By Paul Salfen for AMFM Magazine
It’s been twenty years since Jon Heder exploded onto screens as the ultimate awkward icon Napoleon Dynamite, complete with moon boots, tater tots, and that now-legendary dance. Two decades later, Heder is back doing what he does best: playing lovable, mullet-sporting oddballs who somehow save the day. His latest is Tapawingo, a delightfully retro comedy set in the late ’70s/early ’80s about Nate Skoog, a 30-year-old man-child who dreams of being a mercenary, lands a gig as an accidental bodyguard for his boss’s misfit teenage son, and ends up assembling a ragtag crew to take on the local bullies.
In an exclusive chat with AMFM Magazine, Heder couldn’t hide his enthusiasm for the project—or the fact that the set was basically one long laugh riot.
“We had a blast,” Heder says, grinning through the Zoom screen. “With comedies, if you can’t tell we’re having fun, then we’re either not doing our job right or it’s not going to be as enjoyable for the audience. This one? You can definitely tell.”
Keeping a straight face, it turns out, was the real challenge. Heder singles out a scene involving twin characters struggling to lift a comically light 10-pound dumbbell while making over-the-top grunting noises. “My co-star kept making the sounds even though the camera was on us just for a reaction shot,” he laughs. “We were dying. It was one of the hardest times I’ve ever had not breaking on any project.”
Shot on location in southern Virginia, the period-piece vibe meant crazy costumes, big hair, and yes, another iconic Heder mullet—complete with what he affectionately calls a “Kentucky waterfall” or “Tennessee Top Hat.” Did he miss it after wrap? “I missed the bullet, man,” he admits. “I kept it for a while. I was re-upping it every couple months like, ‘I’m owning this.’ My family was not always on board.”
As for slipping into yet another quirky, socially awkward leading man, Heder is mindful of not simply replaying Napoleon 2.0. “It’s always in the back of my head—how do I not sound exactly like Napoleon?” he explains. “You want to bring something fresh that still feels quirky and odd but isn’t a carbon copy. Once I get into hair, makeup, and wardrobe, I live in it for a week and then I’ve got it.”
Off-camera, the cast bonded over biking, hiking, and exploring Virginia’s historic landmarks between takes—or, as Heder puts it, “just farting around in the hotel and having just as much fun.” Those relationships, he says, are always his favorite takeaway from any film.
Tapawingo marks another win for fans who love Heder in full oddball glory: big heart, bigger hair, and zero chill when it comes to living out childhood mercenary fantasies against small-town bullies. If the on-set laughter is any indication, audiences are in for a very good time.
Tapawingo is now available on digital and on demand. Put on your best ’80s tracksuit, grab some tater tots (for old times’ sake), and prepare to root for the underdog—again.
