Best known for his comedic roles in movies like Step Brothers and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, John C. Reilly often give audiences the impression that he can only portray a specific archetype when, in reality, he has remarkable range. With a traditionally taught theatrical background, Reilly studied with the best, learned from them—and learned of those who were there before him, including John Malkovich.
During a sit-down interview with Stephen Colbert, Reilly delved into why he likens himself to the world-renowned Malkovich. Hear him out.
According to Reilly, the rumors floating around the Goodman School of Drama detail a hilarious account of Malkovich on the stage. The tale goes that he was performing "Curse of a Starving Class" in Chicago and his role required that he urinate on the floor—for every performance. It's a joke. Don't get carried away.
Reilly goes on and on about the legend for a minute or two, then likens Malkovich's approach to method acting. He considers it the most authentic representation of the craft, for good reason, too. Reilly compares Malkovich's ability to overcome what he referred to as "shy weiner" dilemma on stage to his own skill of farting on command.
Apparently, a scene in Step Brothers called for him to pass gas. The directors and SFX team probably didn't anticipate Reilly doing it himself, but they were presumably appreciative that he gave the bit an authentic feel. The scene spoken of actually includes a famous cameo.
Seth Rogen appeared as a hiring manager interviewing Dale Doback (Reilly) and Brennan Huff (Ferrell) for positions as retail associates in a sports equipment store. Everything seemed to be going well for the duo until Dale let one slip out. Unbeknownst to the audience, that's Reilly's actual gas on the reel, not a Hollywood sound effect or a sample played from a catalog—it was John C. Reilly giving his most uninhibited performance.
Bear in mind that Reilly isn't simply known for crass jokes and sophomoric humor. His filmography includes a diverse array of films and notable roles. He's played a Marvel hero in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 with the potential to become a major player in the future; evidenced by a Nova series in development. Reilly also delivered two stellar performances in the Wreck-It-Ralph series of animated movies and portrayed Happy Jack in the award-winning Gangs of New York. And his early career consisted almost entirely of dramatic roles.
With all that being said, Reilly deserves more credit for his efforts. He's put in the hours, the hard work, and studied diligently to get to where he is in his career. While movies like Step Brothers defined him, they shouldn't be all he's recognized for.