ON THE SPOT: Our Hilarious Chat With Cuban Fury and Shaun of the Dead
Star Nick Frost


British actor Nick Frost is best known as Simon Pegg’s co-pilot in director Edgar Wright’s “Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy,” consisting of the eccentric comedies Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and, most recently, The World’s End. Having completed this project, the two have gone on to new horizons. Pegg was cast as Scotty in J.J. Abrams Star Trek franchise, while Frost, on a peculiar whim, pitched a film to his producer about a heavy-set bloke having to dance on stage.

The result is Cuban Fury, a comedy about a heavy-set bloke who, as a young lad, has a real passion for salsa dancing until it’s brutally beaten out of him by some young thugs the night of a huge dance contest. Years later, he comes to salsa again, this time in order to woo the woman of his dreams (Rashida Jones).

The genial actor met with Ticket to discuss his annoyance at TV chefs, how to properly chop garlic, and a couple of his more OCD preoccupations.

What makes you angry?
Cooks on television. I’m a cook myself, so when I see people cooking on telly, I keep thinking please stop telling me how busy your life is. It’s like, if you don’t like cooking, you don’t like cooking. It doesn’t matter how busy you are. I’m getting angry fucking now! Cooking isn’t necessarily meant to be rushed. I understand we all have busy lives, but the whole point of cooking is to take your time. Enjoy it. Do it right. That gets my goat.

What is your food kryptonite?
Digestive biscuits. If you have one, but no I’m going to have fucking eight. Sometimes I make a cup of tea just as a vessel to facilitate getting the tea into that biscuit. [When people ask me] “What would you have for a last supper?,” my answer is always the same: It’s always KFC. I would never eat it while I’m alive, but if I’m going to die, then I’m going to have a whole bucket. I might as well.

Other than food, what do you crave most?
Sex. And cigarettes.

Most actors say ‘sleep.’
I hate fucking actors moaning about being tired, because no one should. Sorry, that’s another thing I get moody about. They’ve been paid a lot of money.

Frost in "Cuban Fury."

Frost in “Cuban Fury.”

What won’t you share with others?
I have a weird thing about pillows. When I get into bed at night I have to set my pillows up and then they can’t be touched. I can’t touch them until the light goes out and I put my head on the pillow. My wife always comes in and has to smooth everything and I’ll kind of lose my shit. I also have a thing about magazines. If I buy a magazine, no one can open it until I’ve opened it.

What is something you’re very good at that very few people know about?
Chopping. I can chop garlic like no other. I do it a lot, all the time. You know, I probably wouldn’t share my knives. I have a bunch, but I have two that are completely off-limits to anyone but me.

Wait, what’s the secret to chopping garlic?
I can do it really quickly, you know [proceeds to chop his hand very quickly on the table]. Onions too. And cucumbers. And driving, I’m a great driver, too.

What is something you wish you had invented or created?
I can’t look beyond the fact that if it’s something that’s already been invented, then how do I know if it wouldn’t be as good if I did it? Someone says, “Wouldn’t you like to be in the Star Trek films with Simon [Pegg]?” But I kind of like watching them without me in it, to be fair. I couldn’t watch it if I was in it, because it would fuck it up for me, you know?

What has been on your to-do list the longest?
I’ve had the thing in my mind about buying DJ equipment for a long while and just haven’t done anything about it. There’s a stumbling block and I can’t seem to work out why I can’t get over it. I have a basement, which is empty. And I think, “Just go get it, just buy the stuff.” But in terms of being functional and motivated, I’m a list-maker until it’s all done.