'Superbad' nerds talk acting, swearing and the ladies

I met the three young stars of the super bawdy high school comedy "Superbad" on a Thursday morning at North Avenue Beach in Chicago.

Normally, journalists interview stars within the air-conditioned confines of a hotel suite. This day, the "Superbad" stars huddle up next to each other in front of Lake Michigan, and there aren't even any bikinis on the horizon.

Here are excerpts of my chat with Jonah Hill, 23, who plays Seth; Michael Cera, 19, who plays Evan; and first-time actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse, 18, who plays the ultra-nerdy Fogell in one of the funniest, raunchiest movies of the year about three teenagers on a quest for booze and girls.

Q: Chris, you said you were astonished that you ever got the opportunity to act.

Michael (to Chris): You used the word 'astonished'?

Chris (nervously): I don't think so. Maybe I did. This was my first audition. My friends told me about it so I went with them and I auditioned for it. That was my break into the biz.

Q: How did you create your characters?

Jonah: I tried to create something different from what I've played before. I'm 23. It's been five years since I've been in high school. I tried to think of three or four people I knew in high school. I remembered the feelings I had.

Q: What was your biggest challenge, Chris?

Chris Hmmm. My biggest challenge?

Jonah (interrupting): Playing a straight character, I would imagine.

Chris (ignoring Jonah): Not laughing when these characters would improvise and make jokes and stuff. Just not laughing was the hardest part.

Michael: It's the least challenging job I've ever had. I'll never have another job this easy going. I guess the biggest challenge was never being able to phone it in. You really worked.

Q: Jonah, your biggest challenge?

Jonah: Being the lead of the movie. I was freaking out before because I'd never done this before. I've usually been in movies where I would be in a couple of scenes and tell a joke and be funny. It was scary for me.

(He looks at his co-stars talking to each other.) Hey! Would you guys mind being quiet? I don't talk when you're talking. Amateur hour!

I realized the first day that if people hated me, they would hate the movie. That was scary for me. But Seth Rogen was just off "Knocked Up," and he plied me with sage advice.

Q: What was the best piece of advice Seth gave you?

Jonah: He said to pretend that you're not the lead.

Michael: Another piece of advice he gave all of us was not to swear too much. Swear less. Then, when you swear, it really sinks in.

Jonah: I didn't take that advice.

Q: Has movie stardom helped you out in the women department?

Jonah: I know I'll be dating the same girls now I would have been dating before I was an actor, anyway.

Chris: Girls kind of notice us because we were in the movie. But we don't take advantage of that.

Michael: I'm not exaggerating to gain any kind of sympathy, but no. I haven't gained anything.

Q: Thanks for the interviews.

Michael: It's a shame we had to end on that note, Dann.

Jonah: I'm sad inside.