Meet Arthur Conti, Jenna Ortega’s Scene Partner and “Date from Hell” in ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’

I can only imagine the incredible feeling of being part of such iconic productions as House of the Dragon and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice! Walking into the same studio where I filmed for Beetlejuice, a movie I adored since childhood, must have been surreal. To be a part of these fantastical worlds, prequels-sequels to something beloved, is truly a dream come true.

[This story contains spoilers for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.]

Arthur Conti, who played a role in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” swiftly rose from unknown actor to a sought-after talent. Transforming a high school musical into a platform for representation, he then landed minor roles, including one on “House of the Dragon” and an applauded performance at London’s Park Theatre. As his stage run in “Winner’s Curse” drew to a close, Conti seized the opportunity to audition for the long-anticipated sequel to the 1988 film, “Beetlejuice,” directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. To his surprise, he was invited for a Zoom callback with none other than Burton himself, and the young actress who had just risen to fame, Jenna Ortega.

In a span of two hours, Conti clinched the part as Jeremy Frazier, who later became known to Astrid Deetz’s character as her “nightmare date.” Since her separation from her mother Lydia (Winona Ryder) following their divorce and the demise of her father Richard (Santiago Cabrera), Astrid is compelled to accompany the Deetz family on a journey to Winter River, Connecticut for the burial of her grandfather Charles Deetz. When Rory, her mother’s TV show producer/boyfriend (Justin Theroux), transforms the funeral into an engagement party, an exasperated Astrid escapes from the Deetz family’s well-known haunted mansion by bicycle.

Following an incident that almost triggered a pile-up on the road, Astrid collides her bicycle into Jeremy’s backyard, where he was engrossed in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” inside a treehouse. The two soon find common ground over his literary pursuit, with Jeremy eventually extending an open-ended invitation for Astrid to visit again the next day. Although some spectators sensed that Jeremy seemed somewhat off, their subsequent scene where Astrid peruses his ’90s vinyl and book collection serves as a strong indication of him being a ghost. However, even Conti overlooked a crucial hint when initially reading Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s script.

In the script, I initially failed to realize that character was a ghost. It seems I overlooked the section titled “Handbook for the Recently Deceased” while reading. If you’ve watched the initial movie and notice his distinctive features, it would be instantly clear. Conti explains to The Hollywood Reporter that they probably didn’t intend to conceal the ghost aspect, but if one hasn’t seen the first film, then it will come as a surprise, I guess.

Jeremy’s treacherous plan is soon revealed, as he deceives Astrid into trading her life so that he can regain his via some paperwork in the afterlife. Lydia then seeks out Betelgeuse’s help in rescuing her daughter, and in a rare moment of decency, he follows through in an on-brand way by sentencing Jeremy to eternal damnation.

After watching the final scene Michael Keaton filmed left me feeling like I’d been to hell, so naturally, I wondered if I could meet him. We ended up having a brief conversation, and he turned out to be incredibly kind,” Conti reminisces.

Following her latest remarks expressing some discontent about the current generation’s interest in cinema, Conti finds reassurance knowing that Ryder has endorsed his work.

As a gamer, I’m no stranger to movies, so it was great to be in her good graces. That’s a relief, indeed! She was incredibly kind and always had something nice to say about me. It seemed like she’d share positive words not just with me, but with others too. Her endorsement was a huge boost when I felt a tad out of my depth among these big-name stars battling imposter syndrome.

In a recent chat with THR, I shared how spending a single day on the set of House of the Dragon alongside Ser Criston Cole served as an incredible prelude to my work on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

How could you summarize Arthur Conti’s life and era before he landed the role in the “Beetlejuice” audition?

After graduating from high school, I managed to secure an agent following a school musical performance that caught his eye. At this stage, acting was my dream, although I hadn’t been accepted into any drama schools after attending a few auditions. Disappointed but determined, I decided to give it a shot for a year with the help of my agent.

Yeah, at your age, it’s probably too soon for that line.

(Laughs.) Yeah, I think so, too.

Did the casting process have a lot of hoops, as well as a reading with Jenna Ortega?

Initially, it might seem otherwise, but the process was quite straightforward. It was just a self-taped audition followed by receiving the script. Upon reading it, I became extremely enthusiastic about the project. After that, there was only one callback with Jenna, and Tim was also present. Later on, I received the news that I had landed the role, which came as a complete surprise. This sudden development was quite overwhelming, but it also brought immense excitement since it was such a significant opportunity.

Did you and Jenna read the “where have you been all my life?” scene during that callback?

