So is it true to say that both Ferrell and Wilson feel the
same about the prospect of growing old?
"For me, it's like, I've never really had to make that
decision, where it's kind of like I've had to buckle down and
live an adult life," says Wilson.
"When you're an actor, a part of it is that you have to
be open to the idea that you're going to be, for lack of a better
word, pretending a lot, so I never really had to choose a path
of going to do something that I didn't really want to do, or
say to myself, 'ok, it's time to grow up'."
Likewise, Ferrell, who has spent the past seven years of his
life as a member of the Saturday Night Live crew, which is kind
of like a fraternity all of its own.
"That was definitely a fun, sometimes wild, experience,
so I've had a lot of opportunities to continue my sustained
adolescence," he added.
With that in mind, however, there is a serious side to the
pair, in spite of the brilliant double-act which exists between
them.
Ferrell, for instance, was attracted to the role of Frank the
Tank in Old School not only because of the fun nature of the
project, but because it offered him the chance of working with
stars such as Wilson and Vaughn.
"That was one of the truly exciting things for me, getting
to work with these two guys," he explained.
"You can admire someone's work and then find, for whatever
reasons, that you don't click. But we had a great time right
from the beginning, and we also share the same comedic sensibilities."
Wilson, meanwhile, recognises that appearing in hit movies
such as Old School, opens up the possibility of pursuing other,
more personal projects further down the line.
"That's how I think about it," he says. "But
I have fun on those movies, too, and I like getting to work
with Reece [on Legally Blonde 1 & 2], she's real smart,
and the same with Cameron [Charlie's Angels 1 & 2].
"I mean, it's interesting for me to work with someone
like her, because she's a real bona fide movie star, so I feel
that I kind of have to focus in a different sort of way.
"And to work on a huge budget movie, with a crew of hundreds,
like Charlie's Angels, is cool for me, and I learn something
on every movie that I do.
"But, yeah, if you do more commercial stuff like that,
it can help you get something maybe that's not as mainstream
made. But I would never do something just for the money, because
that's no fun."
Wilson is currently finishing work on The End of the Summer,
a script he has been writing, and then may appear alongside
his brother, Owen, in Jackie Chan vehicle, Around The World
in 80 Days.
It seems the actors have been able to strike a near-perfect
balance of clinging onto their youth, as well as being men...
