am probably best known for my role as Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite. I am directing a new film. A Western called Another Man's Gun.

Uncle Rico my ass, you'll always be Lazlo Hollyfeld to me.

cool, me too if it makes you happy :)

i am happy and sad...

haa...Perfect answer

Did you end up being able to throw the football over them mountains?

yeah man. You saw my tape

Can you tell me when you threw that steak did you actually hit him in the face with it or was it an edit.

Cause that was absolutely hillarious watched that scene like 300 times.

like it was back in 82 when i was born.

I threw it. It's my greatest moment in acting. And I hit him hard and square

That is awesome you made my night. Most Epic scene ever. Im gonna watch it on youtube right now lol

just check out that technique

where did that idea come from btw i've always wondered

which idea?

steak to the face?

the steak throw who came up with that ?

jared hess

Heyyyy, this is it! I figured it out!!! Let's chat!!

What inspired the title?

The title definitely plays into the deeper back story of the film. The film doesn't glorify guns, but guns were a big part of life in the early 1840's

here is the link to our new kickstarter - www.kickstarter.com/projects/1878459170/another-mans-gun

Thank you guys so much for your support!! I've got to run, please check out our film on Kickstarter! Thank you so much for your time and interest! See you all soon!

Wait man, I wanted to say hi. You're kind of a big deal.

hey man, don't worry. jon and I will do another AMA soon!

Would you rather have a vagina on your forehead or have a row of penises down your back like a stegosaurus?

wait, is the vagina attached to my forehead?

Yes. Permanently.

any vagina near my face has to be temporary

Best known as Uncle Rico? You're Broots from The Pretender, and always will be.

What the hell happened to that show? I loved it.

XFL great choice by the network. cost half a billion dollars and they cancelled our show. you can find all those executives on unemployment now

Seriously? The Pretender got canned for the fucking XFL?

I suddenly want to put Vince McMahon through a table.

He's an alien.

did you ever give back Kramer his tupperware?

fuck no

he was kind of a dick to me

XD I'm donating what I can because of this statement! You silly sonuvagun!

You are the best!!! Thank you so much for your support!!

No one's mentioned that you were Roger Linus on LOST. You were amazing on it but really overlooked as an actor. Btw what's your favorite color?

Thanks for saying. I'll be remembered in my epitaph as that vaguely familiar guy...Haha.. SPECTRUM

Best favorite color response I've heard by far!

haha nice

Napolean Dynamite was a seriously great movie in which you played a seriously hilarious character. Thank you for that man!

thank you for saying! happy holidays!

Has anyone ever stopped you in the street and said "Hey! I know you, I've seen your tape!"?

dang, you must be psychic

Hi John, Really appreciated you as Wolfman, and so glad you made it to the last Monster Squad Alamo Drafthouse reunion. Any interest in doing another one with the full cast again?

i never liked my performance in that movie, i'm sorry to say. but I enjoyed the film

Wanna buy some boondoggle keychains? They're a real must have for this season's fashion!

actually i've moved on to lederhosen

It made my day knowing that Uncle Rico responded to my comment.

made my day having you comment

And he did it again! Shoutout from Moorpark!

VC in da house!!!

You're out here too?

come on george kaplan is at mt. rushmore

Schooled by Uncle Rico! Best thing to happen to me all year!

thornbush...that you?

Please check out our Kickstarter guys! Another Man's Gun www.kickstarter.com/projects/1878459170/another-mans-gun Please spread the word! We will need your support!

What is Liam Neeson like?

he is one baddass dude. I love him!!!

badass gentlemen i mean

Where did you find your inspiration to play the part of Uncle Rico so well in Napoleon Dynamite? I've always been curious as to who/what type of person Rico was supposed to emulate most.

First time I met Jarod Hess he'd already hired me. He asked to talk to me about the role. He said that he see's Uncle Rico as a cross between Burt Reynolds, David Hasselhoff and Elvis. I looked him in the eye and said.. Say no more...

Have you ever been able to relive those high school glory days?

heck yes. have you seen my tape?

Just got to make sure man, you're my inspiration.

just smell the roses. Your glory days are right here and now

You're easily the coolest (and first) actor I've attempted to speak to.

well thank you so much. just remember the rest of them are monsters. terrible people ;)

Shit man...I modeled my life after lazlo...except the genius IQ. ok...so I only got as far as living in a basement...but still. you rock.

bet you didn't get a lot of tail either

I am a really big fan of the Pretender, what was it like on set?

A lot of fun. Everyone got along so well. We were all so lucky. All good people. I'm presently writing a screenplay with Richard Marcus(Dr Raines from the Pretender). We all still love each other.

