Interview with Austin Butler and Jodie Comer: The Bikeriders

We sat down with Jodie Comer and Austin Butlerwho play Kathy and Benny, to discuss the making of the film, their acting process, and what they’ve been doing for fun lately.

The Bike Riders is such a beautiful film, so relevant that I, too, will always chase a red flag. I thought the movie was really about the feeling of community and people wanting something where they could have an outlet just to have fun. So I wanted to ask you both, what do you do just for fun?
Jodie: What do I do for fun? Now I feel unhappy!
Austin: What’s fun? You know, something I started doing a few years ago, picked up again and realized it was just for fun, was painting. Just the feeling that it’s not a result. And pottery.
Jodie: I want to dance in the kitchen while cooking, to have fun.
Austin: Ooh, that’s a good thing. Which song? What song can you not do but dance to?
Jodie: I don’t know, I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it! Well, I would say that. Dancing in the kitchen, solid.

Austin, I mentioned that you’re a red flag in this movie. Obviously you’re not in real life, but in this movie you’re a wake-up call. And Kathy is chasing you because you’re her guilty pleasure, I would say. So, we all have guilty pleasures, what do you think are yours?
Austin: I have a lot of fun, but I don’t know if I’m guilty of it. But yes, what is a guilty pleasure for you?
Jodie: I put the used matches back in the matchbox and didn’t realize how psychotic it was.
Austin: So you just mix it with the others?
Jodie: Yeah.
Austin: So, do you ever release one that’s already mixed?
Jodie: Yeah, and I’m like, oh, fuck. But that’s only part of the problem.
Austin: And then you put it back?
Jodie: No, so I threw it in the trash.
I feel like this can be quite dangerous. Do you wait until it is completely toasted before putting it in place? What if you set the rest of the box on fire?
Jodie: It’s true. Well, maybe now I won’t do that. Someone pointed this out to me recently, and I felt a little guilty. I mean, reality TV is a no-brainer. A sort of neighborhood housewife. Have you seen this show Couples therapy? It’s a good one.
Austin: I did it Love is blind recently. It was crazy.
Jodie: Are you up for it? Is this what you are currently watching?
Austin: Oh, yeah, I watched the whole thing. Yeah, I felt guilty every time, but I kept coming back for more.