Téa Leoni had an unforgettable adventure while filming Death of a Unicorn alongside costars Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega. The actress, 59, recounted the fun experience during the movie’s SXSW Film & TV Festival premiere on March 8, sharing how the trio had an “epic” time while riding e-bikes in Hungary.
“We were all on e-bikes in the middle of Hungary,” Leoni explained. “And we went off-roading.” While biking through a field, Leoni and Ortega ventured one way, only to turn around just in time to see Paul Rudd leap across a ravine. “It was like E.T., like Free Willy—an epic leap,” she said. Rudd, 55, made it to the other side, leaving Leoni in stitches. “I’ve never laughed so hard. That was fun,” she added.
Death of a Unicorn, directed by Alex Scharfman, stars Ortega as Ridley, a teenager who accompanies her father (Rudd) after he accidentally hits a mythical unicorn with his car. They bring the creature’s body to a crisis management summit, leading to even more wild adventures. Leoni’s character is part of the family trying to navigate the chaos.
The film’s set was filled with laughter, thanks to Scharfman, who encouraged fun both on and off screen. “Everyone was a clown, which, I say it was a problem but it was actually the best,” said costar Will Poulter. “We all had so much fun and really leaned into the fun of it and the play.”
As for who brought the most laughs, Rudd pointed out the comedic talent of his fellow cast members. “Paul Rudd is an innately funny person,” said Richard E. Grant. “And Jenna Ortega can say things with a completely deadpan expression, and then you realize that she’s absolutely just detonated a funny-bomb right under your nose.”
Rudd also praised Grant for his sharp wit, calling him “rarefied air in the funny-incredible-person category.”
Death of a Unicorn hits theaters on March 28.