I don't have a question, I just want to say thank you for being a great actor that is fun to watch. I remember randomly watching Terrorvision and Fright Night 2 and both movies became a lot more interesting to watch once you came on screen.

that is so nice of you to say, I really appreciate it!!

Jon Gries is one of the best AmA-ers ever. He has answered literally everyone who has asked questions.

I don't have any for you, but keep up your great work and continue being a badass.

hey, Jon is not online anymore but he says thank you. I'm derek, the writer of AMG was just checking in and saw your post. thanks for your support!

Who is your biggest influence as an actor?

they keep coming.. but my real influence as an actor was to keep me out of trouble

If Naploeon only got paid $1,000 for his role, does that mean they took advantage of the rest of the cast? Like non-union rates?

no, his cntract was under the "low-budget" film agreement. when the film sold to Fox Searchlight I'm sure he got paid significantly more

1. How did you get involved with Napoleon Dynamite?

2. There's this story I keep hearing where you're a vegetarian, but your character was supposed to like steak, so you'd put it in your mouth and then immediately spit it out. Is that true?

they saw me in a film called the Big Empty and offered me Uncle Rico. And I'm not a vegitarian. The steak was skanky. That is all

Ha, I suspected it. Somehow, these stories always seem to register on my bullshit scale.

Ya gotta hate skanky steak. It knows what it wants, though.

dont believe everything you read online ;)

Hey guys. Jon had to run. But I'm Derek. (AMG writer/producer) if anyone wants to continue the conversation...I can't speak on Jon's behalf but can answer anything AMG related :)

Hey Derek! I don't have a question but wanted to say that you guys decided on some really awesome kickstarter rewards, even for the lower amounts, and I truly appreciate it! It definitely makes me want to donate, even though I don't particularly like westerns.

oh that's super cool to hear. it was a lot of late nights deciding what kind of rewards would work best. And I promise that the AMG story is so fun and adventurous you won't notice it's a Western. It could be 'AMG: In Space' haha and the story would still work great! Thank you for your support!!

What attracted you to directing a western? I love westerns and I dont think enough get made these days. Looking forward to seeing yours!

I love Westerns too. My father was a film maker and a true lover of the genre. he directed Will Penny in 1967 with Charleton Heston, I was in that film as a kid and it set the bar. I've always wanted to be in a Western and direct westerns. Love reading Westerns too

I haven't actually read any Westerns but would love to. What would you recommed? Also, if you wanted or needed a British actor in Another Man's Gun then hit me up...

The Log of a Cowboy by Andy Adams (written in 1904) so you know it's authentic. Another strong recommendation is Roughing It by Mark Twain. And sure, we always need limeys

Authenticity is a bonus! I'll check out the Adam's. I'll make sure to keepmup to date with Any Man's Gun. Thanks for answering the questions! One day maybe we will cross paths on the set of a sweet Western.

let's! thank you for the support!

What was the most fun you've had making a film/tv show? Why?

i just finished an episode of criminal minds and had a blast. I've had so much fun on so many different shows and films it would be hard to answer. So fortunate for all the experiences

Wow! thanks for the reply! I would have imagined that criminal minds would be really intense, due to the subject matter.

As an extra, can you talk about a least favourite?

first of I'm a really intense guy. haven't you seen my tape? and second I will neither confirm nor deny that Martin..was a memorable experience..

Are you still looking into time travel on the internet? If so, have you had any success?

no i like where i am

Right on! Thanks for the reply. On a more serious note, what has been you favorite film to work on and why?

Too many to list. For a host of reasons. Nap-D was like summer camp. Real Genius was like a kid in a candy store. Little projects, Unknown projects. I just finished an amazing film with Leland Orser and lance Reddick called Faults...So much fun to do. Lucky me

It's good to hear that there are too many to list. As coincidence would have it, my Dad and I were watching Real Genius when I saw you were doing this AMA. Anyway, thanks again for both answers, my Dad really got a kick outta you replying to em. Happy Holidays!

splendid! thank you, happy holidays! Hi dad!

What was your favorite moment when acting in Napoleon Dynamite?

the scene at the diner

What was it like working on such a unique movie like Napoleon Dynamite? Had to have been kind of an awkward set environment.

Why? Never awkward..We were all deeply committed to doing our job. We were very serious. Probably why the film is so funny because we played it for truth and not for laughs

How apparent was the sense at the time that NP was going to be such a big deal? Did the cast think of it more as just a cool, small project?

no, we had no idea it was going to turn into what it did. we had no clue

What was it like filming in Idaho?

hot...very haought

Who's better, you or Eli Manning?

he imitates my mustache better than anyone :)

Have you ever narrowly missed out on some lead roles that could have made you even more of a well-known face, per se? Is that even something you strive for? If so, which ones?

