Bill Pullman on his brand new play Mad House and working with Ant and Dec: ‘I was oblivious’

Virgin Radio

10 Jun 2022, 10:52

Hollywood star Bill Pullman is treading the boards at London’s Ambassadors Theatre for his brand new play, Mad House, later this month, and while on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, the Independence Day star shared what theatre goers can expect, and his experience working with beloved duo Ant and Dec back in 2006. 

In Mad House, running from 15th June until 4th September, Stranger Things star David Harbour stars as Michael, who returns to rural Pennsylvania to look after his dying father, played by Bill. 

Once all the siblings are back, it’s clear they are determined to find out how much money their dad really has, and how they can get their hands on it. 

The play is brand new to audiences, and so Bill admitted he is intrigued to see how audiences will react to it. 

He told Chris and the team: “We just have no idea whether it's going to fly, which is great. Three years ago, I was in London doing All My Sons at the Old Vic and that's the opposite end. That’s a play that people know, when they have expectations, you're looking to reinvent it and find new energy. 

“[Mad House]... maybe it'll have a flat tire. Maybe the tires aren't good. Maybe we'll see when we'll work at it all through previews, trying to get it up. But I think it's a really great play.

“I'm so curious what's going to happen with an audience, because some of it's so funny. You want to laugh, but it's not correct, not politically correct. So will there be great silence?”

Bill confessed he didn’t know too much about his co-star David, despite his incredible run as Jim Hopper on Stranger Things. 

He added: “I really think it's a good cast. Here we have David Harbour who is in this amazing, successful Stranger Things. I was not on the curve with that. Here it was ‘oh, Mr. Harbour, Can we have a picture of Mr. Harbour?’ I'm Bill Pullman! What about that?.”

Speaking of famous co-hosts, Bill started his chat with Chris discussing his starring role alongside iconic TV presenting pair, Ant and Dec, in the 2006 film Alien Autopsy. 

While in the UK filming some of the sci-fi adventure, Bill explained how he quickly learnt all about the Geordie showbiz legends from a taxi driver. 

He explained: “I was a little bit oblivious to the scale of Ant and Dec fans, but I arrived in London to do a movie with them. And I got picked up by the car guy. I always think of this because I say ‘wow, I'm doing this thing with Ant and Dec,’ and he just lit up!

“He was about 75 or something. And he said: ‘Ant and Dec. Everyone loves them, from eight to 80. It's true. I heard that so many times. Everybody from eight to 80!’

Mad House opens at London’s Ambassador Theatre on Wednesday 15th June until Sunday 4th September. Tickets are available here. 

For more great interviews listen to  The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, weekdays from 6:30am on Virgin Radio, or  catch up on-demand here.