Double Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz has heaped praised on his Downsizing co-star Hong Chau, saying she's "the current big thing in Hollywood".
Chau, previously best known for starring in the New Orleans-set, HBO drama Treme, stars alongside Waltz and Matt Damon in Alexander Payne's social satire and has been nominated for Critics Choice, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for her scene-stealing part as Vietnamese activist Ngoc Lan Tran.
When asked if she pays attention to the hype surrounding her breakthrough film role by RTÉ Entertainment at the film's junket in London, Chau said, "I only hear it in situations like this."
Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds star Waltz interjected, saying: "Excuse me if I interfere, she’s not the next big thing, she’s the current big thing in Hollywood."
Chau's performance has been singled out as being the emotional backbone of the film, while she also provides many of the funniest moments.
The American actress said the effortless shift between comedy and drama is what director Alexander Payne does.
"That's his forte," she said.
However, Waltz had another take.
"Excuse me, that’s what you did," Waltz chipped in. "Credit where credit’s due."
Meanwhile, the 61-year-old Austrian actor joked that Academy Award-winning writer/director Payne, whose previous credits include Sideways and The Descendants, was "very nitpicky" on the set.
Hong said that was an important trait, explaining: "With comedy you have to be very precise, particularly with his brand of comedy."
"Absolutely," Waltz said. "And I like nitpickers. I’m one myself and so I don’t think I pick all the nits, so I’m happy for other nits to be picked by someone else. It coincided beautifully."
In the film, Matt Damon plays Omaha man Paul Safranek who is enraptured by a scientific breakthrough made by boffins in Norway who have figured out a way to shrink humans to five-inch versions of themselves in a bid to tackle climate change and the world's overpopulation. When Paul "goes small" and moves to a new tiny community, he meets his wheeler-dealer, playboy neighbour Dusan, played by Waltz.
Payne said he didn’t originally see Waltz in the part of playboy Dusan, but the actor said he's glad he landed the part.
"I’m glad, I don’t know whether he is, he hasn’t said." Waltz deadpanned. "But by now it’s his problem."
Downsizing hits cinemas on January 26 in Ireland.
