Why Louis From The Stand In Looks So Familiar
Drew Barrymore's latest comedy The Stand In is yet another take on the identity-swap trope. Barrymore stars as Candy Black, a famous comedy actress whose life falls to pieces thanks to alcoholism. When her management schedules her for rehab, Candy enlists her movie stand-in Paula (also played by Barrymore) to take her place, which leads to the two women's lives getting much more entangled than planned.
While the movie isn't getting the best reviews from critics, it's full of talented cast members who help make the feel-good story worth watching. Aside from Barrymore, The Stand In also features Ellie Kemper (The Office), Holland Taylor (The Practice), and Michael Zegen (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). There's another notable actor in The Stand In who plays Louis. This comedian has appeared in tons of projects through the years — mainly goofy roles, but also a few more serious ones. Here's where you may have seen him before.
T.J. Miller recorded aliens in Cloverfield
T.J. Miller's first film role was in the found footage movie Cloverfield, in which mysterious monsters attack New York City. Miller played Hudson "Hud" Platt, the character (and comic relief) who holds the camera throughout the entirety of the film — until he is killed by the terrifying creatures. While you don't see much of Hud throughout the film, his voice is heard behind the scenes as he and his group of friends try to survive the invasion.
In an interview with MovieWeb, Miller shared that he actually did a lot of the filming for Cloverfield himself, working closely with the camera crew. He went on to describe his experience on his first film, saying it was "A lot of screaming, a lot of hard breathing, a lot of holding the camera and three and a half minutes of on-screen time. A lot of secrets, but overall, a really great movie to be a part of. I was glad I could do what I consider to be good, reasonable, truthful comedy in the midst of an action-horror film."
T.J. Miller was an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley
One of Miller's most well-known roles is eccentric businessman Erlich Bachman in HBO's comedy Silicon Valley. Erlich appeared in the first four seasons, acting as a mentor and companion to Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch), a coder who creates an app called Pied Piper. Hendricks hired the coders working in Erlich's business incubator, and in exchange, Erlich bought a 10% share of the company.
Miller left Silicon Valley at the height of its success, leading fans everywhere confused at his sudden departure. He cleared the air by explaining that he was originally approached by HBO to reduce his role due to his hectic schedule, but he chose to move on to other projects.
He also didn't believe Erlich really fit in with the main cast, saying, "There's no reason for him to be there. He's conned his way into the whole situation. And so I thought it would be really interesting if suddenly they were able to rid themselves of him. If they had truly had enough of him, which is what they're always saying, then why wouldn't he just exit? [...] That's sort of the impetus behind everything I do: It just makes me laugh" (via The Hollywood Reporter). While Erlich's departure from the show meant Silicon Valley would have to change drastically, it also allowed Miller to venture into new genres.
T.J. Miller was Deadpool's best friend
These days, it seems as if an actor hasn't made it until they get a part in a superhero project. Miller got his time to shine in 2016's Deadpool, though he wasn't quite a hero — he played Wade Wilson's best friend Weasel. Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Weasel's friendship made for hilarious banter throughout the movie, proving that the casting agents found someone who could keep up with Deadpool's dry humor.
In an interview with USA Today, Miller joked about how he landed the role of Weasel. "They all asked if there was anyone out there who looks like his superhero power is spilling mustard on his shirt. Or who was bitten by a radioactive spider as a child. And each of them, each at once, said 'T.J. Miller.' End of conversation." Whether or not there's any truth to that oddly specific casting call, Miller's portrayal of Weasel was a hit with fans. He continued to reprise the role until a sexual assault allegation resulted in him being pulled from several projects, including the impending Deadpool 3.