Instead of that,

Jeremy is initially depicted as a youngster engrossed in Dostoevsky’s works while nestled in a treehouse. His attire, reminiscent of an older era, suggests timelessness despite not being commonly worn. Was the intention to clearly hint at his spectral nature from the very beginning?

Initially, when perusing the script, I was unaware that the character was a spirit. It seems I missed the section about the “Handbook for the Recently Deceased” during my initial read-through. If you’ve watched the first movie and notice his distinctive markings, you’d instantly realize he’s a ghost, thinking “Ah, got it.” This is an instance of dramatic irony, where viewers are privy to information that the characters themselves are unaware of. I don’t think they intended to conceal the supernatural aspect deliberately, but for those who haven’t seen the initial film, it will undoubtedly come as a surprise – a twist, if you will. In fact, it offers a double twist, which is always intriguing.

However, by the year 2024, if I saw a teenager reading “Crime and Punishment” in a treehouse, that would have set off warning bells for me.

I struggle significantly with reading, a fact I don’t like to admit because it makes me feel young or inexperienced. However, I find it easier to read when on an airplane. Regrettably, I haven’t read “Crime and Punishment” yet, despite giving it some thought. I pondered if approaching it systematically would improve my understanding, but ultimately decided that the impact might not be substantial. (Smiles).

Generally speaking, it’s good that Tim didn’t drag out the mystery of Jeremy being a ghost for too long. Instead, he quickly presented Jeremy, explained his identity, and revealed his nature in just about a quarter of an hour.

Absolutely, that aspect wasn’t extensively discussed. I didn’t have a lot of control over the script’s content or structure, but introducing a twist can be quite effective. It sparks curiosity among viewers and encourages them to delve deeper into my character. The audience might even interpret actions I took as potentially manipulative or deceptive, which they might not have noticed initially, but in retrospect, they could say, “Perhaps he was misleading her when he acted that way.

Indeed, I agree with your sentiment. The swift unveiling of the mystery added an instant thrill to the scene, making it feel as if we’d just stumbled upon a secret. It was like exclaiming, “Oh my goodness!” before Lydia darted back home. In short, that entire sequence truly excited me.

Did the motive behind his murder of his parents, which occurred 23 years ago, become clear? Alternatively, was he simply labeled as a psychopath without a known reason for his actions?

He’s just a psychopath! (Laughs.) It’d be terrible if there was actually some subtext in the script that I’ve completely forgotten about, but I don’t know why he murdered his parents. He must be a psychopath. He’s a loner who wanted to be on his own, maybe. But the weird thing is that his parents are still very nice to him when Jeremy and Astrid come inside the house. He was like, “Mom, I’m just going to be upstairs with a friend.” And she was like, “Okay, have fun,” even though he forced a whisk through her eye. So it’s an interesting dynamic between him and his parents, and I’m not quite sure what to make of it.

To dupe Astrid into trading her life for his, he’s clearly a psychopath.

Yeah, he’s a manipulative, manipulative man.

Is Jenna currently climbing the ladder of success in her career? Did you notice the busy and hectic atmosphere typical of Hollywood stardom surrounding her often?

I’m amazed how well she handles it. If I had that much going on, I would just be a wreck all the time. But she’s amazingly levelheaded, and she doesn’t give off that vibe at all, really. Generally, she’s a very calming presence on set, and she’s incredibly hardworking. I don’t know how she takes on that much work. She’s never not busy. She’s always doing something, and it’s amazing. I just don’t have the work ethic that she has. Maybe I’ll learn it, but it amazes me how much work she does and how much effort she puts into everything.

Were you able to communicate with Michael Keaton, who played Betelgeuse in Beetlejuice, during filming, since he supposedly sent you to hell on-screen for future Contis to see?

I didn’t do a lot, but I did manage a small part, indeed. I was quite timid, as everyone in the cast was well-known. I’d greet them with a soft “Hello.” (Conti delivered the line “hello” in a comically weak manner.) Yet, they were all so kind and considerate, making for a very supportive atmosphere. Michael was particularly wonderful. We filmed that scene rather swiftly, it turns out, and it was his final day on set. In fact, the last thing he filmed was sending me to hell. So, after wrapping up, I couldn’t help but wonder if I could go say a quick hello to Michael.

“Thank you for sending me to hell, Mr. Keaton.”

I appreciate it! It was delightful.” Our conversation was brief, yet he was cordial. But there wasn’t too much back-and-forth. However, during the Venice and London premieres, I had a chance to reconnect with everyone and engage in more extensive conversations.

Given that the cast is quite distinguished, did you manage to learn as much as possible by observing them from a distance?

