One man Brand

He's barely started in movies but he's already in a spin-off sequel. Controversial Brit phenomenon Russell Brand is reprising his role as the ethereal faux-spiritual rocker Aldous Snow from Forgetting Sarah Marshall in Get Him to the Greek - the latest in a slew of raunchy comedy vehicles from producer/creator Judd Apatow (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad).

Directed by Nick Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), this is Brand's first lead role. As drug-addicted Snow, Brand is in familiar territory for a man whose 2008 autobiography My Booky Wook chronicled his own litany of addictions and graphic tales of womanising.

"This role was very easy for me to occupy comedically because I was allowed to use a lot of my personal history. It's a battle of sorts. It's hedonistic and decadent and [about] the fun things I experienced in my own life, so I was very happy to take on the role," he says.

Brand is in Los Angeles conducting interviews outside the legendary Greek Theatre wearing his signature rock star regalia of black leather pants, white T-shirt, and a black scarf with emblazoned skulls and bones. One might consider, playing a character that inhabits his own vices could put him in a potentially precarious situation? Brand disagrees.

"Not at all. I enjoy revisiting the hedonism without the terrible consequences [of] being a drug addict."

Brand has the charisma, appearance and swagger of a quintessential rock star. Of his persona he says: "It represents anti-establishment. I think the origin of rock'n'roll was implicit in that it was about revolution and rebellion before the counter-culture became submerged into the dominant culture. At that time you had a lot of civil rights. A lot was happening in Cuba, you also had feminism, and I think it was an exciting time. Somehow it got aligned to these broader, more powerful ideas, and [there] was something shamanistic and ritualistic about these attractive Christ-like figures. They're standing on stage, writhing, gesticulating, promising other worlds," he says, on one of his verbose rants.

"It's this sort of serpentine revelry just over the horizon, bacchanalia, excess, death that are appealing, broad ideas for people. But ultimately, like all things, it became a commodity."

Brand speaks in rapid, staccato style. He may possess the bravado of a rock star but his icons lean towards mainstream comedic giants.

"I watched Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Black Adder, Only Fools and Horses. I would watch those when I went to visit my dad. Plus Elvis movies, and porn."

He looks off into the distance. "I think my entire personality has been put together from those VHS tapes."

The odd-couple combo of Apatow veteran Jonah Hill (Superbad, The Forty Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up) and Brand is the primary ingredient that makes the movie work.

Australia's Rose Byrne (Damages) as his groupie/pop star girlfriend is hilarious in her egocentric authenticity; however, the biggest surprise is Sean Combs (aka Diddy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy) offering a hilarious turn as a morally bereft record company mogul.

Brand says, "Puffy is intense. People like him who conjure up success from nothing; you've got to admire them."

Until now, Combs wasn't known for his comedic skills. In the same vein, Brand's character called for some dramatic scenes.

"I didn't think they'd ask so much of me in terms of emotional depth and honesty. I learned that has a value and it's stuff I'm capable of doing," Brand explains.

Like many comedians, he has a well developed angst-ridden side lurking underneath which he was able to tap into and exploit for the cameras.

"My strengths come from adversity and suffering. For the longest time I didn't have anything in my life. I felt useless. I left home when I was 16, I was employed from about 24 to 26 on MTV, then drug addiction, chaos, madness. I lost it all, and it wasn't until I was 29 or 30 that I was able to change my life around."

Due to his battle with drugs, he has a practical stance on their tumultuous and multi-faceted side-effects. Clearly, Brand is no dummy, and is well versed in delivering the controversial soundbite.

"All drugs should be made legal. It's the third biggest industry in the world and making it criminal is daft. Legalising marijuana is a step in the right direction, otherwise criminals are in charge of it. Speaking as a drug addict from recovery, I had to go to dodgy places to score, you know? Like crack houses in Bethnal Green. It's not nice there. People are all slumped around. They don't look very well. Drug addicts need help."

When speaking to Brand, one gets the impression he is regurgitating portions of his standup act, which is nonetheless entertaining. Now engaged to singer Katy Perry (I Kissed A Girl), he says that his prolific womanising behaviour is in the past.

"I like to think all the women I slept with were just a practise run for finding my true love, Katy. I adore her, and I believe in everlasting love."

In characteristic style, the eccentric comedian proposed to Perry while perched on the back of an elephant during a spiritual jaunt to India.

"It was under a blue moon, there were flowers everywhere, men bearing torches," he recounts.

"The ritual became so powerful and theatrical, I was overwhelmed to the point where it was difficult to speak, difficult to utter even those few words that I had to say to make the transition from the life I had to the life I have now."

Now that Brand is a bona fide movie star, a lot of pressure comes with the make-or-break opening weekend.

"I'm excited more than I am nervous. If the film doesn't do well then I'll be disappointed, and if it does, it'll be really exciting. Overall, I'm optimistic," he said just before it opened.

Fortunately, the movie, which cost an alleged US$40 million ($60.7 million) to make, opened in the US last weekend making an impressive US$17.4 million, second only to Shrek Forever After.

Essentially, Get Him to the Greek is a road/buddy movie and the camaraderie with Jonah Hill is vital to the movie's success.

Brand explains, "Nick Stoller said it was because of the chemistry between Jonah and I during our table read of Sarah Marshall that made him think of this combination. You could tell that we had an organic, easy connection."

On a superficial level, they are pretty much the archetypal opposites.

"Well, of course, we've got very different references. I'm English, he's American. He's 25 or 26, and I'm in my 30s now. Broadly speaking, we are very different people, but I think the collision of those distinctions is an interesting dynamic."

Brand will next star in the remake of Arthur, the movie Dudley Moore made famous in 1981 that garnered two Oscars. He will star opposite legendary Oscar winner, Helen Mirren. Not too shabby.

Brand laughs. "Yes, there's no mucking around with her. This is serious stuff."

To say that life is looking up for this unlikely success story is quite the understatement.

"I've never been happier, I can honestly say," he enthuses. So, what's next? He deadpans. "Global domination. What else?"

LOWDOWN

Who: Russell Brand
What: Get Him to the Greek
When: Opens June 17