Good luck with your film, I'll def check it out.

When I first started out, I spent the day with Robert Redford for his film Ordinary People. He was matching me up with other potential cast members. I left the casting that day and he told me that I was his number one choice. He also admitted that he thought my walk was too manly. He wanted a gangly more high school teen looking kid,(I was 19) It shows how specific his eye for detail was. He said he did not want to leave a stone unturned before making his decision. Eventually he found Timothy Hutton. Who went on to win an Oscar for the performance. That's one of many, folks. Way it goes.

Would you have voting for Pedro?

i would but Rico probably wouldn't

Is Jack Bauer yelling at you as scary as I'd imagine?

only his breath hahaha

Are you ever tempted to sneak in and then walk out of a random dude's closet as if you live there?

ok that's too creepy to imagine, haha

[deleted]

loved loved loved working on the show. didn't follow too much before I started working on it

on a scale of 1-10 how good are you at throwing steaks?

my accuracy speaks for itself. haven't you seen my tape?

Actually I saw it on this thing called a floppy disc.

wait a minute, hold on a second, that's very personal

Why do you say you are Jon Gries but have the user name derekwalker1?

I am Jon, Derek is the writer and producer of AMG. We are here together. you can check out the website anothermansgun.com for more bio information and I suck at social media, thankfully he is here to help me out

I was about to cry man, I thought I'd been having a deep conversation with a phony

I just tweeted a picture of us at @jongries I'm wearing glasses.

Awesome! I was really confused.

we are on twitter too. @anothermansgun @jongries check it!

Can you actually throw a football with more prowess in real life or do you really have the dreaded noodle arm?

I have a sling shot!

So have any teams given you a call this season?

if you know anyone in the NFL looking...I'm available for a million dollars a season. that's really cheap, compared to some of these other clowns, just ask around. have you seen my tape?

Do you think I'm cute?

do you think you're cute?

Very excited for Another Man's Gun. What made this story and script stand out for you?

The era, the characters, the conflict. All very true to the period. It's authenticity is that it doesn't use hollywood devices or cliches. It lends itself to being a classic

Do people ever wrongly (or correctly) assume that you and Uncle Rico have the same personalities? Has this resulted in any awkward social encounters?

only in the film business. in all seriousness,after napoleon dynamite came out I was offered maybe 10 roles that literally ripped the character off and tried to pass it off as something new

Jon, I was curious if Steve and Craig had talked to you about Pretender - Rebirth and a possible return of the Pretender in series/movie format? I would love to see you reprise your role as Broots.

I loved playing Broots. And I loved those guys. I want to see the story finally go where it was intended to go. so yes

Jon what made you want to direct? and do you plan to appear in a cameo somewhere in the film?

I've always wanted to direct. my father was a director and if he were a shoe maker i'd probably be making shoes :) only if I am the best choice for the role. too many good actors out there that I like

Hi Guys!

I know it's early on in the process, but do you have any actors ear-marked for AMG yet?

Well, Brando and Burton are unavailable. So we're looking at a short list. haha actually we have ideas and have spoken to some really tremendous actors who are interested but we aren't committing to anything yet

Did Rusty ever make it off the streets, or is he still walking around NYC in George's toupee?

actually he never made it out of CBS studios in studio city....he drives a rickshaw

Hey Jon! Really excited to see you and Derek go to kickstarter for this project. Looks super sick, happy to pledge.

Quick question:

Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses, or 1 horsr-sized duck?

Glhf on the kickstarter

Thank you so much for the support! and def 100 duck sized horses

Hey Derek! What first gave you the idea for AMG?

came to me at 3am in a dream. was divine inspiration

Do you have family in Toronto?

i do, where exactly I dont know. my grandmother is from toronto

Hi Jon! How did you get cast as Lazlo in Real Genius? When did you realize that it had become a cult classic?

And Lost! How was your experience working on the show? Have you watched the entire series?

amazing experience, not watched it all yet.. lucky me haha. many many auditions for Lazlo, jumped through hoops. And it is?!

[deleted]

ok, just so I know its really you...whats the temperature outside?

Just wanted to say hello...I really enjoyed Napoleon as a kid. I really liked all of the scenes between you and Napoleon.

me too... I mean the kid part

Which would you rather fight, 100 duck sized horses or 1 horse sized duck?

haha, i dont want to fight any animals, I love animals. but if i had to choose probably 100 duck sized horses. or just run away fast

Follow up: How do you balance your creative direction with the influence of the rest of your team?

i rule like mussolini

[deleted]

answered it haha

What was it like being part of Hitman: Absolution?

really cool. great game!