SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING’s Tony Revolori Talks “Penis Parker” And Being A New Kind Of Bully
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When I enter the room, Tony Revolori grins and asks me my name, then introduces himself (as if I don’t know who he is already). He’s probably best known for playing Zero Moustafa in Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, and he takes over as a rich-kid version of Peter Parker’s classic rival, Flash Thompson, in Spider-Man: Homecoming. We get right to it.
Congrats on your award last night!
Oh, thanks!
Can you tell us a little bit about the Lupe Award?
It’s – so there’s this actress named Lupe Ontiveros, she did a lot of fantastic work as a Hispanic actor in American television and movies. She broke a lot of ground for a lot of different people everywhere. And so they give this award to what they call “trailblazing Hispanics,” which… I don’t know why they gave it to me, but I was very appreciative, and it was very very honoring, I was so thankful.
Would you classify Spider-Man Homecoming as more of a teen movie or a superhero movie?
Both. I think it’s 50/50. I feel like a lot of times, people have thoughts to box things in and place it in a genre, but it transcends that. You know, it’s both a superhero movie and a high school movie. But beyond that, it’s just a movie, and it’s enjoyable, and I think that’s how we’re trying to present it.
So your character is the textbook bully, except you aren’t a jock in this movie – you’re not going to push Peter into the lockers.
You never know… deleted scenes?
How did you approach Flash differently from the other adaptations?
Being that I’m not blonde, blue-eyed, or 6’7’’, it just became that way. I was different by the fact that I am me, so it wasn’t how can I make it different, it’s how can I portray this character right. So I did – I read the comic books, and I know where Flash goes and where he comes from, whatever, but it’s like – where was he in high school? What was he in high school? And for the most part, he was an obstacle that made Peter choose between two roads. One: are you gonna be the guy who flaunts he’s Spider-Man, who beats the crap out of Flash because he knows he can? Or are you gonna be responsible? Take who you are and be Spider-Man. And I think that’s what Flash’s role really is, and that’s what he plays in this movie especially. And we’ll see where he evolves later, you know, if they call me back. But that’s kind of where I stemmed it from. What is Flash, how can I be that version of Flash while still being like what they want me to look like.
So how many times did you have to say “Penis Parker”?
(laughs) First one to ask me that. And, I’m not kidding you, I’m guessing around 150 times, screaming it. There were alternate lines, too – different versions, like “Port-a-Peter”. But “Penis Parker” felt meaner. No, by the end of the night I had screamed 500 different things with Peter variations or Parker variations. My throat was gone that day.
You’ve already been in some really fun movies, from Grand Budapest Hotel to Table 19 and now Spider-Man – what do you look for in a role?
Um… I don’t know! I read a script, if I like it I do it. It’s a lot of gut instinct. I mean I’m not Michael Caine, where… (does voice) “you read the first page, and you read the last page, if your name’s on them both, you do it.” (pause) That was a TERRIBLE Michael Caine.
I’ve heard worse!
That’s not true. But no, I don’t know, it just depends on if I’m interested in playing the character, or if I’m available, or if they pay well. Truthfully.
If you could have any superpower, what would you pick?
(instantly) Teleportation. Easy. Oh, I’ve thought about this so much. I already know how I would use it. You know, romantic dates in Paris, you end it in Egypt, it’s great.
So you’ve got to be able to take someone with you.
Yeah, oh yeah, of course. But then also – say I’m filming on set in Shanghai, and I’m like, I want to sleep in my bed? Call me on my international phone, tell me when I need to be on set, I’m gonna go sleep in my room for 8 hours. Great. ALSO – you could make massive amounts of money! I know tons of people who hate flying, or just busy people. Pay me, you know, a million dollars for four trips. Boop boop boop boop – done. A million dollars richer with 5 seconds of work for me.
So… I’ve thought about this… too much, and I want it to be true! I’ve been praying since I was a kid, dammit God, give it to me!
Do you have any favorite stories from set?
Oh, a lot of great memories hanging out with Tom [Holland], and Jacob [Batalon], and Laura [Harrier], and all the kids at Tom’s house, or on set – jumping in the pool constantly, trying to construct the LEGO Death Star – which Jacob does in the movie, but… Tom and I, we were like, constructing it piece by piece the way the manual says to do it, but Jacob would just throw in random pieces, he didn’t care – he was like, as long as it looks right, f**k it! And we’d be like, Jacob, you can’t just do that! You have to follow the book! There are rules!
So you guys got really close over the course of filming.
No, I hate them. They’re the worst. (laughs) No, no, I love them, they’re all great. Tom, Jacob, Laura, Zendaya – Tom’s best friend Harrison was amazing. And even like, Michael Barbieri and Angourie Rice, Abraham Attah and all the other kids –– they were all amazing.
What’s up next for you?
I’m doing this small movie called Spider-Man Homecoming? It comes out in two weeks.
Oh, yeah, I’ve heard of it.
Beyond that, you know, we’ll see. I’ve been very fortunate. I worked very hard earlier this year and I’m taking a bit of a break. But yeah, we’ll see what happens. I’m definitely shooting for some stuff in the fall – (sing-song) probably can’t talk about it, or my publicist will murder me!
