With writer-director Paul Schrader’s fantastic new movie, The Card Counter, opening in select theaters this weekend, I recently had the chance to speak with Tiffany Haddish about making the revenge thriller. During the interview, Haddish talks about what drew her to the material, what she learned from working with Oscar Isaac, the way he did so much in a scene by doing so little, why it’s easier for her to do dramatic roles than comedy, what she was shocked to learn about professional gamblers, and more. In addition, she teases playing the straight man in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent opposite Nicolas Cage. The upcoming film sees Cage playing himself with Pedro Pascal playing a superfan who invites Cage to his birthday party and ropes him into recreating some of his finest movie moments. I could not be more excited for a movie.

If you haven't seen the trailers for The Card Counter, the film stars Oscar Isaac as William Tell, a card counter who lives as anonymously as possible on his travels from casino to casino, content to make just enough to keep going. When he is approached by Circ (Tye Sheridan) to help him seek revenge on a military colonel (Willem Dafoe) that has connections to both of their lives, he takes the young man on the road with him to try and break his obsession with revenge. When a mysterious gambling financier La Linda (Haddish) offers to stake him so he can play for higher stakes, Tell sees a chance at redemption through his relationship with Cirk and they all set out on the road towards playing in the World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas. As you can imagine in a film written by Paul Schrader, things go not go as planned.

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Image via Focus Features

RELATED: ‘The Card Counter’ Review: Paul Schrader Deals a Methodical Tale of Failed Redemption

Check out what she had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about.

Tiffany Haddish

  • What was it about The Card Counter script that made her want to do it?
  • What was it like working with Oscar Isaac and how he did so much by doing so little?
  • What did she learn from working with Isaac?
  • Why she thinks it’s easier for her to do dramatic roles than comedy.
  • What was she surprised to learn about gamblers when researching the role?
  • What can she say about The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and working with Nicolas Cage?
the-card-counter Paul Schrader Oscar Isaac
Image via Focus Features