Joe Carnahan’s Copshop is out in theaters today. The action flick stars Gerard Butler, Alexis Louder, and Frank Grillo.
“Tearing through the Nevada desert in a bullet-ridden Crown Vic, wily con artist Teddy Murretto (Frank Grillo) hatches a desperate plan to hide out from lethal hitman Bob Viddick (Gerard Butler): He sucker-punches rookie officer Valerie Young (Alexis Louder) to get himself arrested and locked up in a small-town police station,” says the official synopsis. “Jail can’t protect Murretto for long, and Viddick schemes his own way into detention, biding his time in a nearby cell until he can complete his mission. When the arrival of a competing assassin (Toby Huss) ignites all-out mayhem, mounting threats force Viddick to get creative if he wants to finish the job and escape the explosive situation.”
ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke with Copshop stars Gerard Butler and Alexis Louder about the action film, their characters, and working with former UFC star Keith Jardine.
Tyler Treese: Gerard, this was a really interesting role because you’re handcuffed in a cell for most of it, but you’re always kind of manipulating what’s going on and in control. What did you really find interesting about this character of Bob Viddick and the situation that he’s in?
Gerard Butler: Well, I think you just, you just answered my question [laughs]. I love his elaborate scheming. He has a reputation to keep up with. The bigger the challenge the more fun [it is] for him having to try and track down this Teddy Murretto. He’s in a police station, so he has to think up a scheme to get in there. Then when he is in there, he has to think up a scheme to how to actually get to him, and when it doesn’t quite go according to plan, then he’s just sitting calculating.
As you say, manipulating as to what his next move is gonna be to get through with this and get out of there before things get outta hand, that’s so much fun to play to have all that internal dialogue. And to have to do it from the same spot. Like I was sitting in my for most of this movie handcuffed to a railing. So in some ways you call that frustrating, and in other ways, I go, well, at least I’m not breaking every bone in my body, like my Has Fallen movies [laughs]. I’m just gonna sit here and think shit.
Alexis, this is one of your first lead roles, and you’re so great. You get to hold your own with Gerard and Frank Grillo. Just how rewarding was this experience?
Alexis Louder: It was extremely rewarding to be able to work with these giants, with Gerard Butler, Frank Grillo, and Joe Carnahan. That is a phenomenal combination that no one’s seen before, because they’ve never worked together before, but they’ve known each other for a long time. So I honestly feel like they’ve been holding out on us, but the fact that I’m able to work with all three of them in one film is amazing and they treated me like a peer and we had great chemistry and worked well together in this cat and mouse that was going on.
Gerard, the former UFC star Keith Jardine plays a state trooper in this. He winds up arresting you. How was it working with him?
Butler: Well, it’s actually the second time I worked with him. I made a movie called Gamer, when he was in the middle of his UFC career and I think it was his first movie. I gotta say, I love that man. He is smart. He’s such a gentle giant. He’s such a decent human being, and it was just great to see him again. I have a lot of affection for Keith and also he’s a good actor. Yeah. He’s a really good actor, just subtle.
Louder: He’s funny too.
Butler: Totally. He’s funny and he’s believable. That was one of my favorite parts of making this movie was seeing Keith again.
Alexis, there are so many great action scenes in the film. You get to take part in some gunfights. What was your favorite scene to film?
Louder: Because I don’t wanna give anything away. I’m gonna say my favorite action part that’s not in the movie is when I jumped a stair railing running from Toby Huss. That was a lot of fun. I did it like three or four times [laughs].
Butler: Talk about something that’s in the movie.
Louder: Make me.
Butler: I did this amazing thing that nobody’s gonna see. It’s not in the movie.
Louder: I’m trying to get them to put it in the deleted scenes. That’s what I’m doing.
