Octopussy: Michael Cera's Eight Meekest Roles

With "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," the actor is finally playing a guy who acts like he has a pair. Look back on his long history of nebbishy characters.

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Complex Original

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Octopussy-Michael-CeraWhen you hear the words "strong Hollywood leading man," you probably imagine a styled and chiseled chap pushing Michael Cera out of the way to do something daring and heroic. Why? Because the wispy Canadian actor seems to always play a slight variation of George-Michael Bluth, the stammering milquetoast he portrayed on FOX's 2003 cult hit TV show Arrested Development. That may be about to change, though. According to Complex's August/September Shotcaller Edgar Wright, who directed Cera in the awesome new comic adaptation Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, his bolder, more violent turn (he headbutts a guy to death, for crying out loud!) may change the way people think of him. Hey, the Bible does say the meek shall inherit some balls (doesn't it?), so just because people think of Cera as a bit of a pusssss...pushover, it doesn't mean he can't change the way he's typecast. But before he takes his smooth Ken-doll patch of crotch and becomes some kind of dashing action movie icon, check out Michael Cera's eight meekest roles...

Cera_ArrestedDevelopment

GEORGE MICHAEL BLUTH IN ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (2003-2006)
Moment of meekness: An obedient son, he works at the family's frozen banana stand while secretly lusting after his cousin Maeby and trying to come up with reasons for them to make out. Frozen bananas? That's SYMBOLISM. *strokes chin knowingly*
Mans up when: With police on the way to arrest their crazy, criminal relatives at the end of the series, he and his dad finally bounce and take off on a yacht for Cabo with $500,000.

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Cera_Superbad

EVAN IN SUPERBAD (2007)
Moment of meekness: Not wanting to hurt the feelings of his sensitive and jealous BFF Seth, he hides the fact that he and geeky acquaintance Fogell (a.k.a. McLovin) will be roommates at Dartmouth while Seth goes it alone at state school.
Mans up when: He tells Seth, who prefers to play the wall and make snide remarks about people, that he's been holding Evan back from making friends and having sex. But later, after Seth carries drunk Evan home so he won't be arrested by party-busting cops, they have a homoerotic confessional make-up sleepover, so...win?

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Cera_Juno

PAULIE BLEEKER IN JUNO (2007)
Moment of meekness: In love with Juno—the friend who he's accidentally impregnated during their one smash-off—but too passive to do anything about it, he lets her push him away. He then passively-aggressively asks another girl to the prom to make Juno jealous. Playa playa! Wait, no.
Mans up when: He runs to the hospital to be there for Juno when she gives birth to their son, which she will give up for adoption. Hey, Diablo, great way to teach boys about the responsibilities of fatherhood.

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NICK IN NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST (2008)
Moment of meekness: Dumped by his attractive but completely incompatible girlfriend Tris, he leaves her pathetic voicemails and sends her a series of breakup mix CDs (that she throws away).
Mans up when: He drives off on Tris, who's jealous of a perceived relationship with new girl Norah, while she's dancing seductively in front of his car in an attempt to win him back. He then goes to Electric Lady Studios with Norah and finger-blasts her to her first orgasm...while she's miked up. Platinum plaque for that one!

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MICHAEL CERA IN PAPER HEART (2009)
Moment of meekness: As a fictionalized version of himself, he falls for Charlyne Yi, a comedian who's filming a documentary about the mystery that is love, but catches feelings when she confesses that she's unsure she loves him, the cameras won't leave them alone, and the director tries to manipulate their relationship.
Mans up when: He breaks up with her, forcing her to eventually come knocking at his door in Toronto. We think the Canadian border is supposed to represent some kind of obstacle, though we've certainly been able to smuggle a lot of that "Maple Leaf" into the U.S.

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OH IN YEAR ONE (2009)
Moment of meekness: Initially a gatherer, a job traditionally done by the women of his tribe, he ends up a soft-spoken servant of a eunuch high priest, who makes Oh rub oil into his jungle of chest hair.
Mans up when: He smashes Eema, a girl from his tribe who has been enslaved, to save her from being a virgin sacrifice. He then throws oil in the face of the high priest, who catches fire and falls into the flaming sacrificial pit with his jungle chest. Oh, the deforestation of it all!

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NICK TWISP/FRANCOIS DILLINGER IN YOUTH IN REVOLT (2009)
Moment of meekness: An awkward outcast lacking confidence, he creates a fake girlfriend to impress a girl he's just met.
Mans up when: He creates an alter ego (mustachioed French bad boy François Dillinger) so he can do wild shit like blow up a car to be with her. He also dresses up as a girl to fool her religious parents so he can bang her. Ballsy.

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Cera_ScottPilgrim2

SCOTT PILGRIM IN SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (2010)
Moment of meekness: Self-conscious after being dumped by his girlfriend, Natalie V. "Envy" Adams, who's become a huge rock star, he exhibits his insecurities to his new chick, Ramona Flowers. Sensitive about his hair, he constantly pulls on a hat whenever she mentions it.
Mans up when: He starts killing Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends—including Envy's new man—so he can be with her. Apparently, just slaying the p wasn't enough.


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