In my experience, I worked with the main cast, but only had scenes with Jenna, making our interactions incredibly smooth and enjoyable. She’s an exceptional actress who makes acting effortless, which made my job much easier. We developed a good rapport, which was delightful. However, I wish I had asked more questions to gain more insights. It’s tricky not to appear overeager, so I tried to play it cool. In hindsight, this might have limited my learning opportunities. Everyone was incredibly kind, with Winona being exceptionally so. Although I didn’t express it enough, she was always complimentary towards me and spoke highly of me to others. Her endorsement was a significant boost when dealing with feelings of imposter syndrome amidst such prominent stars.

It seems that Winona holds a high regard for younger actors who take the time to watch movies. Recently, some of her comments on this topic have gained attention.

Yeah, she said she was annoyed at younger people who don’t watch films.

Especially if they’d ask about the runtime first.

I do watch films, so I was in her good books. That’s a relief.

Now it all makes sense. Anyway, did Tim give you any eye-opening notes that you’ll take with you?

In essence, the director gave me significant creative freedom during the filming process. He rarely provided me with specific feedback or instructions, only occasionally suggesting minor adjustments like my position or timing. I aimed for a very naturalistic performance, even adding filler words like ‘um’ and ‘ah’. The only guidance he offered was brief, but the overall atmosphere on set was remarkably relaxed given the scale of the production. It could have been overwhelmingly stressful and intense, yet he managed to create an environment that was both laid-back and incredibly efficient. I am still in awe of his directorial skills. To put it simply, I had considerable autonomy, which was somewhat nerve-wracking, especially as it was my first film. However, knowing that Tim Burton trusted me to make the right decisions gave me a sense of confidence.

It’s amazing that Beetlejuice was only your second on-screen role. Looking back, do you feel fortunate to have had a day on the set of House of the Dragon before plunging headfirst into the deep end with such an iconic character?

If I hadn’t experienced that day on the set of ‘Dragon’, I might have succumbed to the stress. That one day of filming on ‘House of the Dragon’ was incredibly valuable for me, even though my appearance lasts only about 10 seconds and I had just two lines. However, the experience was truly invaluable. What makes it more special is that it was filmed in the same studio where ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ was also made. Since I had already worked there during the filming of ‘Beetlejuice’, and most of my scenes for that movie were shot there, it wasn’t entirely new to me. Both shows are prequels or sequels to something well-loved by many viewers. They feature grand, elaborate sets in fantastical worlds. Therefore, I am grateful for having had that experience; otherwise, it might have been too overwhelming for me.

Were any parts of the treehouse and exterior scenes on Halloween, particularly where Astrid is dropped off, filmed in East Corinth, Vermont, which serves as many of the movie’s memorable shooting spots? I assume this applies only to those specific scenes.

Five months post-London, I found myself nestled in a suburban Boston abode, gaming away for roughly four days. This came after the work stoppage, meaning we enjoyed an extended hiatus prior to filming the treehouse sequence.

I genuinely believe that Bob gave a heartbreaking performance in this movie.

It’s true. It’s crushing what they did to Bob. He is the biggest star in it.

Were you able to have a moment with him while exploring the afterlife set?

I didn’t encounter Bob, although I did see various intriguing entities such as ghosts, a man with a python, and an escape artist confined within a small aquarium. Regrettably, I missed the opportunity of meeting him – it would have been delightful.

Looking back on this experience many years from now, which day do you think will stand out the most in your memory?

Prior to my first day on set, I visited the hair and makeup trailer. Winona and Jenna were already there. It had been approximately two weeks since I’d landed the role, and until then, it seemed almost impossible. The entire experience has been a rapid learning process and a significant adjustment, as I hadn’t anticipated something of this scale happening so soon. Overwhelmed by disbelief, excitement, and joy, that’s how I would describe the whole situation.

Lastly, what dream do you want to put out into the universe?

I want to do everything, but there’s a couple things. I’ve always wanted to be in a sci-fi thing. I grew up watching Alien and Star Wars, so that’s always been a bit of a dream and an eventual goal. But I want to do all kinds of genres. My favorites tend to be combinations of scary and off-putting and funny. I loved The Curse with Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone. So I’d love to do something with that kind of tone. I also love Ruben Ösland and Ari Aster. I love Beau Is Afraid. So anything experimental, funny and weird tends to be what I like to watch, and being in something like that would be amazing.

Well, in the meantime, I’ll let you get back to reading Crime and Punishment.

(Laughs.) Yeah, I’ve got to get on that.

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now playing in movie theaters.

2024-09-18 02:26

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