ComingSoon Senior Editor Spencer Legacy spoke with Tetris star Taron Egerton about the upcoming Apple TV+ film. The actor discussed his own experience with the game and his affinity for larger-than-life stories. Tetris is now available to stream on Apple TV+.
“Henk Rogers discovers Tetris in 1988 and then risks everything by traveling to the Soviet Union, where he joins forces with inventor Alexey Pajitnov to bring the game to the masses,” reads the film’s synopsis.
Spencer Legacy: How much did you get to speak and work with Henk Rogers and how did that help you prep for your role?
Taron Egerton: Not much, really. We spoke a little bit when we first started, but as a sort of courtesy, you know? It was more like me saying, “Hey man, I’m really, really excited to be a part of telling this story, which I know is a big part of your life, and don’t worry, I’m not going to make you look like a dick.” I wasn’t really asking him advice or anything, but it was nice to meet him. I was with him last night, actually, at the screening of the movie. He’s a nice guy.
Tetris came out on the Game Boy the same year you were born. Did you grow up playing it at all or was this all new to you?
I played it a bit. I got a Game Boy for my 10th birthday when they released the Game Boy Color, or shortly after. I can’t remember when they exactly released it, but I got mine for my 10th birthday and it completely consumed me for about a year. My mother talks about me just being not present for a year, but it was Pokémon that I was obsessed with. I played Mario, I played Tetris, but Pokémon was the thing that I was completely … I was like Henk Rogers for Pokémon.
You also speak some Japanese in the movie. Did you learn a lot of it? How did that go?
Yes, I’m now fluent. I can speak Japanese fluent — I don’t know why you’re laughing … uh, no [Laugh]. It was fine. It’s really tough to get to grips with, so it was pretty microcosmic in terms of what I learned. I just learned the bits that I needed to learn. It was nice because Ayane [Nagabuchi], who plays Akemi — my wife — in the film helped me out with that stuff a bit. I’m supposed to be bad in the movie, which is a really great place to be because it means you can get away with very poorly executed Japanese. But yeah, it’s always fun doing those little bits in these films.
You’ve played a lot of real people: Elton John, Eddie the Eagle, now Henk Rogers. What about these real people and these real stories appeals to you?
I think they’re all just larger than life stories. Particularly the stuff I do with Matthew [Vaughn], I always feel, has distinct personality, you know? They’re movies made for audiences and they’re real popcorn movies, but they’ve got a sort of very distinct irreverence and zaniness that is very much Marv [Studios] and they’re great fun to be a part of.
