Paul Walter Hauser Talks ‘Americana’ and Why He Said No to Kevin Costner and Luca Guadagnino
Paul Walter Hauser on ‘Americana,’ Saying No to Hollywood Icons, and Why He Feels Like an Outsider
It’s been a big summer for Paul Walter Hauser. The Emmy-winning actor is everywhere — from Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps to the reboot of The Naked Gun, and finally, the long-awaited release of Tony Tost’s Americana, which first premiered at SXSW in 2023.
“I think Americana might be my favorite movie I’ve ever made,” Hauser tells The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s wildly original. Tony’s script was just too good to pass up.” The film, which co-stars Sydney Sweeney, faced delays after its SXSW debut due to distribution issues and a studio bankruptcy. Now, finally arriving via Lionsgate, Hauser is hopeful audiences will connect with it — whether now or years down the line. “Some 13-year-old will find this movie in a few years and it’ll be their Reservoir Dogs,” he says.
Despite his packed schedule, Hauser is choosy with roles. He recently turned down parts in both Kevin Costner’s Horizon and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers — not out of disrespect, but because the roles lacked substance. “I feel way too competitive and too hungry to eat garnish and pretend it’s a meal,” he explains. “If I’m going to be on set for weeks, I want to bring something meaningful to the table.”
His summer slate spans genres. On Fantastic Four, he reunited with director Matt Shakman, who directed him 15 years ago on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. “It felt full circle,” he says. Though some of his scenes as Mole Man were cut, including one with Vanessa Kirby, Hauser still had fun. “I improvised a line to Joseph Quinn — ‘Don’t get mad at me, I didn’t dress you.’ Total Jack Nicholson rip-off,” he laughs.
The Naked Gun reboot also appealed to him, not for the paycheck, but for the chance to work with Akiva Schaffer and Liam Neeson. “Atlanta was the cherry on top,” Hauser adds — the city now serves as his full-time home after years of filming there on projects like Cobra Kai, I, Tonya, and Richard Jewell.
Hauser is thoughtful about his career trajectory, turning down even major directors if the material doesn’t resonate. “I don’t want to be a piece of furniture in someone else’s movie. I’d rather wait for the right thing.”
Still, even with success, Hauser doesn’t feel fully at home in Hollywood. “I’m an outspoken Jesus guy who can’t stand Donald Trump. I don’t live in L.A. anymore. I’m obsessed with wrestling — and honestly, I feel more at home in a wrestling arena than I do at a premiere,” he says. “Hollywood feels like high school. I’d rather be around people who are just being themselves.”
