Clark Duke on Working with Eddie Murphy, Typecasting, and More

Her Campus UChicago had the opportunity to join in on a conference call with actor and comedian Clark Duke who you may know from films like Hot Tub Time Machine and Sex Drive, and the television series, Greek. Before landing roles in feature films, Clark was the other half of Clark and Michael, a mockumentary style web-series Duke created, produced, directed and starred in with best friend Michael Cera.
 
This last Friday, March 9, Duke’s most recent project, A Thousand Words, also starring Eddie Murphy,was released in theaters nationwide. Duke plays Murphy’s intern, Erin, who must speak on Murphy’s behalf when he is cursed with a thousand word restriction. If the typically fast-talking Murphy speaks beyond the thousand word limit, he is set to perish.
 
Duke described his character, Erin, as initially meek and terrified of his boss, sentiments that were not particularly difficult for Clark to portray as he felt the pressure of acting opposite of who he believes is “one of the funniest dudes to have ever lived.” Having grown up watching Murphy’s routines, Duke admitted that he never quite got used to the fact that he was on set with one of the most well-known comedians of all time. Although the experience was also sprinkled with feelings of intimidation and sometimes, pure terror, Duke states that working with Murphy was incredible and surreal.
 
After numerous stints playing college or high school-aged students, Erin is Duke’s first post-collegiate role. Although the juvenile characters were entertaining to play and acted as his lead-in to the entertainment business, Duke expressed his happiness in figuratively graduating from these characters. In fact, one of the main things that attracted Duke to the role of Erin was that the character was out of college and getting his start in the work force.
 
Unlike many actors currently in Hollywood, Duke studied film in an academic setting, receiving a degree from Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television. As a result of his formal education, Duke claims that he can not help but be aware of the bigger picture during filming, Duke also taking note of smaller details like the lenses and angles of the cameras. While he thoroughly enjoys acting, Clark envisages himself eventually shifting to positions behind the camera, putting what he learned in school to use by writing and directing his own films.
 
In his nearly decade long span in the film industry, Clark Duke has gone from standing in the background as an extra to working alongside Murphy and Duke’s personal hero, Chevy Chase. When asked to offer a piece of advice to aspiring actors and directors, Duke provided words that are applicable to any sector: be nice, do a good job and be a professional. It goes to show that the simplest maxims we were taught in Pre-K are often the most useful rules by which to live.